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Biomedical subjects

D A Griffin

Publications and source records attributed to D A Griffin.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

Quantitative analysis by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry of deuterium-labeled and unlabeled vitamin E in biological samples.

A method for quantification of unlabeled alpha-tocopherol and the deuterated tocopherols, RRR-alpha-5-(CD(3))-tocopherol (d(3)RRR) and all rac-alpha-5,7-(CD(3))(2) tocopherol (d(6)all-rac) in plasma by HPLC-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) has been developed. Deuterated and unlabeled alpha-tocopherols were separated by HPLC and were detected by positive ion multiple-reaction monitoring using a triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer equipped with a heated nebulizer-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization interface, following routine extraction of vitamin E from plasma. The accuracy and precision were evaluated by replicate analysis of standards and samples. Human plasma samples, which were obtained at different times after the subject had consumed a capsule containing 1:1 ratio of d(3)RRR and d(6)all rac-alpha-tocopheryl acetates, were analyzed with this method. Plasma deuterated alpha-tocopherols measured by LC-MS/MS followed the same pattern as previously demonstrated by GC-MS measurement, without requiring an extra derivitization step. The detection limit was 10 pmol for each form of alpha-tocopherol injected.

Animals↗

An exponential dilution gradient system for nanoscale liquid chromatography in combination with MALDI or nano-ESI mass spectrometry for proteolytic digests.

A simple and inexpensive nano high performance liquid chromatography system (nano-LC) employing the exponential dilution method for gradient separations was built. The system was used to analyze a tryptic digest of Escherichia coli uracil DNA glycosylase (Ung; Mr = 25,563), a DNA-binding protein that initiates the uracil-excision DNA repair process by catalyzing the release of uracil from the deoxyribose phosphate backbone of DNA. Both on-line and off-line approaches to analyzing peptides produced by in-gel digestion of Ung are demonstrated. The on-line approach uses nano-high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)/micro-electrospray MS to assign peptide masses. The off-line approach uses matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and nano-electrospray/collision-induced dissociation (CID) tandem mass spectrometry, to analyze fractions (2-3 microL) collected manually from the nano-LC system. The nano-electrospray technique allows detailed fragmentation information to be obtained at different collision energies with only a marginal increase in sample handling due to the nano-LC step.

Chromatography, Liquid↗

Intraphagosomal chlorination dynamics and yields determined using unique fluorescent bacterial mimics.

Fluorescein was covalently attached through a cystamine linker group to carboxy-derivatized polyacrylamide microspheres to generate phagocytosable particles containing fluorescent reporter groups. A unique feature of these beads is that the dye was recoverable in near-quantitative yield from intracellular environments by thiol reduction of the cystamine disulfide bond. Fluorescence microscopy indicated that individual neutrophils could bind as many as approximately 20 serum-opsonized beads, although no appreciable cellular association was observed for unopsonized beads. By using methyl viologen to quench external fluorescence, it was demonstrated that 70-90% of the neutrophil-associated fluorescein on opsonized beads was inaccessible to the medium. The particle-bound fluorescein underwent near-stoichiometric conversion to chlorinated derivatives when reacted with HOCl or the cell-free myeloperoxidase (MPO)-H2O2-Cl- system; products were identified by HPLC separation and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry of the recovered dye. Fluorescence changes accompanying phagocytosis were consistent with chlorination of the dye; fluorescence spectrometric and chemical trapping measurements indicated that intraphagosomal chlorination was far more extensive than extracellular chlorination. Yields of recovered chlorofluoresceins determined by HPLC indicated that sufficient HOCl had been produced intracellularly to kill entrapped bacteria. Fluorescein chlorination coincided approximately with phagocytosis and stimulated uptake of O2 by the cells. Demonstration that HOCl is produced within phagosomes in sufficient concentrations to kill bacteria on a time scale associated with death constitutes strong evidence in support of a primary role for HOCl in the microbicidal action of neutrophils.

Blood Bactericidal Activity↗

The regiospecific hydroxylation of lauric acid by rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) cytochrome P450s.

We have reexamined the hydroxylation of [1-14C]-lauric acid by trout liver microsomes and reconstituted trout P450s using a new HPLC system that gave an improved separation of hydroxylauric acids. Under these conditions, hepatic microsomes from yearling juvenile trout were shown to form omega-, (omega-1)-, (omega-2)-, (omega-3)-, (omega-4)-, (omega-5)-, and (omega-6)-OH lauric acid oxidation products (12-OH, 11-OH, 10-OH, 9-OH, 8-OH, 7-OH, and 6-OH lauric acid, respectively) as verified by GC/MS analysis. Microsomes from male and female juvenile trout liver formed (omega-1)-OH lauric acid as the major metabolite (23-29% of total radioactivity) and no major differences were observed between males and females. By contrast, liver microsomes from 3-year-old sexually mature trout had substantially lower lauric acid hydroxylase activity than juvenile microsomes and produced small quantities of only the (omega-1)-, (omega-2)-, and (omega-6)-hydroxylation products. Moreover, microsomes from sexually mature female trout had markedly lower lauric acid hydroxylase activity than those from the sexually mature male trout. Rat liver microsomes were quite catalytically active but formed mostly the omega- and omega-1 lauric acid oxidation products. Lauric acid metabolism also was analyzed in reconstituted systems containing purified juvenile trout LMC1 (CYP2M1) and LMC2 (CYP2K1) and with hepatic microsomes from juvenile trout in the presence of rabbit polyclonal antibodies raised against the two purified trout P450s. CYP2M1 catalyzed the (omega-6)-hydroxylation of lauric acid while the trout CYP2K1 form produces mainly (omega-1)-OH lauric acid together with a smaller quantity of the (omega-2)-hydroxylation product. All of the trout and rat radiometric lauric acid metabolism results were confirmed by direct mass spectrometric analysis of derivatized lauric acid metabolism mixtures. Use of direct mass spectrometric analysis for the hydroxylated lauric acids offers considerable advantages since the method did not require use of a radioactive fatty acid, completely separated all of the lauric acid hydroxylation products, confirmed identification of each metabolite, and was more sensitive than the radiometric analysis method.

Animals↗

Mechanisms of tumor modulation by indole-3-carbinol. Disposition and excretion in male Fischer 344 rats.

This study describes the disposition and excretion of indole-3-carbinol (I3C), a natural dietary tumor modulator and candidate chemopreventive agent, in male Fisher 344 rats after continuous dietary or a single oral administration. Steady-state urinary and fecal excretion were attained 40 and 112 hr, respectively, after commencing continuous exposure. These two routes accounted for approximately 75% of the administered dose, of which 77% appeared in feces. After 7 days of 2,000 ppm dietary I3C, a mean of 1,154 microM I3C eq was found in liver, of which 17% was present as extractable, unbound I3C derivatives. Total equivalents in liver decreased to 643 and 411 microM 24 and 48 hr later, respectively, for animals returned to control diet. Mean levels of I3C eq in lung decreased from 436 to 219 microM, and blood levels decreased from 320 to 208 microM over the same 48-hr period. After administration of 1 mmol/kg radioinert I3C (a comparable daily dose as in the feeding study) for 6 days, animals were given 1 mmol/kg [3H]I3C. Mean liver levels were 257, 283, and 541 microM I3C eq at 1.5, 3, and 6 hr after dosing, and these levels represented 0.97%, 1.34%, and 2.45% of the total I3C dose administered, respectively. Concentrations of I3C eq changed little in blood, kidney, tongue, or lung over this time period. HPLC analysis of ethyl acetate extracts of liver from rats given an oral dose revealed 24 distinct [3H]I3C-derived peaks. Two of the predominant peaks were identified as 3,3'-diindolylmethane (I33', a linear dimer of I3C) and [2-(indol-3-ylmethyl)-indol-3-yl]indol-3-ylmethane (LT, a linear trimer). A novel I3C metabolite was identified as 1-(3-hydroxymethyl)-indolyl-3-indolylmethane (HI-IM). Hepatic levels of these metabolites and three major, but unidentified, products were between 1.0 and 13.1 microM; highest levels were observed at 6 hr or, for HI-IM, at 1.5 hr postdosing. Parent I3C was not detected in liver extracts, whereas the potent Ah receptor agonist 3,2-b-indolocarbazole (ICZ) was estimated at 1.6 nM. These data suggest that neither I33', LT, or ICZ alone reach sufficient hepatic concentration to account for cytochrome P450IA induction by dietary I3C, or provide effective inhibition of microsomal bioactivation of the hepatocarcinogen aflatoxin B1; however, the total hepatic mixture of I3C derivatives may be sufficient to provide both modulatory responses in the rat.

Administration, Oral↗

Cytokinin metabolism in phaseolus embryos : genetic difference and the occurrence of novel zeatin metabolites.

The metabolism of trans-[8-(14)C]zeatin was examined in embryos of Phaseolus vulgaris cv Great Northern (GN) and P. lunatus cv Kingston (K) in an attempt to detect genetic variations in organized plant tissues. Metabolites were fractionated by HPLC, and identified by chemical and enzymic tests and GC-MS analyses. Five major metabolites were recovered from P. vulgaris embryo extracts: ribosylzeatin, ribosylzeatin 5'-monophosphate, an O-glucoside of ribosylzeatin, and two novel metabolites, designated as I and II. Based on results of degradation tests and GC-MS analyses, I and II were tentatively identified as O-ribosyl derivatives of zeatin and ribosylzeatin. In embryos of P. lunatus, however, metabolites I and II were not present. The major metabolites were ribosylzeatin, ribosylzeatin 5'-monophosphate, and the O-glucosyl derivatives of zeatin and ribosylzeatin. The zeatin metabolites recovered were the same for embryos of different sizes but their quantities varied with embryo size and incubation time. The genetic differences appear to be embryo-specific and may be useful in the studies of the possible relationship between abnormal interspecific hybrid embryo growth and hormonal derangement in Phaseolus. In addition, analyses of both organized (intact) and unorganized (callus) tissues of the same genotype may provide an opportunity to address the problem of differential expression of genes regulating cytokinin metabolism during plant development.

Journal Article↗

Biomimetic syntheses of phenols from polyketones.

As a result of speculation that many enzymes control polyketone cyclization in vivo by converting a key carbonyl group to a cis-enol ether derivative, we describe two novel biomimetic cyclizations. The first involves condensation of two C6 units derived from triacetic lactone to form an arylpyrone related to aloenin. In the second a naphthapyrone of the rubrofusarin type is formed by condensation of an orsellinic acid derivative with the ether of triacetic lactone.

Anthracenes↗

Possible polychlorinated biphenyl poisoning in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta)

In 1967-68 rhesus monkeys that had been held in new pens for a month or more developed a chronic disease with high mortality. The principal postmortem findings were focal necrosis of the liver and hyperplasia of bile duct epithelium, invasive gastric mucosal metaplasia, and squamous metaplasia of the sebaceous glands. The monkeys were probably poisoned by polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), because the pathologic changes were identical with those occurring after experimental feeding of PCBs to monkeys, and because PCBs were found in the livers of the dead animals. The source of the contaminant was not identified.

Animals↗