Mass spectrometry analysis of environmental pollutants in breast and artificial milk for newborns.

Environmental toxins, particularly liposoluble compounds that accumulate in adipose tissues, present a risk for newborns, not only through breastfeeding but also through artificial milks. These compounds pass into breast milk, potentially exposing infants to harmful substances. In a monocentric observational study carried out in the Charleroi region, we employed liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry to analyze the presence of environmental toxins in milk for newborns. Out of 39 breast milk and 12 artificial milk samples analyzed, 15 and six contained at least one pesticide, respectively, with nine different pesticides identified from a panel of 54 substances tested. The study found an association between the consumption of fresh produce and a higher presence of pesticides in breast milk. This. highlights the broader issue of environmental toxin exposure for infants, regardless of the feeding method. The results underline the need for a comprehensive approach when considering the establishment of breast milk banks and the safety of artificial milk, especially in the context of potential risks to premature newborns. Our findings not only validate the analysis technique for detecting toxins in breast milk but also suggest the necessity for a larger prospective study to explore these risks in the future.

Role of Myeloperoxidase in ROS Generation and Inflammation Response on Prostate Epithelial Cells.

Myeloperoxidase (MPO) has been reported in prostate tissue, and considering its pro-oxidant properties, this location might be linked to prostate pathology. The possibility that the glandular prostatic tissue might be the source of MPO and its potential inflammatory effects must be tested. Human prostate material was obtained from prostate biopsies and radical prostatectomies. Immunohistochemistry was performed using MPO-specific human antibody. In situ hybridization using MPO-specific probes and laser-assisted microdissection for quantitative real-time RT-PCR were performed to observe whether MPO is being produced in prostate tissue. Mass spectrometry on prostate biopsies was used to detect products of MPO activity in nucleic acids (DNA/RNA). MPO contribution to intracellular accumulation of ROS and interleukin-8 in prostatic epithelial cells was monitored in vitro. Immunohistochemistry confirmed cellular localization of MPO in epithelial cells of the prostate. The staining varied from light to high intensity. In situ hybridization did not address the presence of mRNA coding for MPO. No MPO-specific modifications on nucleic acids were detected. Mox-LDL was a major factor inducing ROS and cytokines production in prostatic epithelial cells. We did not demonstrate that MPO was synthetized by prostatic epithelial cells. However, in vitro experiments showed the ability of MPO to potentiate the ROS production and inflammation on prostate epithelial cells. Results do not allow us to demonstrate a role of MPO in prostate to date but further studies are mandatory to focus on the potential impact of MPO in the development of prostatic diseases.

Hyperbaric oxygenation improve red blood cell deformability in patients with acute or chronic inflammation.

INTRODUCTION: Red blood cells (RBC) are one of the key elements of the microcirculation. Their ability to pass through capillaries and to deliver oxygen to cells is due to their large degree of deformability linked to the characteristics of the RBC membrane. Alterations in RBC deformability as a result of membrane damage, linked in part to increased synthesis of reactive oxygen species (ROS), can be observed in several diseases, such as sepsis, and may contribute to the altered microcirculation observed in these pathologies. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), with inhalation of 100 % oxygen, has been proposed in several acute or chronic pathologies, including carbon monoxide poisoning. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the effects of HBOT on oxidative stress from ROS produced by myeloperoxidase (MPO) and on RBC deformability in patients with acute or chronic inflammation (n = 10), in patients with acute carbon monoxide poisoning (n = 10), and in healthy volunteers (n = 10). METHODS: RBC deformability was evaluated before and after HBOT in the various populations using the ektacytometry technique (Laser-assisted Optical Rotational Red Cell Analyzer - LORRCA). Deformability was determined by the elongation index (EI) in relation to the shear stress (SS) over a range of 0.3 to 50 Pa. Oxidative stress was estimated through changes in proteins (chlorotyrosine and homocitrulline) induced by MPO activity measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis. RESULTS: Before HBOT, EI was significantly lower in patients with acute or chronic inflammation than in healthy volunteers and patients with acute carbon monoxide poisoning for the majority of SS values studied. After one session of HBOT, the EI was significantly higher than before HBOT for SS values of 1.93 Pa or higher in patients with acute or chronic inflammation. This effect remains constant after 10 sessions. There were no differences before and after HBOT in protein or amino acid oxidation due to ROS generation mediated by MPO in the three populations. CONCLUSIONS: Our results confirm altered RBC deformability in patients with acute and chronic conditions associated with an underlying inflammatory process. HBOT improves deformability only after one session and therefore may improve microcirculation in this population. According to our results, this improvement does not seem mediated by the ROS pathway via MPO. These results need to be confirmed in a larger population.

Three-dimensional analysis of blood platelet spreading using digital holographic microscopy: a statistical study of the differential effect of coatings in healthy volunteers and dialyzed patients.

In cardiovascular disorders, the study of thrombocytes, commonly known as platelets, is highly important since they are involved in blood clotting, essential in hemostasis, and they can in pathological situations affect the blood circulation. In this paper, single deposited platelets are measured using interferometric digital holographic microscopy. We have shown that the average optical height of platelets is significantly lower in healthy volunteers than in dialyzed patients, meaning a better spreading. It demonstrates the great interest for assessing this parameter in any patients, and therefore the high potential of analyzing single spread platelets using digital holographic microscopy in fundamental research as well as a diagnostic tool in routine laboratories, for usual blood tests.

Thrombolysis: Observations and numerical models.

This perspective paper considers thrombolysis in the context of ischemic strokes, intending to build eventually a numerical model capable of simulating the thrombolytic treatment and predicting patient outcomes. Numerical modeling is a scientific methodology based on an abstraction of a system but requires understanding their spatio-temporal interactions. However, although important, the current knowledge on thrombolysis is fragmented in contributions from which it is difficult to obtain a complete picture of the process, especially in a clinically relevant setup. This paper discusses, from a general point of view, how to develop a numerical model to describe the evolution of a patient clot under the action of a thrombolytic drug. We will present critical, yet fundamental, open questions that have emerged during this elaboration and discuss original experimental observations that challenge some of our current knowledge of thrombolysis.

Mass Spectrometry for the Monitoring of Lipoprotein Oxidations by Myeloperoxidase in Cardiovascular Diseases.

Oxidative modifications of HDLs and LDLs by myeloperoxidase (MPO) are regularly mentioned in the context of atherosclerosis. The enzyme adsorbs on protein moieties and locally produces oxidizing agents to modify specific residues on apolipoproteins A-1 and B-100. Oxidation of lipoproteins by MPO (Mox) leads to dysfunctional Mox-HDLs associated with cholesterol-efflux deficiency, and Mox-LDLs that are no more recognized by the LDL receptor and become proinflammatory. Several modification sites on apoA-1 and B-100 that are specific to MPO activity are described in the literature, which seem relevant in patients with cardiovascular risk. The most appropriate analytical method to assess these modifications is based on liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). It enables the oxidized forms of apoA-1and apoB-100 to be quantified in serum, in parallel to a quantification of these apolipoproteins. Current standard methods to quantify apolipoproteins are based on immunoassays that are well standardized with good analytical performances despite the cost and the heterogeneity of the commercialized kits. Mass spectrometry can provide simultaneous measurements of quantity and quality of apolipoproteins, while being antibody-independent and directly detecting peptides carrying modifications for Mox-HDLs and Mox-LDLs. Therefore, mass spectrometry is a potential and reliable alternative for apolipoprotein quantitation.

Development of experimental ground truth and quantification of intracranial aneurysm pulsation in a patient.

Aneurysm wall motion has been reported to be associated with rupture. However, its quantification with medical imaging is challenging and should be based on experimental ground-truth to avoid misinterpretation of results. In this work a time-resolved CT angiography (4D-CTA) acquisition protocol is proposed to detect the pulsation of intracranial aneurysms with a low radiation dose. To acquire ground-truth data, the accuracy of volume pulsation detection and quantification in a silicone phantom was assessed by applying pressure sinusoidal waves of increasing amplitudes. These experiments were carried out using a test bench that could reproduce pulsatile waveforms similar to those inside the internal carotid arteries of human subjects. 4D-CTA acquisition parameters (mAs, kVp) were then selected to achieve reliable pulsation detection and quantification with the lowest radiation dose achievable. The resulting acquisition protocol was then used to image an anterior communicating artery aneurysm in a human subject. Data reveals that in a simplified in vitro setting 4D-CTA allows for an effective and reproducible method to detect and quantify aneurysm volume pulsation with an inferior limit as low as 3 mm3 and a background noise of 0.5-1 mm3. Aneurysm pulsation can be detected in vivo with a radiation dose approximating 1 mSv.

An Early Stage Researcher's Primer on Systems Medicine Terminology.

Background: Systems Medicine is a novel approach to medicine, that is, an interdisciplinary field that considers the human body as a system, composed of multiple parts and of complex relationships at multiple levels, and further integrated into an environment. Exploring Systems Medicine implies understanding and combining concepts coming from diametral different fields, including medicine, biology, statistics, modeling and simulation, and data science. Such heterogeneity leads to semantic issues, which may slow down implementation and fruitful interaction between these highly diverse fields. Methods: In this review, we collect and explain more than100 terms related to Systems Medicine. These include both modeling and data science terms and basic systems medicine terms, along with some synthetic definitions, examples of applications, and lists of relevant references. Results: This glossary aims at being a first aid kit for the Systems Medicine researcher facing an unfamiliar term, where he/she can get a first understanding of them, and, more importantly, examples and references for digging into the topic.

Effect of myeloperoxidase modified LDL on bovine and human aortic endothelial cells.

Cardiovascular disease associated with atherosclerosis is a leading cause of death worldwide. Atherosclerosis is primarily caused by the dysfunction of vascular endothelial cells and the subendothelial accumulation of oxidized forms of low-density lipoproteins (LDL). Early observations have associated fibrin deposition with atheroma plaque formation, which has led to the proposition that a decrease in endothelial cell fibrinolysis may negatively influence atherogenesis. It has been recently demonstrated that myeloperoxidase modified LDL (MoxLDL) decreases endothelial cell profibrinolytic capacity in real-time. The present study investigated the role of MoxLDL in endothelial cell dysfunction by determining the molecules that may be involved in decreasing the fibrinolysis of human aortic endothelial cells (HAEC). Accordingly, reverse transcription-quantitative PCR was performed to screen for the differential expression of major genes that are implicated in the fibrinolytic process. In addition, the response of the latter cell type to MoxLDL was compared with bovine aortic endothelial (BAE) cells. Furthermore, the effect of the treatment on the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was also determined. Although the current study did not demonstrate an association between MoxLDL treatment and a change in the expression of any major fibrinolytic factor in HAEC, a discrepancy between HAEC and BAE cells with respect to their response to modified LDL treatment was observed. The result have also demonstrated that MoxLDL does not increase ROS generation in HAEC as opposed to the other major type of modified LDL, cupper oxidized LDL (CuoxLDL) that was reported to exhibit a positive effect at this level. The present study provided important insight into the different effects of MoxLDL and CuoxLDL in endothelial cells, which may aid future studies to determine the various signaling pathways that are promoted by these molecules. The results of the present study may be utilized to identify potential molecular drug targets for the treatment of atherosclerosis.

Validation of a LC/MSMS method for simultaneous quantification of 9 nucleotides in biological matrices.

Nucleotides play a role in inflammation processes: cAMP and cGMP in the endothelial barrier function, ADP in platelet aggregation, ATP and UTP in vasodilatation and/or vasoconstriction of blood vessels, UDP in macrophages activation. The aim of this study is to develop and validate a LC/MS-MS method able to quantify simultaneously nine nucleotides (AMP, cAMP, ADP, ATP, GMP, cGMP, UMP, UDP and UTP) in biological matrixes (cells and plasma). The method we developed, has lower LOQ's than others and has the main advantage to quantify all nucleotides within one single injection in less than 10 min. The measured nucleotides concentrations obtained with this method are similar to those obtained with assay kits commercially available. Analysis of plasma and red blood cells from healthy donors permits to estimate the physiological concentration of those nucleotides in human plasma and red blood cells, such information being poorly available in the literature. Furthermore, the protocol presented in this paper allowed us to observe that AMP, ADP, ATP concentrations are modified in human red blood cells and plasma after a venous stasis of 4 min compared to physiological blood circulation. Therefore, this specific method enables future studies on nucleotides implications in chronic inflammatory diseases but also in other pathologies where nucleotides are implicated in.

Apoliporotein L3 interferes with endothelial tube formation via regulation of ERK1/2, FAK and Akt signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Endothelial cells are main actors in vascular homeostasis as they regulate vascular pressure and permeability as well as hemostasis and inflammation. Disturbed stimuli delivered to and by endothelial cells correlate with the so-called endothelial dysfunction and disrupt this homeostasis. As constituents of the inner layer of blood vessels, endothelial cells are also involved in angiogenesis. Apolipoprotein Ls (APOL) comprise a family of newly discovered apolipoproteins with yet poorly understood function, and are suggested to be involved in inflammatory processes and cell death mechanisms. Here we investigate the role of APOLs in endothelial cells stimulated with factors known to be involved in atherogenesis and their possible contribution to endothelial dysfunction with an emphasis on inflammation driven-angiogenesis in vitro. METHODS: Using the CRISPR/Cas9 technique, we analyzed the effect of APOL3 gene knock out in HMEC-1 endothelial cells on cell migration, tubulogenesis, endothelial permeability, intracellular signal transduction as assessed by kinase phosphorylation, and angiogenesis gene expression (measured by qRT-PCR). RESULTS: Our results indicate that among the family, APOL3 was the only member induced by myeloperoxidase, oxidized LDL, VEGF and FGF treatments. APOL3 invalidation increased endothelial permeability, reduced wound repair and tubule formation in vitro, the latter only in MPO and VEGF-induced conditions. Accordingly, some pro-angiogenic signaling pathways (ERK1/2 and FAK but not Akt) and some pro-angiogenic genes were partially inhibited in APOL3 knock out cells. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest the involvement of APOL3 in angiogenesis in vitro and as a modulator of MAPK and FAK signaling in endothelial cells.

Differential Effects of E-Cigarette on Microvascular Endothelial Function, Arterial Stiffness and Oxidative Stress: A Randomized Crossover Trial.

Propylene glycol and glycerol are electronic cigarettes vehicles allowing liquid vaporization and nicotine transport. The respective effects of these different constituents on the cardiovascular system are unknown. We assessed the differential effects of vehicles (propylene glycol and glycerol) and nicotine on microcirculatory function, arterial stiffness, hemodynamic parameters and oxidative stress. Twenty-five tobacco smokers were exposed to vaping with and without nicotine, and sham vaping, in a randomized, single blind, 3-period crossover design study. Neither sham-vaping nor vaping in the absence of nicotine resulted in modifications of cardiovascular parameters or oxidative stress. In contrast, vaping with nicotine: 1) impaired acetylcholine mediated vasodilation (mean ± standard error mean) (area under curve, perfusion unit (PU), 3385 ± 27PU to 2271 ± 27PU, p < 0.0001); 2) increased indices of arterial stiffness, namely augmentation index corrected for heart rhythm (-3.5 ± 1.5% to 1.9 ± 2.3%; p = 0.013) and pulse wave velocity (4.9 ± 0.1 m.s-1 to 5.3 ± 0.1 m.s-1; p < 0.0001); 3) increased systolic and diastolic blood pressures as well as heart rate (all p < 0.0001) and finally; 4) raised plasma myeloperoxidase (median [interquartile range]) (13.6 ng.ml-1 [10-17.7] to 18.9 ng.ml-1 [12.2-54.4], p = 0.005). Our findings demonstrated that high temperature e-cigarette vehicle vaporization does not alter micro- and macro-vascular function, and oxidative stress, and that these effects are solely attributable to nicotine.

Myeloperoxidase promotes tube formation, triggers ERK1/2 and Akt pathways and is expressed endogenously in endothelial cells.

Myeloperoxidase is a member of the mammalian peroxidase family, mainly expressed in the myeloblastic cell lineage. It is considered a major bactericidal agent as it is released in the phagosome where it catalyzes the formation of reactive oxygen species. It is also released in the extracellular spaces including blood where it is absorbed on (lipo)proteins and endothelial cell surface, interfering with endothelial function. We performed RNA sequencing on MPO-treated endothelial cells, analyzed their transcriptome and validated the profile of gene expression by individual qRT-PCR. Some of the induced genes could be grouped in several functional networks, including tubulogenesis, angiogenesis, and blood vessel morphogenesis and development as well as signal transduction pathways associated to these mechanisms. MPO treatment mimicked the effects of VEGF on several signal transduction pathways, such as Akt, ERK or FAK involved in angiogenesis. Accordingly MPO, independently of its enzymatic activity, stimulated tube formation by endothelial cells. RNA interference also pointed at a role of endogenous MPO in tubulogenesis and endothelium wound repair in vitro. These data suggest that MPO, whether from endogenous or exogenous sources, could play a role in angiogenesis and vascular repair in vivo.

Data on myeloperoxidase-oxidized low-density lipoproteins stimulation of cells to induce release of resolvin-D1.

This article present data related to the publication entitled "Native and myeloperoxidase-oxidized low-density lipoproteins act in synergy to induce release of resolvin-D1 from endothelial cells" (Dufour et al., 2018). The supporting materials include results obtained by Mox-LDLs stimulated macrophages and investigation performed on scavenger receptors. Linear regressions (RvD1 vs age of mice and RvD1 vs CL-Tyr/Tyr) and Data related to validation were also presented. The interpretation of these data and further extensive insights can be found in Dufour et al. (2018) [1].

Native and myeloperoxidase-oxidized low-density lipoproteins act in synergy to induce release of resolvin-D1 from endothelial cells.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Oxidation of native low-density lipoproteins (LDLs-nat) plays an important role in the development of atherosclerosis. A major player in LDL-nat oxidation is myeloperoxidase (MPO), a heme enzyme present in azurophil granules of neutrophils and monocytes. MPO produces oxidized LDLs called Mox-LDLs, which cause a pro-inflammatory response in human microvascular endothelial cells (HMEC), monocyte/macrophage activation and formation of foam cells. Resolvin D1 (RvD1) is a compound derived from the metabolism of the polyunsaturated fatty acid DHA, which promotes resolution of inflammation at the ng/ml level. METHODS: In the present study, we used liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to investigate the synthesis of RvD1 and its precursors - 17(S)-hydroxy docosahexaenoic acid (17S-HDHA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) - by HMEC, in the presence of several concentrations of Mox-LDLs, copper-oxidized-LDLs (Ox-LDLs), and native LDLs or in mouse plasma. The LC-MS/MS method has been validated and applied to cell supernatants and plasma to measure production of RvD1 and its precursors in several conditions. RESULTS: Mox-LDLs played a significant role in the synthesis of RvD1 and 17S-HDHA from DHA compared to Ox-LDLs. Moreover, Mox-LDLs and LDLs-nat acted in synergy to produce RvD1. In addition, different correlations were found between RvD1 and M1 macrophages, age of mice or Cl-Tyr/Tyr ratio. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that although Mox-LDLs are known to be pro-inflammatory and deleterious in the context of atherosclerosis, they are also able to induce a pro-resolution effect by induction of RvD1 from HMEC. Finally, our data also suggest that HMEC can produce RvD1 on their own.

A prospective clinical study of the implications of IL-8 in the diagnosis, aggressiveness and prognosis of prostate cancer.

AIM: We evaluated the relationship between IL-8 and prostate cancer (PCa) with emphasis on diagnosis, aggressiveness and prognosis. MATERIALS & METHODS: Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and serum IL-8 were collected from patients undergoing prostate biopsy. IL-8 expression was evaluated on immunohistochemistry with IL-8 labeling index. Complete follow-up of this cohort was achieved over a period of up to 6 years with continuous follow-up of PSA levels. RESULTS: Among 135 patients, serum IL-8 level did not correlate to the diagnosis or aggressiveness of PCa. In 52 radical prostatectomy specimens, a higher IL-8 labeling index was detected in the tumor areas (0.4 ± 0.2 vs 0.33 ± 0.2; p = 0,007) but did not correlate to any of the prognostic markers: D'Amico classification (p = 0.52), Gleason score (p = 0.45), perineural (p = 0.83) and capsular invasion (p = 0.75). No correlation was found to PSA biochemical-free failure. CONCLUSION: IL-8 serum level was not a significant predictor of diagnosis, aggressiveness or prognosis of PCa.

Oxidative stress and prostatic diseases.

Prostatic diseases are a common health problem among males in Western countries, and include chronic prostatic diseases, which have an unclear pathogenesis and few treatment options. In vitro and in vivo studies describe oxidative stress as a major pathway involved in the occurrence of benign prostatic hyperplasia, prostatic cancer and chronic prostatitis. Thus, the oxidative stress cascade is a potential target for the treatment of prostatic diseases. This paper presents a systematic review of the available data concerning the association between oxidative stress and the most common chronic prostatic diseases, and describes the available treatment options that act upon this pathway.

A physical description of the adhesion and aggregation of platelets.

The early stages of clot formation in blood vessels involve platelet adhesion-aggregation. Although these mechanisms have been extensively studied, gaps in their understanding still persist. We have performed detailed in vitro experiments, using the well-known Impact-R device, and developed a numerical model to better describe and understand this phenomenon. Unlike previous studies, we took into account the differential role of pre-activated and non-activated platelets, as well as the three-dimensional nature of the aggregation process. Our investigation reveals that blood albumin is a major parameter limiting platelet aggregate formation in our experiment. Simulations are in very good agreement with observations and provide quantitative estimates of the adhesion and aggregation rates that are hard to measure experimentally. They also provide a value of the effective diffusion of platelets in blood subject to the shear rate produced by the Impact-R.