Optimization of a Colorimetric Assay to Determine Lactate Dehydrogenase B Activity Using Design of Experiments.

Lactate dehydrogenase B (LDH-B) is overexpressed in lung and breast cancer, and it has been considered as a potential target to treat these types of cancer. Herein, we propose a straightforward incomplete factorial (IF) design composed of 12 combinations of two reaction buffers, three pH values, three salt (NaCl) concentrations, and three incubation times, which we called IF-BPST (Buffer/pH/Salt/Time), for the optimization of a colorimetric LDH-B assay in a final volume of 100 µL using 96-well plates. The assay is based on the absorbance change at ~570 nm and the color change of the reaction mixture due to the release of NADH that reacts with nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) and phenazine methosulfate (PMS), resulting in the formation of a blue-purple formazan. The results obtained using the IF-BPST were comparable with those obtained by response surface methodology. Our work revealed that the NBT/PMS assay with some modifications can be used to measure the activity of LDH-B and other dehydrogenases in a high-throughput screening format at the early stages of drug discovery. LDH-B containing lysates cannot be assayed directly, however, due to the sensitivity of the method toward detergents. Thus, we suggest precipitating the proteins in the lysates to remove the interfering detergents, and then to dissolve the protein pellet in a suitable buffer and carry out the assay.

SEAP activity measurement in reporter cell-based assays using BCIP / NBT as substrate.

SEAP (secreted embryonic alkaline phosphatase) has been suggested as versatile reporter protein inter alia for cell ligand interaction. Generic photometric assay formats for this enzyme are currently lacking. Using the interaction of recombinant hCD40 ligand with HEK-Blue sensor cells expressing the CD40 receptor as example, we show that such an assay can be developed based on BCIP/NBT (5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl phosphate/nitroblue tetrazolium chloride) as substrate. Supplementation of the reaction buffer with a micelle-forming detergent (TWEEN 20) stabilizes the water-insoluble reactions products thereby allowing reproducible photometric quantification of the colloidal dispersion. After optimizing the assay in terms of incubation time, cell number and environmental conditions, a cellular response to stimulation was already visible for 0.25 ng mL-1 of rhCD40L. Moreover, the sensitivity of the assay was significantly better than reported previously for alternative assays used in combination with the commercially available reporter cells. The use of BCIP/NBT as substrate therefore provides a robust and sensitive method to monitor SEAP activity in solution, which could conceivably be extended to other cell-based and biological assays using SEAP as reporter protein.

Ultrasensitive Detection of Escherichia coli O157:H7 by Immunomagnetic Separation and Selective Filtration with Nitroblue Tetrazolium/5-Bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl Phosphate Signal Amplification.

Here, we report an enhanced colorimetric method using enzymatic amplification with nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT)/5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl phosphate (BCIP) precipitation for the ultrasensitive detection of Escherichia coli O157:H7 through immunomagnetic separation-selective filtration. Biotinylated anti- E. coli O157:H7 antibody and streptavidin-alkaline phosphatase were conjugated to the surface of magnetic nanoparticles, and E. coli O157:H7-conjugates complexes remained on the membrane filter surface. The resultant light brown spots on the membrane filter were amplified with NBT/BCIP solution to yield enzyme-catalyzed precipitation, which increased with an increasing E. coli O157:H7 concentration. E. coli O157:H7 was detected in pure samples with limits of detection of 10 and 6.998 colony-forming units (CFU)/mL through visual observation and measurement of optical density, respectively. The proposed method was applied to a lettuce sample inoculated with selective E. coli O157:H7, which was detected within 55 min without cross-reactivity to non-target bacteria. This enhanced colorimetric method has potential for on-site detection of food contaminants and environmental pollutants.

A novel histochemistry assay to assess and quantify focal cytochrome c oxidase deficiency.

Defects in the respiratory chain, interfering with energy production in the cell, are major underlying causes of mitochondrial diseases. In spite of this, the surprising variety of clinical symptoms, disparity between ages of onset, as well as the involvement of mitochondrial impairment in ageing and age-related diseases continue to challenge our understanding of the pathogenic processes. This complexity can be in part attributed to the unique metabolic needs of organs or of various cell types. In this view, it remains essential to investigate mitochondrial dysfunction at the cellular level. For this purpose, we developed a novel enzyme histochemical method that enables precise quantification in fresh-frozen tissues using competing redox reactions which ultimately lead to the reduction of tetrazolium salts and formazan deposition in cytochrome c oxidase-deficient mitochondria. We demonstrate that the loss of oxidative activity is detected at very low levels - this achievement is unequalled by previous techniques and opens up new opportunities for the study of early disease processes or comparative investigations. Moreover, human biopsy samples of mitochondrial disease patients of diverse genotypic origins were used and the successful detection of COX-deficient cells suggests a broad application for this new method. Lastly, the assay can be adapted to a wide range of tissues in the mouse and extends to other animal models, which we show here with the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. Overall, the new assay provides the means to quantify and map, on a cell-by-cell basis, the full extent of COX deficiency in tissues, thereby expending new possibilities for future investigation. © 2018 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.

Substrate-Specific Reduction of Tetrazolium Salts by Isolated Mitochondria, Tissues, and Leukocytes.

Tetrazolium salts are commonly used in cytochemical and biochemical studies as indicators of metabolic activity of cells. Formazans, formed by reduction of tetrazolium salts, behave as pseudo-solutions during initial incubation, which allows monitoring their optical density throughout incubation. The criteria and conditions for measuring oxidative activity of mitochondria and dehydrogenase activity in reduction of nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) and methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) in suspensions of isolated mitochondria, tissue homogenates, and leukocytes were investigated in this work. We found that the reduction of these two acceptors depended on the oxidized substrate - NBT was reduced more readily during succinate oxidation, while MTT - during oxidation of NAD-dependent substrates. Reduction of both acceptors was more sensitive to dehydrogenase inhibitors that to respiratory chain inhibitors. The reduction of NBT in isolated mitochondria, in leukocytes in the presence of digitonin, and in liver and kidney homogenates was completely blocked by succinate dehydrogenase inhibitors - malonate and TTFA. Based on these criteria, activation of succinate oxidation was revealed from the increase in malonate-sensitive fraction of the reduced NBT under physiological stress. The effect of progesterone and its synthetic analogs on oxidation of NAD-dependent substrates by mitochondria was investigated using MTT. Both acceptors are also reduced by superoxide anion; the impact of this reaction is negligible or completely absent under physiological conditions, but can become detectable on generation of superoxide induced by inhibitors of individual enzyme complexes or in the case of mitochondrial dysfunction. The results indicate that the recording of optical density of reduced NBT and MTT is a highly sensitive method for evaluation of metabolic activity of mitochondria applicable for different incubation conditions, it offers certain advantages in comparison with other methods (simultaneous incubation of a large set of probes in spectral cuvettes or plates); moreover, it allows determination of activity of separate redox-dependent enzymes when selective inhibitors are available.

Enhanced Purification of Recombinant Rat NADPH-P450 Reductase by Using a Hexahistidine-Tag.

NADPH-P450 reductase (NPR) transfers electrons from NADPH to cytochrome P450 and heme oxygenase enzymes to support their catalytic activities. This protein is localized within the endoplasmic reticulum membrane and utilizes FMN, FAD, and NADPH as cofactors. Although NPR is essential toward enabling the biochemical and pharmacological analyses of P450 enzymes, its production as a recombinant purified protein requires a series of tedious efforts and a high cost due to the use of NADP+ in the affinity chromatography process. In the present study, the rat NPR clone containing a 6× Histidine-tag (NPR-His) was constructed and heterologously expressed. The NPR-His protein was purified using Ni2+-affinity chromatography, and its functional features were characterized. A single band at 78 kDa was observed from SDS-PAGE and the purified protein displayed a maximum absorbance at 455 nm, indicating the presence of an oxidized flavin cofactor. Cytochrome c and nitroblue tetrazolium were reduced by purified NPR-His in an NADPH-dependent manner. The purified NPR-His successfully supported the catalytic activities of human P450 1A2 and 2A6 and fungal CYP52A21, yielding results similar to those obtained using conventional purified rat reductase. This study will facilitate the use of recombinant NPR-His protein in the various fields of P450 research.

Immunoglobulin-G Glycation by Fructose Leads to Structural Perturbations and Drop Off in Free Lysine and Arginine Residues.

Non-enzymatic glycation is the addition of free carbonyl group of reducing sugar to the free amino groups of proteins and leads to the formation of early glycation products and further into advanced glycation end products (AGEs). Fructose reacts rapidly with the free amino groups of proteins to form AGEs. AGEs are believed to be involved in the pathogenesis of several diseases, particularly in diabetic complications. In this study, IgG was glycated with fructose monosaccharide at 10 mM concentration for varying time interval. The reaction mixture was kept at 37ºC. The early glycation of IgG was done by nitroblue tetrazolium assay (NBT), and the generation of AGEs was done by the extent of side chain modifications (lysine and arginine), Nε-carboxymethyl lysine, pentosidine and carbonyl content. The decrease in free lysine and arginine residues suggests that protein 'IgG' has undergone modification specifically on epsilon amino groups of lysine and arginine. Additionally, their fluorescence and absorbance characteristics were also systematically studied. The results suggest that the maximum Amadori product (ketoamine content) was formed on sixth day of the incubation. The conformational structural perturbation was observed within the glycated IgG protein as studied by using various physicochemical techniques. This study reports structural perturbation, formation of various intermediates and AGEs.

New visible and selective DNA staining method in gels with tetrazolium salts.

DNA staining in gels has historically been carried out using silver staining and fluorescent dyes like ethidium bromide and SYBR Green I (SGI). Using fluorescent dyes allows recovery of the analyte, but requires instruments such as a transilluminator or fluorimeter to visualize the DNA. Here we described a new and simple method that allows DNA visualization to the naked eye by generating a colored precipitate. It works by soaking the acrylamide or agarose DNA gel in SGI and nitro blue tetrazolium (NBT) solution that, when exposed to sunlight, produces a purple insoluble formazan precipitate that remains in the gel after exposure to light. A calibration curve made with a DNA standard established a detection limit of approximately 180 pg/band at 500 bp. Selectivity of this assay was determined using different biomolecules, demonstrating a high selectivity for DNA. Integrity and functionality of the DNA recovered from gels was determined by enzymatic cutting with a restriction enzyme and by transforming competent cells after the different staining methods, respectively. Our method showed the best performance among the dyes employed. Based on its specificity, low cost and its adequacy for field work, this new methodology has enormous potential benefits to research and industry.

Inkjet-Printing Enzyme Inhibitory Assay Based on Determination of Ejection Volume.

An accurate, rapid, and cost-effective methodology for enzyme inhibitor assays is highly needed for large-scale screening to evaluate the efficacy of drugs at the molecular level. For the first time, we have developed an inkjet printing-based enzyme inhibition assay for the assessment of drug activity using a conventional inkjet printer composed of four cartridges. The methodology is based on the determination of the number of moles of the drug on the printed surface. The number of moles was quantified through the volume of substance ejected onto the printed surface. The volume ejected on the reaction spot was determined from the density of reagent ink solution and its weight loss after printing. A xanthine oxidase (XOD) inhibition assay was executed to quantitatively evaluate antioxidant activities of the drug based on the determination of the number of moles of the drug ejected by inkjet printing. The assay components of xanthine, nitro blue tetrazolium (NBT), superoxide dismutase (SOD)/drug, and XOD were printed systematically on A4 paper. A gradient range of the number of moles of SOD/drug printed on A4 paper could be successfully obtained. Because of the effect of enzyme activity inhibition, incrementally reduced NBT formazan colors appeared on the paper in a number-of-moles-dependent manner. The observed inhibitory mole (IM50) values of tested compounds exhibited a similar tendency in their activity order, compared to the IC50 values observed through absorption assay in well plates. Inkjet printing-based IM50 assessment consumed a significantly smaller reaction volume (by 2-3 orders of magnitude) and more rapid reaction time, compared to the well-plate-based absorption assay.

[Standardization and regulation of the rate of the superoxide-generating adrenaline autoxidation reaction used for evaluation of pro/antioxidant properties of various materials]. / Standartizatsiia i reguliatsiia skorosti superoksidgeneriruiushchei reaktsii avtookisleniia adrenalina, ispol'zuemoi dlia opredeleniia pro/antioksidantnykh svoistv razlichnykh materialov.

The superoxide-generating reaction of adrenaline autoxidation is widely used for determination of the activity of superoxide dismutase and pro/antioxidant properties of various materials. There are two variants of the spectrophotometric registration of the products of this reaction. The first is based on registration of adrenochrome, as adrenaline autooxidation product at 347 nm; the second employs nitro blue tetrazolium (NBT) and registration of diformazan, a product of NBT reduction at 560 nm. In the present work, recommendations for the standardization of the reaction rate in both variants have been proposed. The main approach consists in the use of the pharmaceutical form of 0.1% adrenaline hydrochloride solution. Although each of two adrenaline preparations available in the Russian market has some features in kinetic behavior of its autooxidation; they are applicable in the superoxide generating system based on adrenaline autooxidation. Performing measurements at 560 nm, the reaction rate can be regulated by lowering the concentration of added adrenaline, whereas during spectrophotometric registration at 347 nm, this cannot be done. These features of adrenaline autoxidation may be due to the fact that the intrinsic multistage process of the conversion of adrenaline to adrenochrome, which is recorded at 347 nm, is coupled with the transition of electrons from adrenaline and intermediate products of its oxidation to oxygen, carbon dioxide, and carbonate bicarbonate ions, which is detected in the presence of added NBT.

A paper/polymer hybrid microfluidic microplate for rapid quantitative detection of multiple disease biomarkers.

Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is one of the most widely used laboratory disease diagnosis methods. However, performing ELISA in low-resource settings is limited by long incubation time, large volumes of precious reagents, and well-equipped laboratories. Herein, we developed a simple, miniaturized paper/PMMA (poly(methyl methacrylate)) hybrid microfluidic microplate for low-cost, high throughput, and point-of-care (POC) infectious disease diagnosis. The novel use of porous paper in flow-through microwells facilitates rapid antibody/antigen immobilization and efficient washing, avoiding complicated surface modifications. The top reagent delivery channels can simply transfer reagents to multiple microwells thus avoiding repeated manual pipetting and costly robots. Results of colorimetric ELISA can be observed within an hour by the naked eye. Quantitative analysis was achieved by calculating the brightness of images scanned by an office scanner. Immunoglobulin G (IgG) and Hepatitis B surface Antigen (HBsAg) were quantitatively analyzed with good reliability in human serum samples. Without using any specialized equipment, the limits of detection of 1.6 ng/mL for IgG and 1.3 ng/mL for HBsAg were achieved, which were comparable to commercial ELISA kits using specialized equipment. We envisage that this simple POC hybrid microplate can have broad applications in various bioassays, especially in resource-limited settings.

[IMMUNOLOGICAL FACTORS OF THE INNATE IMMUNITY IN PATIENTS WITH HEPATOCELLULAR CARCINOMA OF A LARGE SIZE].

Factors of the inborn immunity in patients, suffering hepatocellular carcinoma of large size, were studied. Preoperatively the raising of metabolic activity of neutrophils in spontaneous NST-test, the neutrophils reserve reduction in NST-test, weak activation of the neutrophils absorption function in a phagocytosis reaction were noted. On the 7-8th postoperative day a reduction of quantity of formazan--positive neutrophils in spontaneous NST--test, raising of reserve of the neutrophils metabolic activity, comparing with initial values, were observed.

Nitrocellulose Membrane: The New Canvas.

The use of nitrocellulose membranes for invisible ink-messaging or marking for orientation purposes has been carried out with diluted alkaline phosphatase, followed by development with nitro blue tetrazolium/5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl phosphate and chemiluminescence detection systems. Here, we show that nitrocellulose membrane can serve as a canvas for art using alkaline phosphatase and NBT/BCIP detection method.

Invisible Ink Marking in ECL Membrane Assays.

Invisible ink and writing secret messages have been part of man's fantasy, having proven useful in clandestine and high sensitivity areas. Security inks, made up of invisible materials that give printed, anti-photocopy images capable of being read only under special environments, have become important. An ink formulation based on silicon(IV) 2,3-naphthalocyanine bis(trihexylsilyloxide) as colorant, invisible to the naked eye but infrared readable, has been described earlier. Biometric DNA ink has also been developed for security authentication. In lighter vein, many budding scientists and others have often experimented with writing secret messages on paper, either for purposes of fun or actually sending secret messages to friends. It involved the use of lemon juice, milk, or other solutions that could be used with a dip pen, brush, or a fountain pen to write invisible messages on a blank white paper. Words turn up as magic when the paper is exposed to heat in one form or the other. Here, we attempt to end this book on a slightly humorous note by showing that invisible messages can be written on nitrocellulose membranes (but not on polyvinylidene difluoride membranes) using an appropriately diluted horse radish peroxidase/alkaline phosphatase anti-IgG conjugate (rabbit, mouse, or human anti-IgG). The message is written on the membrane, preferably with a fountain pen, and the membrane is allowed to dry. Regular detection with enhanced chemiluminescence plus or nitro blue tetrazolium/5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl phosphate systems is used to unravel the secret message. In addition, this method could be used to mark nitrocellulose membranes for orientation purposes using ECL detection system and thus can eliminate the use of autoradiography pens.

[Involvement of carbonate/bicarbonate ions in the superoxide-generating reaction of adrenaline autoxidation].

An important role of carbonate/bicarbonate ions has been recognized in the superoxide generating reaction of adrenaline autooxidation in an alkaline buffer (a model of quinoid adrenaline oxidation in the body). It is suggested that these ions are directly involved not only in formation of superoxide anion radical (О(2)(-)) but also other radicals derived from the carbonate/bicarbonate buffer. Using various buffers it was shown that the rate of accumulation of adrenochrome, the end product of adrenaline oxidation, and the rate of О(2)(-)· formation depend on concentration of carbonate/bicarbonate ions in the buffer and that these ions significantly accelerate adrenaline autooxidation thus demonstrating prooxidant properties. The detectable amount of diformazan, the product of nitro blue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction, was significantly higher than the amount of adrenochrome formed; taking into consideration the literature data on О(2)(-)· detection by NBT it is suggested that adrenaline autooxidation is accompanied by one-electron reduction not only of oxygen dissolved in the buffer and responsible for superoxide formation but possible carbon dioxide also dissolved in the buffer as well as carbonate/bicarbonate buffer components leading to formation of corresponding radicals. The plots of the dependence of the inhibition of adrenochrome and diformazan formation on the superoxide dismutase concentration have shown that not only superoxide radicals are formed during adrenaline autooxidation. Since carbonate/bicarbonate ions are known to be universally present in the living nature, their involvement in free radical processes proceeding in the organism is discussed.

Conversion of a laboratory-based test for phenylalanine detection to a simple paper-based format and implications for PKU screening in low-resource settings.

Laboratory-based testing does not reach many individuals in lower-resource settings who could benefit from access to appropriate tests for diagnosis and therapy. A critical issue is laboratory-based testing often requires an environment with a high level of resources and supporting infrastructure that is not available in many areas of the world. The current report describes the conversion of a laboratory-based test for phenylalanine detection to a simple paper-based test appropriate for use in low-resource settings. The paper-based test is easy to operate, with all reagents stored dry on the card, is compatible with visible detection for clinically relevant concentrations of phenylalanine, and has a time to result of 10 minutes. Next steps for test development are discussed in the context of the potential for the paper-based Phe test to be used as a newborn PKU screening test in settings that are not well served by existing screening approaches.

Quantification of superoxide and hydrogen peroxide in leaves.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced in plants under both non-stressful and stressful conditions. Various histochemical staining methods have been developed and are widely used to visualize ROS accumulation sites. In contrast to qualitative analysis, quantification of ROS has been time- and labor consuming. As a consequence, the number of samples, which could be analyzed in parallel, has been limited. To overcome this problem, we introduce an improved semiquantitative method, in which ROS levels are quantified after histochemical staining in plant organs with the digital image analysis package ImageJ.

Purified NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase is a novel superoxide anion source inhibited by apocynin: sensitivity to nitric oxide and peroxynitrite.

Cytochrome b5 reductase (Cb5R) is a pleiotropic flavoprotein that catalyzes multiple one-electron reduction reactions with various redox partners in cells. In earlier work from our laboratory, we have shown its implication in the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), primarily a superoxide anion overshoot peak, which plays a major role as a triggering event for the acceleration of apoptosis in cerebellar granule neurons in culture. However, the results obtained in that work did not allow us to exclude the possibility that this superoxide anion production could be derived from Cb5R acting in concert with other cellular components. In this work, we have purified Cb5R from pig liver and we have experimentally shown that this enzyme catalyzed NADH-dependent production of superoxide anion, assayed with cytochrome c and nitroblue tetrazolium as detection reagents for this particular ROS. The basic kinetic parameters for this novel NADH-dependent activity of Cb5R at 37°C are Vmax = 3.0 ± 0.5 µmol/min/mg of purified Cb5R and KM(NADH) = 2.8 ± 0.3 µM NADH. In addition, we report that apocynin, a widely used inhibitor of nonmitochondrial ROS production in mammalian cell cultures and tissues, is a potent inhibitor of purified Cb5R activity at the concentrations used in the experiments done with cell cultures. In the presence of apocynin the KM(NADH) value of Cb5R increases, and docking simulations indicate that apocynin can bind to a site near to or partially overlapping the NADH binding site of Cb5R. Other ROS, such as nitric oxide and peroxynitrite, have inhibitory effects on purified Cb5R, providing the basis for a feedback cellular protection mechanism through modulation of excessive extramitochondrial superoxide anion production by Cb5R. Both kinetic assays and docking simulations suggest that nitric oxide-induced nitrosylation (including covalent adduction of nitroso functional groups) of Cb5R cysteines and peroxynitrite-induced tyrosine nitration and cysteine oxidation modified the conformation of the NADH binding domain leading to a decreased affinity of Cb5R for NADH.

Highly efficient visual detection of trace copper(II) and protein by the quantum photoelectric effect.

This work presented a photocurrent response mechanism of quantum dots (QDs) under illumination with the concept of a quantum photoelectric effect. Upon irradiation, the photoelectron could directly escape from QDs. By using nitro blue tetrazolium (NBT) to capture the photoelectron, a new visual system was proposed due to the formation of an insoluble reduction product, purple formazan, which could be used to visualize the quantum photoelectric effect. The interaction of copper(II) with QDs could form trapping sites to interfere with the quantum confinement and thus blocked the escape of photoelectron, leading to a "signal off" visual method for sensitive copper(II) detection. Meanwhile, by using QDs as a signal tag to label antibody, a "signal on" visual method was also proposed for immunoassay of corresponding protein. With meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic-capped CdTe QDs and carcino-embryonic antigen as models, the proposed visual detection methods showed high sensitivity, low detection limit, and wide detectable concentration ranges. The visualization of quantum photoelectric effect could be simply extended for the detection of other targets. This work opens a new visual detection way and provides a highly efficient tool for bioanalysis.

Three new orcinol-conjugated hydrolysable tannins from the leaves of Cleyera japonica.

Three new orcinol (3-hydroxy-5-methylphenol)-conjugated hydrolysable tannins, together with two known compounds were isolated from the leaves of Cleyera japonica (CJ), and have been tentatively named cleyeratannin A (1), cleyeratannin B (2) and cleyeratannin C (3). The chemical structures of these compounds were elucidated using 1 dimensional (1D)/2D NMR and high resolution FAB-MS, and the absolute configuration was confirmed by circular dichroism (CD). To evaluate their anti-oxidative activities, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH)/free radical scavenging activity and nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT)/superoxide anion scavenging activity were determined.