Anti-InlA single-domain antibodies that inhibit the cell invasion of Listeria monocytogenes.

Listeriosis, caused by infection with Listeria monocytogenes, is a severe disease with a high mortality rate. The L. monocytogenes virulence factor, internalin family protein InlA, which binds to the host receptor E-cadherin, is necessary to invade host cells. Here, we isolated two single-domain antibodies (VHHs) that bind to InlA with picomolar affinities from an alpaca immune library using the phage display method. These InlA-specific VHHs inhibited the binding of InlA to the extracellular domains of E-cadherin in vitro as shown by biophysical interaction analysis. Furthermore, we determined that the VHHs inhibited the invasion of L. monocytogenes into host cells in culture. High-resolution X-ray structure analyses of the complexes of VHHs with InlA revealed that the VHHs bind to the same binding site as E-cadherin against InlA. We conclude that these VHHs have the potential for use as drugs to treat listeriosis.

Reliable purity assay of highly hygroscopic trichloroacetic acid for the development of high-purity reference material of NMIJ CRM 4074-a.

Trichloroacetic acid is known as one of the harmful disinfection byproducts with chlorine of tap water and is regulated according to legally binding standards in Japanese Drinking Water Quality Standards. We developed a high-purity trichloroacetic acid reference material, NMIJ CRM 4074-a, with certified purity as a traceability source of standard solution supplied under the Japan Calibration Service System (JCSS). As trichloroacetic acid is hygroscopic, water could be the main impurity. Although all impurities in the sample can be possibly detected by the freezing point depression method (FPD), it was unclear for trichloroacetic acid whether water was detected by FPD owing to evaporation of water from the sample during fusion. Therefore, we confirmed that water in trichloroacetic acid was detected as an impurity by FPD. The procedure was validated from an increment of purity by FPD due to reduction of water content and an agreement of purity by FPD with those by neutralization titrimetry (NT) and mass balance approach (MBA), both methods were based on different measurement principles from FPD. The certified value was determined to be (0.999 ± 0.003) kg kg-1 from the purity assay by FPD and NT, and uncertainties due to the homogeneity and stability of the CRM were included in the expanded uncertainty. The reliability of the certified value was verified by the agreement of purities by FPD, NT, and MBA.

Determination of Mogroside V in Luohanguo Extract for Daily Quality Control Operation Using Relative Molar Sensitivity to Single-Reference Caffeine.

Mogroside V is one of the characteristic and effective components of luohanguo extract, a food additive used as a sweetener in Japan as per Japan's Standards and Specifications for Food Additives (JSFA; 9th ed.). JSFA stipulates that the quantitative determination for mogroside V content in luohanguo extract applies HPLC using analytical standard mogroside V. However, no mogroside V reagents with proven purities are commercially available. Therefore the current JSFA determination method is not particularly suited for daily quality control operations involving luohanguo extract. In this study, we applied an alternative quantitative method using a single reference with relative molar sensitivity (RMS). It was possible to calculate the accurate RMS by an offline combination of 1H-quantitative NMR spectroscopy (1H-qNMR) and an HPLC/variable-wavelength detector (VWD). Using the RMS of mogroside V to a commercial certified reference material grade caffeine, the mogroside V contents in luohanguo extracts could be determined using HPLC/VWD without analytical standard mogroside V. There was no significant difference between the mogroside V contents in luohanguo extracts determined using the method employing single-reference caffeine with the RMS and using the JSFA method. The absolute calibration curve for the latter was prepared using an analytical standard mogroside V whose purity was determined by 1H-qNMR. These results demonstrate that our proposed method using a single reference with RMS is suitable for quantitative determination of mogroside V in luohanguo extract and can be used as an alternative method to the current assay method in JSFA.

Collaborative Study to Validate Purity Determination by 1H Quantitative NMR Spectroscopy by Using Internal Calibration Methodology.

NMR spectroscopy has recently been utilized to determine the absolute amounts of organic molecules with metrological traceability since signal intensity is directly proportional to the number of each nucleus in a molecule. The NMR methodology that uses hydrogen nucleus (1H) to quantify chemicals is called quantitative 1H-NMR (1H qNMR). The quantitative method using 1H qNMR for determining the purity or content of chemicals has been adopted into some compendial guidelines and official standards. However, there are still few reports in the literature regarding validation of 1H qNMR methodology. Here, we coordinated an international collaborative study to validate a 1H qNMR based on the use of an internal calibration methodology. Thirteen laboratories participated in this study, and the purities of three samples were individually measured using 1H qNMR method. The three samples were all certified via conventional primary methods of measurement, such as butyl p-hydroxybenzoate Japanese Pharmacopeia (JP) reference standard certified by mass balance; benzoic acid certified reference material (CRM) certified by coulometric titration; fludioxonil CRM certified by a combination of freezing point depression method and 1H qNMR. For each sample, 1H qNMR experiments were optimized before quantitative analysis. The results showed that the measured values of each sample were equivalent to the corresponding reference labeled value. Furthermore, assessment of these 1H qNMR data using the normalized error, En-value, concluded that statistically 1H qNMR has the competence to obtain the same quantification performance and accuracy as the conventional primary methods of measurement.

Development of certified reference material NMIJ CRM 6205-a for the validation of DNA quantification methods: accurate mass concentrations of 600-bp DNA solutions having artificial sequences.

Two 600-bp DNA solutions (DNA600-G and DNA600-T) were developed as certified reference material, NMIJ CRM 6205-a, for the validation of DNA quantification methods. Both DNA600-G and DNA600-T are ideal as "spike-in control" because these materials have artificial nucleic acid sequences. The certified values were determined as the mass concentration of total DNA (whole DNA materials in sample solution regardless of sequence) at 25 °C by formic acid hydrolysis/liquid chromatography-isotope dilution mass spectrometry (LC-IDMS) and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) based on the amount of phosphorus. DNAs were synthesized, and plasmids including the synthesized DNAs were cloned into Escherichia coli DH5α. The amplified plasmids were digested with a restriction enzyme and highly purified. Then, the purified DNAs were diluted with water to approximately 1 ng/µL. By using the CRM-validated methods in fields where DNA quantification is required, the reliability of DNA quantification could be improved. Graphical abstract.

Determination of PAHs in Solution with a Single Reference Standard by a Combination of 1H Quantitative NMR Spectroscopy and Chromatography.

We have applied a combination of 1H quantitative NMR spectroscopy (1H-qNMR) and chromatography (GC or LC) to establish reliable analytical methods (qNMR/GC and qNMR/LC) for organic compounds. In this method, a reference standard is used as an internal standard for both 1H-qNMR and chromatography to estimate relative molar sensitivity (RMS) for analytes. The RMS values are calculated from the molar ratios between analytes and the reference standard obtained by 1H-qNMR; and the response ratio between them obtained by chromatography. Concentrations of analytes in the organic solution can be simultaneously determined from the RMS and amount of the reference standard added in the sample solution. This analytical method is an innovative one because only one reference standard with International System of Units (SI)-traceable property value, purity, or concentration, is necessary to determine accurate concentrations of multiple organic components in organic solutions, without the respective certified reference standards for various analytes. To verify this method, a certified reference material, NIST SRM 1647f, was used. Among the 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) included in NIST SRM 1647f, naphthalene and benzo[a]pyrene were selected as analytes for this method, using 1,4-bis(trimethylsilyl)benzene-d4 as the reference standard. Each quantitative value obtained by qNMR/GC and qNMR/LC agreed with each certified value within its expanded uncertainty.

Quantification of glycated N-terminal peptide of hemoglobin using derivatization for multiple functional groups of amino acids followed by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry.

A novel method of amino acid analysis using derivatization of multiple functional groups (amino, carboxyl, and phenolic hydroxyl groups) was applied to measure glycated amino acids in order to quantify glycated peptides and evaluate the degree of glycation of peptide. Amino and carboxyl groups of amino acids were derivatized with 1-bromobutane so that the hydrophobicities and basicities of the amino acids, including glycated amino acids, were improved. These derivatized amino acids could be detected with high sensitivity using LC-MS/MS. In this study, 1-deoxyfructosyl-VHLTPE and VHLTPE, which are N-terminal peptides of the ß-chains of hemoglobin, were selected as target compounds. After reducing the peptide sample solution with sodium borohydride, the obtained peptides were hydrolyzed with hydrochloric acid. The released amino acids were then derivatized with 1-bromobutane and analyzed with LC-MS/MS. The derivatized amino acids, including glycated amino acids, could be separated using an octadecyl silylated silica column and good sharp peaks were detected. We show a confirmatory experiment that the proposed method can be applied to evaluate the degree of glycation of peptides, using mixtures of glycated and non-glycated peptide.

A novel amino acid analysis method using derivatization of multiple functional groups followed by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry.

We have developed a novel amino acid analysis method using derivatization of multiple functional groups (amino, carboxyl, and phenolic hydroxyl groups). The amino, carboxyl, and phenolic hydroxyl groups of the amino acids were derivatized with 1-bromobutane so that the hydrophobicities and basicities of the amino acids were improved. The derivatized amino acids, including amino group-modified amino acids, could be detected with high sensitivity using liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). In this study, 17 amino acids obtained by hydrolyzing proteins and 4 amino group-modified amino acids found in the human body (N,N-dimethylglycine, N-formyl-L-methionine, L-pyroglutamic acid, and sarcosine) were selected as target compounds. The 21 derivatized amino acids could be separated using an octadecyl-silylated silica column within 20 min and simultaneously detected. The detection limits for the 21 amino acids were 5.4-91 fmol, and the calibration curves were linear over the range of 10-100 nmol L(-1) (r(2) > 0.9984) with good repeatability. A confirmatory experiment showed that our proposed method could be applied to the determination of a protein certified reference material using the analysis of 12 amino acids combined with isotope dilution mass spectrometry. Furthermore, the proposed method was successfully applied to a stable isotope-coded derivatization method using 1-bromobutane and 1-bromobutane-4,4,4-d3 for comparative analysis of amino acids in human serum.

Development of 3ß,4α-dihydroxy-5α-androstan-17-one standard solution for doping analyses.

Doping analyses are essential for sporting events because some athletes might use prohibited substances to win games. To obtain reliable results from doping analyses, it is important to use both reliable standard solutions and validated analytical methods at accredited laboratories. Among the focused compounds related to prohibited substances listed by the World Anti-Doping Agency, we developed a certified reference material (CRM) for 3ß,4α-dihydroxy-5α-androstan-17-one (DHAS), a metabolite of formestane that is used to conceal prohibited anabolic steroids, in methanol solution (NMIJ CRM 6212-a). To develop a CRM traceable to the International System of Units (SI), we newly applied different analytical methods with an SI-traceable internal standard for quantitative NMR (qNMR) instead of mass balance approach because this CRM solution was required to develop rapidly using a limited amount of high-purity DHAS. One method was gravimetric blending using the purity of DHAS powder evaluated by both qNMR and a combination of qNMR and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and the other was direct quantification of the DHAS mass fraction in the candidate solution CRM by both qNMR and qNMR/HPLC. Because the values obtained by gravimetric blending and direct quantification of the mass fraction were comparable, the arithmetic mean was applied to obtain the certified value. Considering homogeneity and stability according to ISO Guide 35: 2017, the certified values with expanded uncertainties (coverage factor k = 2, approximate 95% confidence interval) were (135.2 ± 9.5) µg/g for the mass fraction and (107.0 ± 7.5) µg/ml for the mass concentration.

Characterization of scallop midgut gland certified reference material for quantification of diarrhetic shellfish toxins.

A scallop midgut gland certified reference material, NMIJ CRM 7520-a, was developed for validation and quality assurance during the inspection of shellfish for diarrhetic shellfish toxins. The candidate material was prepared by using naturally-toxic and nontoxic boiled midgut glands spiked with okadaic acid (OA). The homogeneity and stability of the material were found to be appropriate. For the characterization of OA and dinophysistoxin-1 (DTX1), nine participants were involved in a co-laboratory study based on the Japanese Official Testing Method, where the compounds were assayed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry following alkaline hydrolysis. The analytical values were obtained by the standard addition method with a standard spiking solution calibrated using the standard-solution certified reference materials OA and DTX1. The certified concentrations with expanded uncertainties (coverage factor k = 2, approximate 95% confidence interval) were determined to be (0.205 ±â€¯0.061) mg/kg for OA and (0.45 ±â€¯0.11) mg/kg for DTX1.

Determination of perillaldehyde in perilla herbs using relative molar sensitivity to single-reference diphenyl sulfone.

Perillaldehyde (PRL) is one of the essential oil components derived from perilla plants (Perilla frutescens Britton) and is a characteristic compound of the traditional medicine "perilla herb ()" listed in the The Japanese Pharmacopoeia, 17th edition (JP17). HPLC using an analytical standard of PRL has been used to quantitatively determine the PRL content in perilla herb. However, PRL reagents have been reported to decompose easily. In this study, we utilized an alternative quantitative method using on a single reference with relative molar sensitivity (RMS) based on the results of experiments performed in two laboratories. It was possible to calculate the exact RMS using an offline combination of 1H-quantitative NMR spectroscopy (1H-qNMR) and an HPLC/photodiode array (PDA) detector (or an HPLC/variable-wavelength detector [VWD]). Using the RMS of PRL to the single-reference compound diphenyl sulfone (DFS), which is an inexpensive and stable compound, the PRL content in the perilla herb could be determined using HPLC/PDA or HPLC/VWD without the need for the analytical standard of PRL. There was no significant difference between the PRL contents of perilla herb determined using the method employing the single-reference DFS with RMS and using the JP17 assay, the calibration curve of which was generated using the analytical standard of PRL with adjusted purity measured by 1H-qNMR. These results demonstrate that our proposed method using a single reference with RMS is suitable for quantitative assays of perilla herb and can be an alternative method for the current assay method defined in the JP17.

Relative molar sensitivities of carnosol and carnosic acid with respect to diphenylamine allow accurate quantification of antioxidants in rosemary extract.

We have been developing a high-performance liquid chromatography/photodiode array (HPLC/PDA) employing relative molar sensitivities (RMSs) and adopted it to the accurate quantification of carnosol (CL) and carnosic acid (CA) which are the antioxidants in rosemary extract. The method requires no references of CL or CA and instead uses RMSs with respect to diphenylamine (DPA) whose certified reference material is available from a reagent manufacturer. The molar and response ratios of the analytes to the reference in an artificial mixture of them were determined using 1H-quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-qNMR) and HPLC/PDA at a wavelength of 284 nm under isocratic condition, respectively, and then RMSs were calculated to be 0.111 for CL/DPA and 0.0809 for CA/DPA as averaged values in three HPLC-PDA instruments. The RMS values varied by up to 1.1% as relative standard deviation. To evaluate the performance of HPLC/PDA with the RMSs, the CL and CA contents in rosemary extracts were determined using DPA as a reference. The CL and CA contents were compared with those determined using calibration curves of CL and CA obtained by HPLC measurement of standard solutions prepared from their reagents whose absolute purities were determined using 1H-qNMR. The differences between the two methods for CL and CA were ≤3% as relative error. This chromatographic method with RMSs allows a simple and reliable quantification when reference of the analyte is unavailable.

Interlaboratory comparison of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry quantification of diarrhetic shellfish toxins in scallop midgut glands.

An interlaboratory comparison (ILC) was organized as a measure of the analytical competency in the liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry quantification of okadaic acid (OA) and dinophysistoxin-1 (DTX1) in scallop midgut gland samples. The test sample was prepared using boiled midgut glands of naturally contaminated scallops with DTX1 and its esters by spiking with OA, and homogeneity and stability of this test sample was assessed to be appropriate. Twenty laboratories participated in the ILC based on the Japanese official testing method; they submitted two sets of analytical concentrations of target analytes along with the details of their analytical protocols. For assessing these data, assigned values were established from another ILC where ten participants quantified the target analytes by the standard addition method. The mean analytical results of the former ILC showed good agreement with the assigned values, and the corresponding relative reproducibility standard deviations met the criterion of CODEX STAN 292. Meanwhile, the results of more than half of the participants were out of the uncertainty range of the assigned values; these participants were encouraged to investigate their protocols to improve their analytical capability.

HPLC/PDA determination of carminic acid and 4-aminocarminic acid using relative molar sensitivities with respect to caffeine.

To accurately determine carminic acid (CA) and its derivative 4-aminocarminic acid (4-ACA), a novel, high-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detector (HPLC/PDA) method using relative molar sensitivity (RMS) was developed. The method requires no analytical standards of CA and 4-ACA; instead it uses the RMS values with respect to caffeine (CAF), which is used as an internal standard. An off-line combination of 1H-quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-qNMR) and HPLC/PDA was able to precisely determine the RMSs of CA274nm/CAF274nm and 4-ACA274nm/CAF274nm. To confirm the performance of the HPLC/PDA method using RMSs, the CA and 4-ACA contents in test samples were tested using four different HPLC-PDA instruments and one HPLC-UV. The relative standard deviations of the results obtained from five chromatographs and two columns were less than 2.7% for CA274nm/CAF274nm and 1.1% for 4-ACA274nm/CAF274nm. The 1H-qNMR method was directly employed to analyse the CA and 4-ACA contents in test samples. The differences between the quantitative values obtained from both methods were less than 5% for CA and 3% for 4-ACA. These results demonstrate that the HPLC/PDA method using RMSs to CAF is a simple and reliable quantification method that does not require CA and 4-ACA certified reference materials.

[Determination of Hesperidin and Monoglucosylhesperidin Contents in Processed Foods Using Relative Molar Sensitivity Based on 1H-Quantitative NMR].

We designed an off-line combination of HPLC/photodiode array detector (PDA) and 1H-quantitative NMR (1H-qNMR) to estimate the relative molar sensitivity (RMS) of an analyte to a reference standard. The RMS is calculated as follows: a mixture of the analyte and the reference is analyzed using 1H-qNMR and HPLC/PDA. The response ratio of the analyte and the reference obtained by HPLC/PDA is then corrected using the molar ratio obtained by 1H-qNMR. We selected methylparaben (MPB), which is a certified reference material, as the reference standard and hesperidin (Hes) and monoglucosylhesperidin (MGHes) as analytes, and the RMSs of Hes283 nm/MPB255 nm and MGHes283 nm/MPB255 nm were determined as 1.25 and 1.32, respectively. We determined the contents of Hes and MGHes in processed foods by the conventional absolute calibration method and by the internal standard method employing the RMS values with respect to MPB. The differences between the values obtained with the two methods were less than 2.0% for Hes and 3.5% for MGHes.

Concentration Measurement of Amino Acid in Aqueous Solution by Quantitative 1H NMR Spectroscopy with Internal Standard Method.

We describe a procedure to determine concentrations of amino acid standard solutions by quantitative NMR spectroscopy using an internal standard. The measurement samples were prepared by solvent exchange to remove any intense solvent signal in the 1H NMR spectra. The method was demonstrated on valine aqueous solutions of different concentrations. The accuracy of the measured concentrations that fell well within the range of the expanded uncertainty is also discussed. All of the results are in good agreement with the preparation values. We believe that this approach should be useful to determine the concentrations of standard solutions whose solute components are difficult to weigh because of extremely small amount or hygroscopicity.

Effects of the pH and Concentration on the Stability of Standard Solutions of Proteinogenic Amino Acid Mixtures.

To prepare metrologically traceable amino acid mixed standard solutions, it is necessary to determine the stability of each amino acid present in the mixed solutions. In the present study, we prepared amino acid mixed solutions using certified reference standards of 17 proteinogenic amino acids, and examined the stability of each of these amino acids in 0.1 N HCl. We found that the concentration of glutamic acid decreased significantly during storage. LC/MS analysis indicated that the instability of glutamic acid was due to the partial degradation of glutamic acid to pyroglutamic acid in 0.1 N HCl. Using accelerated degradation tests, we investigated several solvent compositions to improve the stability of glutamic acid in amino acid mixed solution, and determined that the change of the pH by diluting the mixed solution improved the stability of glutamic acid.

Formic acid hydrolysis/liquid chromatography isotope dilution mass spectrometry: An accurate method for large DNA quantification.

Liquid chromatography-isotope dilution mass spectrometry (LC-IDMS) with formic acid hydrolysis was established for the accurate quantification of λDNA. The over-decomposition of nucleobases in formic acid hydrolysis was restricted by optimizing the reaction temperature and the reaction time, and accurately corrected by using deoxynucleotides (dNMPs) and isotope-labeled dNMPs as the calibrator and the internal standard, respectively. The present method could quantify λDNA with an expanded uncertainty of 4.6% using 10fmol of λDNA. The analytical results obtained with the present method were validated by comparing with the results of phosphate-base quantification by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The results showed good agreement with each other. We conclude that the formic acid hydrolysis/LC-IDMS method can quantify λDNA accurately and is promising as the primary method for the certification of DNA as reference material.

Quantitative Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Based on PULCON Methodology: Application to Quantification of Invaluable Marine Toxin, Okadaic Acid.

ERETIC2 (Electronic Reference To access In vivo Concentrations 2) based on PULCON (Pulse Length-based Concentration determination) methodology is a quantitative NMR (qNMR) using an external standard. The performance of the PULCON method was assessed using maleic acid (MA). Quantification of the diarrhetic shellfish toxin and okadaic acid by PULCON was successfully consistent with that obtained by a conventional internal standard method, demonstrating that the PULCON method is useful for the quantification of invaluable marine toxins without any contaminations by an internal standard.

Purity Determination of Acetaldehyde in an Acetaldehyde Certified Reference Material.

Acetaldehyde is regulated as a toxic substance in various fields, and the method for monitoring or analysis of acetaldehyde is important. However, handling is difficult because of the high reactivity and low boiling point of acetaldehyde. Therefore, a reference material for high purity acetaldehyde with high accuracy was not available. Although the measuring method of acetaldehyde as a reagent is published in the Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS) where the specification of acetaldehyde purity is more than 80%, the analytical method described in JIS is not enough for an accuracy purity determination method. In this research, the high precision purity determination method for development of a certified reference material (CRM) of acetaldehyde was examined. By controlling the volatility and reactivity of acetaldehyde, we established the purity determination method of acetaldehyde with a relative standard uncertainty of less than 0.3%. Furthermore, this method was applied to develop a high purity acetaldehyde CRM with an expanded uncertainty of 0.005 kg kg(-1) (k = 2).