Biochromatographic framework for analyzing magnesium chloride salt dependence on nor-NOHA binding to arginase enzyme.

Our group demonstrated recently that arginase I inhibition reduces endothelial dysfunction and blood pressure rising in spontaneously hypertensive rats [C. Demougeot, A. Prigent-Tessier, C. Marie, A. Berthelot, J. Hypertens. 23 (2005) 971; C. Demougeot, A. Prigent-Tessier, T. Bagnost, C. Andre, Y. Guillaume, M. Bouhaddi, C. Marie, A. Berthelot, Life Sci. 80 (2007) 1128]. This discovery opens interesting perspectives in the development of new drugs against hypertension. As well, in a previous paper [T. Bagnost, Y.C. Guillaume, M. Thomassin, J.F. Robert, A. Berthelot, A. Xicluna, C. Andre, J. Chromatogr. B: Analyt. Technol. Biomed. Life Sci. 856 (2007) 113], a novel biochromatographic column was developed in our laboratory for studying the binding of N(omega)-hydroxy-nor-l-arginine (nor-NOHA), an arginase inhibitor, with this enzyme. In this manuscript, using this novel biochromatographic concept, the effect of magnesium chloride on the nor-NOHA/arginase binding was analyzed for the first time. This study demonstrated that the salt ions interacted with arginase and played a great role in the nor-NOHA/arginase association. For a salt concentration (x) in the medium less than 3mM, the nor-NOHA/arginase binding decreased with x due to a decrease of the charge-charge interactions between nor-NOHA and its arginase binding site. Above 3mM of salt in the medium, the affinity of nor-NOHA to arginase increased slightly with x because the net number of ions (n) (Mg(2+) or Cl(-)) released or bound upon complex formation is low. As well, it was clearly demonstrated, that above 3 mM the n value depend on the salt concentration in the bulk solvent and was approximately nil for x=12 mM. This dependence was due to a gradual and conformational change of the arginase enzyme which around 12 mM adopted a less flexible structure; its binding site was thus less accessible to nor-NOHA and nor-NOHA-arginase association decreased slightly.

Solute complexation degree with human serum albumin: biochromatographic approach.

A mathematical model was developed for the study of the D,L-dansylamino acid retention mechanism in reversed-phase liquid chromatography using a C18 column as a stationary phase and human serum albumin (HSA) as an eluent modifier. The solute retention factor is dependent on the HSA concentration in the eluent as well as the binding constant of the guest-HSA complex. A determination of the degree of complexation n(c) (the percent of the complexed guest) could be carried out. Different Van 't Hoff plot shapes of the degree of complexation were observed with different eluent pH, confirming a change in the solute complexation mechanism for physiological pH (between 7-7.5). Enthalpy-entropy compensation was also analysed in relation to this mathematical model to confirm the solute complexation behavior with HSA. These results finally confirmed that at physiological pH and temperature (approximately 35 degrees C) values the HSA was in a favorable structural conformation for its binding with a great majority of drugs.

Role of the magnesium cation on antihypertensive molecule-human serum albumin binding: affinity chromatography approach.

The role of the Mg2+ cation on antihypertensive molecule binding on human serum albumin (HSA) was studied by affinity chromatography. The thermodynamic data corresponding to this binding were determined for a wide range of Mg2+ concentrations (c). For the nifedipine molecule, an increase in the Mg2+ concentration produced a decrease in binding due to a decrease in the electrostatic interactions. For verapamil and diltiazem, which have the highest solvent accessible surface area, the solute binding on HSA was divided into two Mg2+ concentration regions. For a low c value below c(c) (approximately 1.6 mmol/l), the binding dependence with c was similar to that of nifedipine. For c above c(c) the hydrophobic effect created in the bulk solvent associated with a decrease in the van der Waals interactions between the solute molecule and the HSA implied a decrease in its binding. These results showed that for patients with hypertension, an Mg2+ supplementation during treatment with these antihypertensive molecules can increase the active pharmacological molecule concentration.

Analysis of the progesterone displacement of its human serum albumin binding site by beta-estradiol using biochromatographic approaches: effect of two salt modifiers.

The mechanisms of (i) the binding of two sex-hormones (i.e. progesterone and beta-estradiol) to human serum albumin (HSA) and (ii) the progesterone displacement of its HSA binding cavity by beta-estradiol were studied by biochromatography using three different methods. In the first time, zonal elution method was used to prove the direct competition effect between the two sex-hormone. In the second time, the competition effect between beta-estradiol and progesterone to bound on the same HSA site was analysed by the competitive bi-Langmuir approach. Finally, the thermodynamic data of these two binding processes were studied. The Gibbs free energy value (Delta(approximately)G degrees) of the displacement equilibrium was negative demonstrating that beta-estradiol displaced progesterone of its HSA binding cavity. Moreover, the effect of two chloride modifiers (i.e. Na(+), Mg(2+)) on these two binding processes were analysed. Results showed that in the salt biological concentration ranges, the Mg(2+) cation enhanced strongly the bioavailable progesterone, whereas the Na(+) cation interacted slowly on the progesterone displacement of its HSA binding site by beta-estradiol. This study showed that it must be useful to carry out more in vivo test on the magnesium supplementation effect for women who suffer from estrogen dominance syndrome.

Triazinic herbicide determination by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in breast milk.

A solid-phase extraction procedure using a graphitized carbon black cartridge for extraction and cleaning of a series of five triazines (atrazine, deethylatrazine, deisopropylatrazine, ametryne and prometryne) from breast milk samples was developed. Using a chemometric methodology, the optimisation of both the analysis time and the triazinic herbicide separation by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was then carried out with only 18 experiments. Detection and quantification limits for 1ml breast milk sample were, respectively, 0.3 and 1 ppb for each studied compound. The variation coefficients were less than 5% over the concentration range from 1 to 100 ppb. The accuracy was between 98.63 and 104.62% for each triazinic herbicide. The recovery was between 58.64 and 63.22% for the concentration range from 1 to 100 ppb for each triazinic herbicide. The assay was successfully applied to the analysis of several breast milk samples.

Chromatographic determination of the association constant between 8-methoxypsoralen and modified beta-cyclodextrin: protective effect of hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin on 8-methoxypsoralen toxicity in human keratinocytes.

The retention of 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) on an immobilised hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HP-beta-CD) column was analysed in HPLC by the determination of its Langmuir distribution isotherm. A such method was used to confirm the potential drug complexing role of this cyclodextrin. The 8-MOP/HP-beta-CD association constant (K) was equal to 29.5 and 18.7 M-1, respectively, at a temperature equal to 5 and 25 degrees C, respectively. These association constant values were used to determine the cytotoxicity profile of human keratinocyte cell line (HaCaT) in relation to the complex concentration. It was showed through these data that HP-beta-CD had a cytoprotective since a reverse effect of HP-beta-CD on 8-MOP cytotoxicity was observed.

Time course of cytochromes P450 decline during rat hepatocyte isolation and culture: effect of L-NAME.

The present work describes an isozyme-related effect of collagenase perfusion on hepatocyte microsomal cytochrome (CYP)-dependent monooxygenase activities: CYP 1A1/2-, 2B1/2-, 3A1/2- and 2E1-dependent activities in microsomes from rat hepatocytes after isolation were about 60% of that of liver microsomes, and CYP 4A1-dependent activity was equivalent to liver microsomes. In contrast, the microsomal protein content of the various CYP isoforms was not affected by hepatocyte isolation. This is in accordance with the hypothesis of CYP inactivation during the process of hepatocyte isolation by collagenase digestion. L-NAME (1 mM) was found unable to protect from the decline of CYP-dependent monooxygenase activities following hepatocyte isolation. It is possible that the decrease in glutathione peroxidase activity observed in the presence of L-NAME, namely depression of defense against peroxynitrite, could counteract the beneficial effect of L-NAME on nitric oxide synthesis inhibition. The present work also shows that L-NAME could not avoid the progressive, isoform-specific, most probably turnover-related, decline of CYP proteins and related monooxygenase activities in cultured hepatocytes. Dysregulations in the mechanisms of CYP expression in rat hepatocyte cultures, presently unknown but nitric oxide independent, thus appear to occur in cultured rat hepatocytes.

Comparison of quantitative high performance thin layer chromatography and the high performance liquid chromatography of parabens.

A method is described for the densitometric determination of the p-hydroxybenzoic esters and p-hydroxybenzoic acid in mixtures or in drugs. This method is compared with the one used in high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The calibration curves were linear in interval 0.250-3.60 mumol ml-1 per 200 nl per spot. The limit of detection and the relative standard deviation (RSD) are higher than in HPLC (RSD is 6% in HPTLC. 3% in HPLC; limit of detection about 40 pmol in HPTLC and 25 pmol in HPLC) but HPTLC quantitative determination of parabens in drugs is faster.

Novel approach to the study of the chiral discrimination mechanism in a series of dansyl amino acids.

With poly(octadecylsiloxane) as the liquid chromatographic stationary phase, phosphate buffer as the mobile phase, a series of D- and L-dansyl amino acids as solutes, and beta-cyclodextrin as the chiral selector, a study was conducted of the hydrophobic effect on both the solute complexation with the chiral selector and chiral discrimination mechanisms by varying the sucrose concentration in the mobile phase and the column temperature. The number of sucrose molecules excluded during the solute complexation with the chiral selector proved to be a good marker of the solute inclusion in the cavity. Gibbs Helmotz parameters delta(deltaH) and delta(deltaS) between D- and L-enantiomers were determined from plots of the logarithm of the intrinsic selectivity versus the reciprocal of the temperature. The results obtained predicted that the enantioselectivity was related to the bulkiness of the solute. This numerical approach is a valuable tool in the exploration of the steric effects implied in the formation of the host-guest complex.

Mobile phase viscosity and velocity dependence on protein retention using nonequilibrium chromatographic techniques.

Nonequilibrium chromatography (NEC) is an alternative chromatographic procedure for the separation of macromolecules. The retardation of a protein series is studied using a phosphate buffer as a mobile phase with various concentrations of glycerol fraction (used as a viscosity modifier) at different mobile phase velocities and a C1 column with a very low packing particle diameter as a stationary phase. It is shown that the two factors (viscosity and velocity) of the mobile phase constituted important parameters in the retention mechanism of the proteins in NEC. The retardation velocity domain is divided into two regions. For low velocity regions, the protein retention decreased with a mobile phase velocity increase. This retention is enhanced above a critical value of the mobile phase velocity. The transition between the two well-known NEC methods, slalom chromatography and hydrodynamic chromatography, is clearly visualized for the first time for the protein retention of particular values of the mobile phase velocity.

A chromatographic approach to analyze dansyl amino acid-HP-beta-CD association using macrocyclic antibiotic as the stationary phase.

The retention mechanism for a series of D,L-dansyl amino acids in high-performance liquid chromatography is investigated using a teicoplanin stationary phase and hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HP-beta-CD) as the mobile phase additive (0-16mM). A theoretical treatment is developed to determine the HP-beta-CD influence on the equilibrium between the teicoplanin phase and the aqueous medium, respectively. From the experimental data, the association constants of the D,L-dansyl amino acids-HP-beta-CD inclusion complexes are determined and discussed in relation to the enantiomer structure. A thermodynamic study confirms that both the retention and complexation mechanisms are independent of the dansyl amino acid molecular structure and its absolute carbon configuration.

[Functional results of the surgery of unilateral acoustic neuroma]. / Les résultats fonctionnels de la chirurgie des neurinomes de l'acoustique unilatéraux.

The authors sent a circumstantial questionnaire to 224 surviving patients out of a 228 unilateral acoustic neurinoma operated on from June 83 to December 90 range of patients in order to assess their complaints. Seventy-two per cent of these neurinomas were Stade III or IV of Koos. Translabyrhintine approach was used for 85% and suprapetrous approach for 15%. The post-operative mortality rate is 1.75%. At the end of the procedure, the removal seemed total in 99% of cases and the anatomical facial nerve continuity was preserved in 94% of cases. Our patients kept or recovered a normal (Grade I of House--52%) or almost normal (Grade II of House--14%) facial motion in 66% of cases. A normal facial rest stretching with a complete eyelid closure but an asymmetrical facial mimic (Grade III of House) were in 20% of cases, and a more important facial palsy with incomplete eyelid closure was in 4% of cases (Grade IV of House). Patients needed an hypoglosso-facial anastomosis in 10% of cases. Always, this anastomosis restored a good facial motion near the Grade III of House. Hearing preservation was achieved for 45% of the attempts (through a suprapetrous approach) but hearing so preserved was functional (pure tone loss less than 50 db) in 37.5% of cases (5% of all the patients of this series) and only 61% of these patients kept or recovered a normal or almost normal facial motion. Varying, often regressive, complications were observed: C.S.F. leakages (7.5%) through the operative wound in two third of cases, owing to a pressure raising due to meningitis or C.S.F. circulatory constraint and usually cured by lumbar punctures and, if need be, antibiotics and, in one third of cases, through the tympanic cavity then nostril because of a hole remaining on the petrous drilled wall and usually needing a reintervention, swallowing difficulties (3%), due to a contralateral vagus nerve palsy in half of cases, postoperative hematomas (1.75%), fatal in one out of two times, brain traumatism (1.75%), meningitis (0.4%). The answers of patients were proper enough to be used for this study in 80% of cases (178). Their subjective answers about facial motion agreed with our objective assessment in 84% of cases that is emphasizing the difficulties of all attempt to this type of valuation. Our patients point out balance troubles in 67% of cases.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Magnesium effect on the acetylcholinesterase inhibition mechanism: a molecular chromatographic approach.

The acetylcholinesterase enzyme (AChE) was immobilized on a chromatographic support to study the effect of magnesium on the binding mechanism of five AChE inhibitors (donepezil, tacrine, galanthamine, physostigmine and huperzine). The determination of the enthalpy and entropy changes of this binding at different magnesium concentration values suggested that van der Waals interactions and hydrogen bonds predominated the donepezil and tacrine association to AChE. As well, hydrophobic and electrostatic forces seemed to be the major interactions controlling the huperzine, galanthamine and physostigmine association with AChE. In addition, it appeared that magnesium cation increased the binding affinity of galanthamine and physostigmine to the active site gorge of AChE. A comparison of the inhibitors hydrophobicity to their relative bound percentage with AChE showed an affinity enhanced with the increase in the molecule hydrophobicity and confirmed that the hydrophobic forces played an important role in the AChEI-AChE binding process. This novel biochromatographic column could be useful to find a specific inhibitor for this enzyme and so open new perspectives to be investigated.

A stepwise stoichiometric representation to confirm the dependence of pesticide/humic acid interactions on salt concentration and to test the performance of a silica bonded humic acid column.

In a previous paper (André et al., in press), a novel chromatographic column was developed in our laboratory for studying the binding of pesticides with humic acid (HA), the main organic component in soil. It was demonstrated that this column supported a low fraction of organic modifier in the aqueous mobile phase (<0.25 (v/v)). To overcome this limitation for a practical use, a column in which the stationary phase was based on silica gel with chemically bonded humic acid was created. It was shown that this novel HA column supported a higher methanol fraction (<0.55 (v/v)). As well, the dependence of pesticide/humic acid interactions on salt (sodium chloride) concentration has been expressed in terms of a stepwise stoichiometric representation, which leads to a specific equation for the partition of the added salt between the pesticide molecule, the HA, and the pesticide/HA complex. Based on this novel equation, the dependence of the pesticide/humic acid association on the salt concentration can be formulated via a relation similar to the one of Tanford. In addition, for the first time, the calculation of the affinity energy distribution for different values of the salt concentration in the mobile phase confirmed the existence of several types of binding sites on the HA macromolecule.

Construction and evaluation of a humic acid column: implication for pesticide risk assessment.

In this paper, humic acid (HA), known to play a large role in the binding and transport of pesticides in soil, was immobilized on a chromatographic support. Then, the association of some herbicides and rodenticides with the main soil component HA was examined using this novel chromatographic column. It appeared that HA has a lower affinity for neutral than for charged pesticides. Moreover, the influence of various parameters was investigated on the pesticide retention in order to providevaluable information about both the binding mechanism and the utilization conditions of the HA column. For all the pesticides studied, a change was clearly vizualized in the HA-pesticide association mechanism at a critical value of the Na+ concentration in the bulk solvent, x(c), equal to 0.6 M. Around this value, the HA structure balanced between a flexible linear conformation for x < x(c) and a random coil form for x > x(c). This work confirmed the conformation change on HA immobilized on silica. As well, only for the charged pesticides, it was clearly pointed out that below a Na+ concentration equal to 0.3 M, the pesticide binding to HA decreased when the salt concentration was enhanced due to an ion pair formation and a competition effect between the sodium cation and pesticide to bind to the HA molecule. Furthermore, it was established that the HA column was stable during an extended period of time, indicating that the HA column could soon become very attractive to determine the risk assessment of pesticides.

[Contraceptive methods used by female diabetic patients]. / Les methodes contraceptives actuelles utilisees par nos patientes diabetiques.

PIP: A questionnaire was used to study the contraceptive habits of ambulatory diabetic patients ages 16-50 (n=209) who were followed in the diabetology department of the Hotel-Dieu Hospital in Paris from June 1982 to December 1983. 64% of the patients were using contraceptives; 23% used none despite regular sexual intercourse and 13% had abandoned contraceptive use beforehand. This distribution was correlated to the type of diabetes and the parity. Microprogestagens and IUD were used most often (26% and 32%, respectively). The comparison with results of the broad study by the INED-INSEE in 1978 underscored the near absence of estroprogestagens and the lower percentage of microprogestagens used by diabetics than that compared with combined pills by the female French population. This is probably due to the poor gynecological tolerance which characterized this group. Microprogestagen users revealed the greatest incidence of amenorrhea (39%) and of menstrual disorders (33%). 19 contraceptive failures were noted, 6 of them with an IUD. 1/3 of the women did not use the method they chose initially, but 3/4 of them were generally satisfied. In conclusion, the frequent absence of effective contraception should be pointed out, particularly among the nulliparous, and the high percentage of IUDs inserted in these patients. Contraceptive advice is essential for diabetics in view of the importance of spacing each pregnancy. (author's modified)^ieng

Contraceptive practice in 209 diabetic women regularly attending a specialized diabetes clinic.

In order to determine their contraceptive practice, 209 diabetic women, aged 16-50 years, regularly attending the diabetic clinic of a University Hospital in Paris, France, were interviewed. 134 (64%) were current-users of contraception. Contraceptive use was significantly lower among patients with NIDDM compared to patients with IDDM (46% vs 70%, p less than 0.01). Methods used were: intra-uterine devices (IUD) (32% of users), hormonal compounds (27%, almost exclusively low-dose progestogen only pill), occlusive and natural methods (27%), and tubal ligation (14%). The major gynaecological side-effects were associated with the use of low-dose progestogens (39% with amenorrhoea vs 14% for other methods, p less than 0.01). A subsample (n = 165, age-range 20-44 years) of this diabetic population was compared with a representative sample of 8,899 French women of the same age. The proportion of current-users of contraception in this diabetic population was lower than in the French population (63.5% vs 72.2%, p less than 0.02). The diabetic patients tended to use more efficient methods of contraception (pill, IUD and tubal ligation), but 11% of them used no contraception without a stated reason, compared to 4% of the French population. It is suggested that contraceptive guidance should be reinforced in diabetic women, particularly with NIDDM, in order to promote family planning, since tight glycaemic control before and during pregnancy is now recommended.

High-performance thin-layer chromatographic determination of 5-methoxypsoralen in serum from patients.

A simple and rapid high-performance thin-layer chromatographic (HPTLC) determination of 5-methoxypsoralen in serum is necessary for the therapeutic survey of patients treated with Puvatherapy (psoralen+UVA). The assay for this biological fluid involves an extraction with heptane-dichloromethane (4:1, v/v). The analytical method is linear from 50 to 250 ng/ml. This assay range is adequate for analysing human serum, as it corresponds to psoralen concentrations measured in serum from patients treated with psoralen and UVA against psoriasis and vitiligo. The limit of detection is 15 ng/ml. The coefficient of variation was less than 7%.

Column efficiency and separation of DNA fragments using slalom chromatography: hydrodynamic study and fractal considerations.

Novel equations (Guillaume Y. C.; et al. Anal. Chem. 2000, 72, 853) were developed to describe the large double-stranded DNA molecule retention in slalom chromatography (SC). These equations were applied for the first time to model both the "apparent selectivity" and the resolution between two eluted DNA fragments on a chromatogram. A study of the column efficiency corroborated the fact that slalom chromatography is not based on an adsorption or equilibrium phenomenon, but can be attributed to a hydrodynamic phenomenon. Using a combination of the dynamics of DNA fragment progression in the column and fractal considerations, it was shown that the apparent selectivity depends both on the DNA fragment sizes and mobile-phase flow rate and therefore a balance between two hydrodynamic regimes. A chromatographic response function was also used to obtain the most efficient separation conditions for a mixture of DNA fragments in a minimum analysis time. The chromatographic data confirmed that in SC the flow rate can increase or maintain the separation efficiency with an associated decrease in the analysis time. This constitutes an attractive outcome in relation to the classical chromatographic separation.