Development of HPLC system that uses phase-separation multiphase flow as an eluent.

We developed a new type of HPLC system that uses phase-separation multiphase flow as an eluent. A commercially available HPLC system with a packed separation column filled with octadecyl-modified silica (ODS) particles was used. First, as preliminary experiments, 25 kinds of mixed solutions of water/acetonitrile/ethyl acetate and water/acetonitrile were supplied to the system to act as eluents at 20 °C. 2,6-Naphthalenedisulfonic acid (NDS) and 1-naphthol (NA) mixture was used as a model and mixed analyte was injected into the system. Roughly speaking, they were not separated in organic solvent-rich eluents and well separated in water-rich eluents, in which NDS eluted faster than NA. This means that HPLC worked under a reverse-phase mode for separation at 20 °C. Next, the separation of the mixed analyte was examined on HPLC at 5 °C, and then after judging the results, four kinds of ternary mixed solutions were in detail as eluents on HPLC at 20 °C and 5 °C. Based on their volume ratio, the ternary mixed solutions acted as a two-phase separation mixed solution, leading to a phase-separation multiphase flow. Consequently, the solutions flowed homogeneously and heterogeneously in the column at 20 °C and 5 °C, respectively. For example, the ternary mixed solutions containing water/acetonitrile/ethyl acetate at volume ratios of 20:60:20 (organic solvent-rich) and 70:23:7 (water-rich) were delivered into the system as eluents at 20 °C and 5 °C. In the organic solvent-rich eluent, the mixture of NDS and NA was not separated at 20 °C but was separated at 5 °C, the elution of NA being faster than the one of NDS (phase-separation mode). In the water-rich eluent, the mixture of analytes was separated at both 20 °C and 5 °C, the elution of NDS being faster than the one of NA. The separation at 5 °C was more effective than at 20 °C (reverse-phase mode and phase-separation mode). This separation performance and elution order can be attributed to the phase-separation multiphase flow at 5 °C.

Identification of Chromosome 17 Trisomy in a Cynomolgus Monkey (Macaca fascicularis) by Multicolor FISH Techniques.

A female cynomolgus monkey (Macaca fascicularis) with facial features characteristic of Down syndrome showed abnormal behavior, unwariness toward humans, and poor concentration. The number of metaphase chromosomes in blood lymphocytes was examined and found to be 43, which indicated one extra chromosome to the normal diploid number (2n = 42). We then used Q-banding and multicolor FISH techniques to identify the extra chromosome. The results revealed an additional chromosome 17, with no other chromosomal rearrangements, such as translocations. Since no mosaicism or heterozygous variant chromosomes were observed, full trisomy 17 was assessed in this female cynomolgus monkey. Chromosome 17 corresponds to human chromosome 13, and human trisomy 13, known as Patau syndrome, results in severe clinical signs and, often, a short life span; however, this individual has reached an age of 10 years with only mild clinical signs. Although genomic differences exist between human and macaques, this individual's case could help to reveal the pathological and genetic mechanisms of Patau syndrome.

Evaluation of the repeated-dose liver micronucleus assay using N-nitrosomorpholine in young adult rats: report on collaborative study by the Collaborative Study Group for the Micronucleus Test (CSGMT)/Japanese Environmental Mutagen Society (JEMS)-Mammalian Mutagenicity Study (MMS) Group.

The present study was conducted to evaluate the suitability of a repeated-dose liver micronucleus (LMN) assay in young adult rats as a collaborative study by the Mammalian mutagenicity study (MMS) group. All procedures were performed in accordance with the standard protocols of the MMS Group. Six-week-old male Crl:CD(SD) rats (5 animals/group) received oral doses of the hepatocarcinogen N-nitrosomorpholine (NMOR) at 0 (control), 5, 10, and 30mg/kg/day (10mL/kg) for 14 days. Control animals received vehicle (water). Hepatocytes were collected from the liver 24h after the last dose, and the number of micronucleated hepatocytes (MNHEPs) was determined by microscopy. The number of micronucleated immature erythrocytes (MNIMEs) in the femoral bone marrow was also determined. The liver was examined using histopathologic methods after formalin fixation. The results showed statistically significant and dose-dependent increases in the number of MNHEPs in the liver at doses of 10mg/kg and greater when compared with the vehicle control. However, no significant increase was noted in the number of MNIMEs in the bone marrow at doses of up to 30mg/kg. Histopathology of the liver revealed hypertrophy and single cell necrosis of hepatocytes at doses of 5mg/kg and above. These results showed that the induction of micronuclei by NMOR was detected by the repeated-dose LMN assay, but not by the repeated-dose bone marrow micronucleus assay.

A protein-protein interaction assay based on the functional complementation of mutant firefly luciferases.

We report a novel bioluminescent protein-protein interaction (PPI) assay, which is based on the functional complementation of two mutant firefly luciferases (Fluc). The chemical reaction catalyzed by Fluc is divided into two half reactions of ATP-driven luciferin adenylation and subsequent oxidative reactions. In the former adenylation half-reaction, a luciferyl-adenylate (LH2-AMP) intermediate is produced from LH2 and ATP. With this intermediate, the latter oxidative reactions produce oxyluciferin via proton abstraction at the C4 carbon of LH2-AMP. We created and optimized two Fluc mutants; one is named "Donor", which virtually lacks oxidative activity, while the other, named "Acceptor", is almost defective in the adenylation activity. Then, the two mutants are fused to interacting partners, and prepared as pure proteins. When the interaction between the partners is induced, higher efficiency of LH2-AMP transfer between the Donor and Acceptor enzymes resulted in increased luminescence. The assay was found to work both in vitro and in cultured cells with strong signals. This would be the first example of reconstituting two divided reactions of one enzyme to detect PPI, which will not only be utilized as a robust PPI assay, but also open a way to control the activity of similar enzymes in acyl/adenylate-forming enzyme superfamily.

A combination of in vitro comet assay and micronucleus test using human lymphoblastoid TK6 cells.

The comet assay has been widely used as a genotoxicity test for detecting primary DNA damage in individual cells. The micronucleus (MN) test is also a well-established assay for detecting clastogenicity and aneugenicity. A combination of the comet assay (COM) and MN test is capable of detecting a variety of genotoxic potentials as an in vitro screening system. Although the in vitro MN test has a robust protocol and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) test guideline, the in vitro COM does not. To establish a robust protocol for the COM and to compare its sensitivity with that of the MN, we conducted COM and MN concurrently for five genotoxic agents (ethyl methanesulfonate, methyl methanesulfonate, hydrogen peroxide, gamma-rays and mitomycin C) and one non-genotoxic agent (triton X-100), using human lymphoblastoid TK6 cells. Relative cell count (RCC), relative population doubling (RPD), relative increase in cell count (RICC) and relative cell viability determined by trypan blue dye-exclusion assay (TBDE) were employed as cytotoxic measurements. However, the relative cell viability determined by TBDE just after the treatment was not an appropriate parameter of cytotoxicity for the genotoxic agents because it remained constant even at the highest doses, which showed severe cytotoxicity by RCC, RPD and RICC. The results of the COM showed qualitative agreement (positive or negative) with those of the MN except for mitomycin C, which is an interstrand cross-linker. The COM always required higher doses than the MN to detect the genotoxic potential of the genotoxic agents under the test conditions applied here. The doses that induced a comet tail always yielded <50% RICC, and do not accord to the OECD test guideline for MN because of their high cytotoxicity. These results are helpful for interpreting the results of the COM and MN in in vitro genotoxic hazard assessments. Further investigation is required to standardise the COM.

Increases in bioavailability of poorly absorbed drug by acylcarnitine.

We examined the effect of acylcarnitines on the in situ bioavailability of lucifer yellow (LY) from the loops of small and large intestines of rats. The area under the blood concentration of LY versus time curve (AUC) from the jejunum was significantly increased by the treatments of the loop with 100 µM lauroylcarnitine (LC) or 100 µM palmitoylcarnitine (PC) (fourfold and 17-fold, respectively). No marked change in the expression of claudin-4 protein was observed by the treatments. On the contrary, the expression of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) was decreased by the treatment, more greatly by PC than by LC, suggesting that increases in the bioavailability of LY by LC and PC are associated with the decreased expression of P-gp in jejunum. The increase in the bioavailability was also observed for colon by the treatment of LC, but not that of PC. LC decreased the expression of claudin-4 protein, whereas PC decreased the expression of P-gp in colon. Therefore, LC and PC appear to have different impact on the intestinal transporters depending on the site (i.e., jejunum and colon).

Suitable top concentration for tests with mammalian cells: mouse lymphoma assay workgroup.

The Mouse Lymphoma Expert Workgroup of the International Workshop for Genotoxicity Tests (IWGT) met in Basel, Switzerland in August of 2009. The Workgroup (WG) was tasked with discussing the appropriate top concentration for non-pharmaceuticals that would be required for the conduct of the mouse lymphoma assay (MLA) when sufficient cytotoxicity [to between 10 and 20% relative total growth (RTG)] has not been attained. The WG approached this task by (1) enumerating the various regulatory decisions/use for MLA data, (2) discussing the appropriate assays to which MLA data and assay performance should be compared and (3) discussing all the proposals put forth concerning the top concentration for non-pharmaceuticals. In addition, one of the members presented a summary of a re-evaluation of the National Toxicology Program MLA data using the IWGT harmonized guidance that was underway as a separate (non IWGT) activity, being conducted by two members of the Expert WG. The WG was asked to vote on each of the various proposals for top concentration for when cytotoxicity is not concentration limiting. While there was general agreement that the top concentration for non-pharmaceuticals should be re-evaluated and likely lowered from the current recommended levels, there was no agreement on a specific new recommendation.

Acrylamide genotoxicity in young versus adult gpt delta male rats.

The recent discovery that the potent carcinogen acrylamide (AA) is present in a variety of fried and baked foods raises health concerns, particularly for children, because AA is relatively high in child-favoured foods such as potato chips and French fries. To compare the susceptibility to AA-induced genotoxicity of young versus adult animals, we treated 3- and 11-week-old male gpt delta transgenic F344 rats with 0, 20, 40 or 80 p.p.m. AA via drinking water for 4 weeks and then examined genotoxicity in the bone marrow, liver and testis. We also analysed the level of N7-(2-carbamoyl-2-hydroxyethyl)-guanine (N7-GA-Gua), the major DNA adduct induced by AA, in the liver, testis and mammary gland. At 40 and 80 p.p.m., both age groups yield similar results in the comet assay in liver; but at 80 p.p.m., the bone marrow micronucleus frequency and the gpt-mutant frequency in testis increased significantly only in the young rats, and N7-GA-Gua adducts in the testis was significantly higher in the young rats. These results imply that young rats are more susceptible than adult rats to AA-induced testicular genotoxicity.