Determination of surfactant bio-sourced origin by isotope-ratio mass spectrometry.

RATIONALE: To develop more eco-friendly laundry detergents, renewable surfactants synthesized from vegetal sources are increasingly being used. In a more stringent regulation context, the determination of bio-sourced surfactant origin thus appears essential to assess the claims of detergent manufacturers. Radiocarbon determination, the standard method for the analysis of bio-sourced materials, is an expensive technique, so there is a need for a cheaper method. METHODS: Here, the use of an elemental analyzer linked to isotope-ratio mass spectrometry (EA/IRMS) is evaluated as an alternative approach to the official method. The δ(18) O, δ(13) C and δ(2) H isotope-ratio values were determined to investigate the bio-sourced origin of surfactant raw materials and mixtures. RESULTS: A sample library of 26 commercial surfactants representative of detergent raw materials was first analyzed by EA/IRMS. The δ(18) O, δ(13) C and δ(2) H values allowed discrimination of synthetic and bio-sourced surfactants. Moreover, in this latter group, C4 plant-derived surfactants were distinguished by their δ(13) C values. Binary and ternary mixtures made of synthetic and bio-sourced surfactants were also analyzed and indicated a linear relationship between mixture isotope-ratio values and surfactant proportions. CONCLUSIONS: IRMS represents a viable alternative to radiocarbon determination for the evaluation of surfactant bio-sourced origin. It is a faster and cheaper technique, allowing discrimination of petroleum- and biomass-derived surfactants and identification of their carbon sources (C4 or C3 plants).

A Cross-Sectional Quantitative Metabolomics Study Evidencing the Metabolic Signature in Six Organs during a 14-Week High-Fat High-Sucrose and Standard Diet in Mice.

Obesity is a risk factor for many diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. In line with the need for precision medicine, the search for biomarkers reporting the progression of obesity- and diet-associated disorders is urgent. We used NMR to determine the metabolomics profile of key organs (lung, liver, heart, skeletal muscle, kidney, and brain) and serum from male C57Bl/6J mice (5 weeks old) fed for 6, 10, and 14 weeks on a high-fat and high-sucrose diet (HFHSD) vs. a standard diet (STD). We determined metabolite concentrations in the organs at each time point, which allowed us to discriminate age- and diet-related effects as well as the interactions between both, highlighting the need to evaluate the influence of age as a confounding factor on metabolic signatures. Notably, the analysis revealed the influence of time on metabolite concentrations in the STD condition, probably reflecting the juvenile-to-adult transition. Variations impacted the liver and lung metabolites, revealing the strong influence of the HFHS diet on normal metabolism maturation during youth.

Stable isotope ratio measurements of royal jelly samples for controlling production procedures: impact of sugar feeding.

The carbon and nitrogen stable ratios of royal jelly (RJ) samples from various origins are determined using an elemental analyser linked online to an isotope ratio mass spectrometer to evaluate authenticity and adulteration. The (13)C/(12)C and (15)N/(14)N stable isotope ratios are measured in more than 500 RJs (domestic, imported and derived from feeding experiments) in order to obtain isotopic measurements that take into account seasonal, botanical and geographical effects. Authenticity intervals are established for traditional beekeeping practices, without feeding, in the range -22.48 to -27.90‰ for δ(13)C. For these samples, the δ(15)N values range from -1.58 to 7.98‰, depending on the plant sources of pollen and nectar. The δ(13)C values of the commercial samples vary from -18.54 to -26.58‰. High δ(13)C values are typical of sugar cane or corn syrups which have distinctive isotopic (13)C signatures because both plants use the C4 photosynthetic cycle, in contrast to most RJs which are derived from C3 plants. These differences in the (13)C-isotopic composition allow the detection of the addition of such sugars. RJs from traditional sources and from industrial production by sugar feeding are thus successfully distinguished.

Metabolic Phenotyping of Adipose-Derived Stem Cells Reveals a Unique Signature and Intrinsic Differences between Fat Pads.

White adipose tissues are functionally heterogeneous and differently manage the excess of energy supply. While the expansion of subcutaneous adipose tissues (SAT) is protective in obesity, that of visceral adipose tissues (VAT) correlates with the emergence of metabolic diseases. Maintained in fat pads throughout life, adipose stem cells (ASC) are mesenchymal-like stem cells with adipogenesis and multipotent differentiation potential. ASC from distinct fat pads have long been reported to present distinct proliferation and differentiation potentials that are maintained in culture, yet the origins of these intrinsic differences are still unknown. Metabolism is central to stem cell fate decision in line with environmental changes. In this study, we performed high-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) metabolomic analyses of ASC culture supernatants in order to characterize their metabolic phenotype in culture. We identified and quantified 29 ASC exometabolites and evaluated their consumption or secretion over 72 h of cell culture. Both ASC used glycolysis and mitochondrial metabolism, as evidenced by the high secretions of lactate and citrate, respectively, but V-ASC mostly used glycolysis. By varying the composition of the cell culture medium, we showed that glutaminolysis, rather than glycolysis, supported the secretion of pyruvate, alanine, and citrate, evidencing a peculiar metabolism in ASC cells. The comparison of the two types of ASC in glutamine-free culture conditions also revealed the role of glutaminolysis in the limitation of pyruvate routing towards the lactate synthesis, in S-ASC but not in V-ASC. Altogether, our results suggest a difference between depots in the capacity of ASC mitochondria to assimilate pyruvate, with probable consequences on their differentiation potential in pathways requiring an increased mitochondrial activity. These results highlight a pivotal role of metabolic mechanisms in the discrimination between ASC and provide new perspectives in the understanding of their functional differences.