Development and validation of a LC/MS/MS method for 6-keto PGF1α, a metabolite of prostacyclin (PGI2).

A sensitive liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) method was developed for the quantitation of 6-keto PGF(1α) in human urine and plasma. Prostacyclin (PGI(2)) is a locally acting prostanoid, which mediates vasorelaxation and inhibition of platelet aggregation. 6-Keto PGF(1α) is the most-immediate metabolite of PGI(2). Samples were spiked with an internal standard (6-keto PGF(1α)-d(4)), purified by immuno-affinity chromatography and selected reaction monitoring (SRM) was performed. Analytical validation of the 6-keto PGF(1α) assay was performed in urine. This included an assessment of assay precision, recovery, stability, sensitivity and linearity. Urinary 6-keto PGF(1α) concentrations were also correlated to urinary 2,3-dinor-6-keto PGF(1α) (PGIM) concentrations using urine samples collected from 16 healthy volunteers. The mean concentration of 6-keto PGF(1α) in urine (mean ± SD) was 92 ± 51 pg/ml or 168 ± 91 pg/mg creatinine. Overall, there was a statistically significant correlation between urinary 6-keto PGF(1α) and PGIM (r(2)=0.55, p ≤ 0.001; slope=2.7; y-intercept=130). However, PGIM was approximately 3-fold more abundant than 6-keto PGF(1α) in urine. In addition, 6-keto PGF(1α) concentrations were measured in EDTA plasma samples obtained from 7 healthy donors. The mean concentration of 6-keto PGF(1α) in plasma was 1.9 ± 0.8 pg/ml (± SD).

Quantitative measurement of cysteinyl leukotrienes and leukotriene B4 in human sputum using ultra high pressure liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

The role of leukotrienes (LTs) in airway inflammatory diseases, such as asthma, has been extensively reported. The measurement of LTs in sputum supernatants, which is commonly done via enzyme immunoassays (EIAs), may prove to be useful for assessing airway inflammation. Despite the many advantages of EIA, these methods suffer from a lack of selectivity. Therefore, a selective and reliable method for the analysis of LTs in human sputum is needed. In this study we developed and validated a sensitive and specific method using ultra high pressure liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS), to measure simultaneously cysteinyl leukotrienes (CysLTs) and leukotriene B4 (LTB4) in human sputum. Sputum supernatants obtained by ultracentrifugation were stabilized by protease inhibitors, spiked with stable isotopic internal standards, and subjected to solid phase extraction (SPE) and UHPLC separation. Multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) transitions were optimized and measured on a mass spectrometer. The limit of detection (LOD) for LTE4 and LTB4 was 9.8 and 19.5 pg/mL, respectively. The lower limit of quantitation (LLOQ) for LTE4 and LTB4 was 19.5 and 39.0 pg/mL, respectively. The dynamic range of the LTE4 assay was from 9.8 to 5000 pg/mL, whereas for the LTB4 assay was from 19.5 to 10,000 pg/mL. The intra- and inter-day % coefficient of variation (%CV) was <6.5% and <10%, for both LTE4 and LTB4, respectively. Spike recovery ranged from 105% to 111% for both analytes. In addition, twenty-two sputum samples were analyzed for cysLTs and LTB4. Fourteen of these samples were purchased commercially and eight were collected during the course of a clinical trial. LTB4 was detectable in all samples tested and it ranged from 79 to 7220 pg/mL. LTE4 was detectable in most of the sputum samples (12.3-891 pg/mL), whereas LTC4 and LTD4 were below limit of detection for majority of sputum samples. The in vitro conversion of LTC4 and LTD4 into LTE4 was observed. The measurement of LTB4 was sensitive to low pH and high temperature. The use of UHPLC-MS/MS method will allow a more accurate and reliable quantitation of LTs in human sputum, which in turn, may lead to a better understanding of the role of LTs in airway disease pathways and the application in associated clinical treatments.

Influenza virus PB1-F2 protein induces cell death through mitochondrial ANT3 and VDAC1.

The influenza virus PB1-F2 is an 87-amino acid mitochondrial protein that previously has been shown to induce cell death, although the mechanism of apoptosis induction has remained unclear. In the process of characterizing its mechanism of action we found that the viral PB1-F2 protein sensitizes cells to apoptotic stimuli such as tumor necrosis factor alpha, as demonstrated by increased cleavage of caspase 3 substrates in PB1-F2-expressing cells. Moreover, treatment of purified mouse liver mitochondria with recombinant PB1-F2 protein resulted in cytochrome c release, loss of the mitochondrial membrane potential, and enhancement of tBid-induced mitochondrial permeabilization, suggesting a possible mechanism for the observed cellular sensitization to apoptosis. Using glutathione-S-transferase pulldowns with subsequent mass spectrometric analysis, we identified the mitochondrial interactors of the PB1-F2 protein and showed that the viral protein uniquely interacts with the inner mitochondrial membrane adenine nucleotide translocator 3 and the outer mitochondrial membrane voltage-dependent anion channel 1, both of which are implicated in the mitochondrial permeability transition during apoptosis. Consistent with this interaction, blockers of the permeability transition pore complex (PTPC) inhibited PB1-F2-induced mitochondrial permeabilization. Based on our findings, we propose a model whereby the proapoptotic PB1-F2 protein acts through the mitochondrial PTPC and may play a role in the down-regulation of the host immune response to infection.