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Biomedical subjects

Gérard Hopfgartner

Publications and source records attributed to Gérard Hopfgartner.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry: direct toxicological screening and analysis of illicit Ecstasy tablets.

Desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (DESI-MS) was used as a simple and rapid way to analyze drug tablets and powders without sample preparation. Experiments were performed with a home-made DESI source coupled to a triple-quadrupole linear-ion trap (QqQ(LIT)) mass spectrometer. Twenty-one commercial drugs as well as some illicit Ecstasy tablets and powders were analyzed. MS spectra almost exclusively showed the protonated or deprotonated ion of the drug after directing the pneumatically assisted electrospray onto the tablet's surface. With some tablets, inhomogeneity of the surface resulted in different spectra depending on the spot analyzed, thus showing that DESI could be used for imaging. Directly triggered MS/MS spectra were used for confirmatory analysis, with analysis times often below 10 s per tablet. For illicit Ecstasy tablets, DESI-MS, GC/MS and LC/MS analyses provided similar qualitative results for the main analytes. With MS/MS spectra library comparison or exact mass measurements, this technique could become very powerful for the rapid analysis of unknown tablets and shows the great potential of desorption techniques as an alternative to solution-based analysis.

Drug Evaluation, Preclinical↗

Determination of talinolol in human plasma using automated on-line solid phase extraction combined with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization tandem mass spectrometry.

A specific LC-MS/MS assay was developed for the automated determination of talinolol in human plasma, using on-line solid phase extraction system (prospekt 2) combined with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) tandem mass spectrometry. The method involved simple precipitation of plasma proteins with perchloric acid (contained propranolol) as the internal standard (IS) and injection of the supernatant onto a C8 End Capped (10 mmx2 mm) cartridge without any evaporation step. Using the back-flush mode, the analytes were transferred onto an analytical column (XTerra C18, 50 mmx4.6 mm) for chromatographic separation and mass spectrometry detection. One of the particularities of the assay is that the SPE cartridge is used as a column switching device and not as an SPE cartridge. Therefore, the same SPE cartridge could be used more than 28 times, significantly reducing the analysis cost. APCI ionization was selected to overcome any potential matrix suppression effects because the analyte and IS co-eluted. The mean precision and accuracy in the concentration range 2.5-200 ng/mL was found to be 103% and 7.4%, respectively. The data was assessed from QC samples during the validation phase of the assay. The lower limit of quantification was 2.5 ng/mL, using a 250 microL plasma aliquot. The LC-MS/MS method provided the requisite selectivity, sensitivity, robustness accuracy and precision to assess pharmacokinetics of the compound in several hundred human plasma samples.

Automation↗

The application of 2-D dual nanoscale liquid chromatography and triple quadrupole-linear ion trap system for the identification of proteins.

2-D nanoscale LC combined with a triple quadrupole-linear ion trap mass spectrometer was applied to the analysis of a complex peptide mixture. A 2-D dual nanoscale LC-MS/MS system was compared to a conventional one. Peptides were separated with a strong cation exchange (SCX) microcolumn in the first dimension and two C18 nanocolumns were used as second dimension. MS experiments were performed using information-dependent data acquisition, where two precursor ions were selected from an enhanced MS (EMS) or an enhanced multicharged ion (EMC) as survey scan. The major benefit of EMC instead of EMS was a two-fold reduction of the data file and a 15% increase of characterized proteins. The advantage of the 2-D dual nanoscale LC-MS/MS system versus the conventional 2-D nanoscale LC-MS/MS system was reflected in the significant increase of peptides which were successfully identified within the same time frame. The first factor contributing to this increase was that the mass spectrometer was collecting twice the number of relevant MS/MS data. The second factor is the use of twice the number of SCX salt fractions in the first dimension, allowing a better sample fractionation, thereby reducing the number of peptides transferred to the second chromatographic dimension per salt fraction.

Animals↗

The combination of liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry and chip-based infusion for improved screening and characterization of drug metabolites.

An approach has been developed for drug metabolism studies of non-radiolabeled compounds using on-line liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) combined with chip-based infusion following fraction collection. The potential of this approach, which improves the data quality compared with only LC/MS analysis, has been investigated for the analysis of in vitro metabolites of tolcapone and talinolol, two compounds with well-characterized metabolism. The information-dependent LC/MS/MS analysis enables the characterization of the major metabolites while the chip-based infusion is used to obtain good product ion spectra for lower level metabolites, to generate complementary MS information on potential metabolites detected in the LC/MS trace, or to screen for unexpected metabolites. Fractions from the chromatographic analysis are collected in 20 second steps, into a 96-well plate. The fractions of interest can be re-analyzed with chip-based infusion on a variety of mass spectrometers including triple quadrupole linear ion trap (QqLIT or Q TRAP) and QqTOF systems. Acquiring data for several minutes using multi-channel acquisition (MCA), or signal averaging while infusing the fractions at approximately 200 nL/min, permits about a 50 times gain in sensitivity (signal-to-noise) in MS/MS mode. A 5-10 microL sample fraction can be infused for more than 30 min allowing the time to perform various MS experiments such as MS(n), precursor ion or neutral loss scans and accurate mass measurement, all in either positive or negative mode. Through fraction collection and infusion, a significant gain in data quality is obtained along with a time-saving benefit, because the original sample needs neither to be re-analyzed by re-injection nor to be pre-concentrated. Therefore, a novel hydroxylated talinolol metabolite could be characterized with only one injection.

Animals↗

Isotope ratio monitoring of small molecules and macromolecules by liquid chromatography coupled to isotope ratio mass spectrometry.

In the field of isotope ratio mass spectrometry, the introduction of an interface allowing the connection of liquid chromatography (LC) and isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) has opened a range of new perspectives. The LC interface is based on a chemical oxidation, producing CO2 from organic molecules. While first results were obtained from the analysis of low molecular weight compounds, the application of compound-specific isotope analysis by irm-LC/MS to other molecules, in particular biomolecules, is presented here. The influence of the LC flow rate on the CO2 signal and on the observed delta13C values is demonstrated. The limits of quantification for angiotensin III and for leucine were 100 and 38 pmol, respectively, with a standard deviation of the delta13C values better than 0.4 per thousand. Also, accuracy and precision of delta13C values for elemental analyser-IRMS and flow injection analysis-IRMS (FIA-LC/MS) were compared. For compounds with molecular weights ranging from 131 to 66,390 Da, precision was better than 0.3 per thousand, and accuracy varied from 0.1 to 0.7 per thousand. In a second part of the work, a two-dimensional (2D)-LC method for the separation of 15 underivatised amino acids is demonstrated; the precision of delta13C values for several amino acids by irm-LC/MS was better than 0.3 per thousand at natural abundance. For labelled mixtures, the coefficient of variation was between 1% at 0.07 atom % excess (APE) for threonine and alanine, and around 10% at 0.03 APE for valine and phenylalanine. The application of irm-LC/MS to the determination of the isotopic enrichment of 13C-threonine in an extract of rat colon mucosa demonstrated a precision of 0.5 per thousand, or 0.001 atom %.

Amino Acids↗

P-glycoprotein and surfactants: effect on intestinal talinolol absorption.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Surfactants used in pharmaceutical formulations can modulate drug absorption by multiple mechanisms including inhibition of intestinal P-glycoprotein (P-gp). Our objective was to analyze the effect of 2 surfactants with different affinity for P-gp in vitro on the intestinal absorption and bioavailability of the P-gp substrate talinolol in humans. METHODS: In vitro, the influence of surfactants on talinolol permeability was studied in Caco-2 cells. In vivo, an open-label 3-way crossover study with 9 healthy male volunteers was performed. Subjects were intubated with a 1-lumen nasogastrointestinal tube. The study solution, containing either talinolol (50 mg), talinolol and D-alpha-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate (TPGS) (0.04%), or talinolol and Poloxamer 188 (0.8%), was administered through the tube. RESULTS: TPGS, but not Poloxamer 188, inhibited the P-gp-mediated talinolol transport in Caco-2 cells. In healthy volunteers TPGS increased the area under the plasma concentration-time curve with extrapolation to infinity (AUC 0-infinity ) of talinolol by 39% (90% confidence interval, 1.10-1.75) and the maximum plasma concentration (C max) by 100% (90% confidence interval, 1.39-2.88). Poloxamer 188 did not significantly alter the AUC 0-infinity or C max of talinolol. CONCLUSIONS: This in vivo intraduodenal perfusion study showed that low concentrations of TPGS, close to the concentrations that showed P-gp inhibition in vitro, significantly increased the bioavailability of talinolol. The study design excluded modulation of solubility by TPGS and unspecific surfactant-related effects. The latter was supported by the absence of modulation of the talinolol pharmacokinetics by Poloxamer 188, which does not modulate P-gp. Therefore we consider intestinal P-gp inhibition by TPGS as the major underlying mechanism for the increase in talinolol bioavailability.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗

Programming heteropolymetallic lanthanide helicates: thermodynamic recognition of different metal ions along the strands.

Under stoichiometric conditions, the segmental tris-tridentate ligand L9 assembles with two different lanthanide metal ions Ln(1) and Ln(2) (Ln(1), Ln(2)=La, Nd, Sm, Eu, Yb, Lu, Y) to give mixtures of the heterotrimetallic triple-stranded helicates [(Ln(1))(x)(Ln(2))(3-x)(L9)(3)](9+) (x=0-3) in acetonitrile. The combination of qualitative (ESI-MS) and quantitative ((1)H NMR) speciations provides a set of thermodynamic data that were analysed with various statistical chemical models. A satisfying description requires the consideration of different affinities for the terminal N(6)O(3) sites (k(t)(Ln) and for the central N(9) site (k(c)(Ln) for each specific lanthanide. The nontrivial dependence of these parameters on the ionic radius provides size-discriminating effects that favour the formation of heterotrimetallic helicates in which the central site is occupied by the larger metal of the pair. Combining the latter enthalpic driving forces with entropic contributions due to specific stoichiometric conditions allows partial selection (i.e., programming) of a specific heterotrimetallic species in solution, which can be isolated by crystallisation, as demonstrated for [Eu(2.04)La(0.96)(L9)(3)](CF(3)SO(3))(9)(CH(3)NO(2))(9) (1, Eu(2.04)La(0.96)C(207)H(222)N(48)O(51)S(9)F(27), monoclinic, P2(1)/c, Z=4) in which the cation [EuLaEu(L9)(3)](9+) is the major component in the crystal. The scope and limitation of this approach is discussed together with the conditions for explicitly considering intermetallic interaction parameters u(Ln1Ln2) in more sophisticated chemical models.

Journal Article↗

Supramolecular recognition of heteropairs of lanthanide ions: a step toward self-assembled bifunctional probes.

Three unsymmetrical ditopic hexadentate ligands coded for the recognition of trivalent lanthanide ions have been synthesized, L(AB), L(AC), and L(BC), where A represents a benzimidazole-pyridine-benzimidazole coordination unit, B a benzimidazole-pyridine-carboxamide one, and C a benzimidazole-pyridine-carboxylic acid moiety. Under stoichiometric 2:3 (Ln:L) conditions, these ligands self-assemble with lanthanide ions to yield triple-stranded bimetallic helicates having a sizable stability in acetonitrile: log beta(23) values for Eu are equal to 23.9 +/- 0.5 (L(AB)), 23.3 +/- 0.7 (deprotonated L(AC)), and 29.8 +/- 0.5 (deprotonated L(BC)). The crystal structure of the EuEu helicate with L(AB) shows 9-coordinate metal ions and an HHH (H stands for head) configuration of the helically wrapped ligand strands. In the presence of equimolar quantities of Ln and Ln' ions, L(AB) displays a remarkable predisposition to form HHH-heterobimetallic edifices, as proved both in the solid state by the crystal structures of the LaEu, LaTb, PrEr, and PrLu helicates and in solution by NMR spectroscopy. In all cases, the benzimidazole-pyridine-carboxamide units of the three ligands are bound to the smaller lanthanide ion, a fact further ascertained by high-resolution luminescence data on LaEu and by (1)H NMR. Analysis of the lanthanide-induced (1)H NMR shifts and of the spin-lattice relaxation times of the [LnLu(L(AB))(3)](6+) series (Ln = Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu) demonstrates the isostructural nature of the complexes in solution and that the crystal structure of LaTb is a good model for the solution structure. The selectivity of L(AB) for heteropairs of Ln(III) ions increases with increasing difference in ionic radius, resulting in 70% of the heterobimetallic species for deltar(i) = 0.1 A and up to 90% for LaLu (deltar(i) = 0.18 A), and corresponding to delta(deltaG) in the range 3-10 kJ.mol(-)(1). The origins of this stabilization are discussed in terms of the donor properties of the coordinating units and of the preferential formation of HHH isomers.

Journal Article↗

Triple quadrupole linear ion trap mass spectrometer for the analysis of small molecules and macromolecules.

Recently, linear ion traps (LITs) have been combined with quadrupole (Q), time-of-flight (TOF) and Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) mass spectrometry (MS). LITs can be used either as ion accumulation devices or as commercially available, stand-alone mass spectrometers with MSn capabilities. The combination of triple quadrupole MS with LIT technology in the form of an instrument of configuration QqLIT, using axial ejection, is particularly interesting, because this instrument retains the classical triple quadrupole scan functions such as selected reaction monitoring (SRM), product ion (PI), neutral loss (NL) and precursor ion (PC) while also providing access to sensitive ion trap experiments. For small molecules, quantitative and qualitative analysis can be performed using the same instrument. In addition, for peptide analysis, the enhanced multiply charged (EMC) scan allows an increase in selectivity, while the time-delayed fragmentation (TDF) scan provides additional structural information. Various methods of operating the hybrid instrument are described for the case of the commercial Q TRAP (AB/MDS Sciex) and applications to drug metabolism analysis, quantitative confirmatory analysis, peptides analysis and automated nanoelectrospray (ESI-chip-MS) analysis are discussed.

Animals↗

Simultaneous selected reaction monitoring, MS/MS and MS3 quantitation for the analysis of pharmaceutical compounds in human plasma using chip-based infusion.

An assay method with mass spectrometric detection was developed for the quantitative analysis of a pharmaceutical compound and its major metabolite in human plasma using chip-based infusion. Liquid-liquid extraction sample preparation was found to be essential to minimize matrix suppression and to achieve a limit of quantitation (LOQ) of 2.5 ng/mL using a 100 microL plasma aliquot. The potential for simultaneous quantitation in selected reaction monitoring (SRM), tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) (enhanced product ion), and MS(3) was investigated and found to be very beneficial in improving assay selectivity. A novel concept for monitoring quantitative assay performance using a SRM/MS(3) ratio is proposed.

Mass Spectrometry↗

The first self-assembled trimetallic lanthanide helicates driven by positive cooperativity.

The segmental tris-tridentate ligand L7 reacts with stoichiometric quantities of Ln(III) (Ln=La-Lu) in acetonitrile to give the complexes [Ln(2)(L7)(3)](6+) and [Ln(3)(L7)(3)](9+). Formation constants point to negligible size-discriminating effects along the lanthanide series, but Scatchard plots suggest that the self-assembly of the trimetallic triple-stranded helicates [Ln(3)(L7)(3)](9+) is driven to completion by positive cooperativity, despite strong intermetallic electrostatic repulsions. Crystallization provides quantitatively [Ln(3)(L7)(3)](CF(3)SO(3))(9) (Ln=La, Eu, Gd, Tb, Lu) and the X-ray crystal structure of [Eu(3)(L7)(3)](CF(3)SO(3))(9).(CH(3)CN)(9).(H(2)O)(2) (Eu(3)C(216)H(226)N(48)O(35)F(27)S(9), triclinic, P1, Z=2) shows the three ligand strands wrapped around a pseudo-threefold axis defined by the three metal ions rigidly held at about 9 A. Each metal ion is coordinated by nine donor atoms in a pseudo-trigonal prismatic arrangement, but the existence of terminal carboxamide units in the ligand strands differentiates the electronic properties of the terminal and the central metallic sites. Photophysical data confirm that the three coordination sites possess comparable pseudo-trigonal symmetries in the solid state and in solution. High-resolution luminescence analyses evidence a low-lying LMCT state affecting the central EuN(9) site, so that multi-metal-centered luminescence is essentially dominated by the emission from the two terminal EuN(6)O(3) sites in [Eu(3)(L7)(3)](9+). New multicenter equations have been developed for investigating the solution structure of [Ln(3)(L7)(3)](9+) by paramagnetic NMR spectroscopy and linear correlations for Ln=Ce-Tb imply isostructurality for these larger lanthanides. NMR spectra point to the triple helical structure being maintained in solution, but an inversion of the magnitude of the second-rank crystal-field parameters, obtained by LIS analysis, for the LnN(6)O(3) and LnN(9) sites with respect to the parameters extracted for Eu(III) from luminescence data, suggests that the geometry of the central LnN(9) site is somewhat relaxed in solution.

Journal Article↗

Determination of carnitine and acylcarnitines in urine by high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization ion trap tandem mass spectrometry.

A high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method has been developed for the simultaneous determination of native carnitine and eight acylcarnitines in urine. The procedure uses a solid-phase extraction on a cation-exchange column and the separation is performed without derivatization within 17 min on a reversed-phase C8 column in the presence of a volatile ion-pairing reagent. The detector was an ion trap mass spectrometer and quantification was carried out in the MS-MS mode. Validation was done for aqueous standards at ranges between 0.75 and 200 micromol/l, depending on the compound. Carnitine was quantified in urine and comparison with a radioenzymatic assay gave a satisfactory correlation (R2 = 0.981). The assay could be successfully applied to the diagnostic of pathological acylcarnitines profile of metabolic disorders in urines of patients suffering from different organic acidurias.

Carnitine↗

Rapid screening and characterization of drug metabolites using a new quadrupole-linear ion trap mass spectrometer.

The application of a new hybrid RF/DC quadrupole-linear ion trap mass spectrometer to support drug metabolism and pharmacokinetic studies is described. The instrument is based on a quadrupole ion path and is capable of conventional tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) as well as several high-sensitivity ion trap MS scans using the final quadrupole as a linear ion trap. Several pharmaceutical compounds, including trocade, remikiren and tolcapone, were used to evaluate the capabilities of the system with positive and negative turbo ionspray, using either information-dependent data acquisition (IDA) or targeted analysis for the screening, identification and quantification of metabolites. Owing to the MS/MS in-space configuration, quadrupole-like CID spectra with ion trap sensitivity can be obtained without the classical low mass cutoff of 3D ion traps. The system also has MS(3) capability which allows fragmentation cascades to be followed. The combination of constant neutral loss or precursor ion scan with the enhanced product ion scan was found to be very selective for identifying metabolites at the picogram level in very complex matrices. Owing to the very high cycle time and, depending on the mass range, up to eight different MS experiments could be performed simultaneously without compromising chromatographic performance. Targeted product ion analysis was found to be complementary to IDA, in particular for very low concentrations. Comparable sensitivity was found in enhanced product ion scan and selected reaction monitoring modes. The instrument is particularly suitable for both qualitative and quantitative analysis.

Animals↗

Self-Assembled Dinuclear Lanthanide Helicates: Substantial Luminescence Enhancement upon Replacing Terminal Benzimidazole Groups by Carboxamide Binding Units.

The segmental ligands bis{1-alkyl-2-[6'-(N,N-diethylcarbamoyl)pyridin-2'-yl]benzimidazol-5-yl}methane (alkyl = methyl (L(5)), ethyl (L(6))) react with lanthanide perchlorates (Ln = La, Eu, Gd, Tb) in acetonitrile to yield the f-f dinuclear homotopic triple-stranded helicates [Ln(2)(L(i)())(3)](6+) (i = 5, 6) under thermodynamic control. The crystal structure of [Tb(2)(L(6))(3)](ClO(4))(3)(MeCN)(2)(THF)(0.5)(EtOH)(0.5) (11a, C(124)H(145)N(26)O(31)Cl(6)Tb(2), triclinic, P&onemacr;, Z = 2) shows the wrapping of the ligands about a pseudo-C(3) axis passing through the metal ions. The Tb ions are 9-coordinate in facial pseudo-tricapped trigonal prismatic sites and are separated by 9.06 Å. (1)H-NMR and ES-MS data establish that the triple helical structure is maintained in solution. Spectrophotometric titrations (Ln = La, Eu) indicate log beta(23) = 24-25 and the formation of a 2:2 complex [Ln(2)(L(5))(2)](6+) (log beta(22) = 19-20). Quantum yield determination in acetonitrile shows that the terminal N,N-diethylcarboxamide groups in L(5) favor efficient intramolecular L(5) --> Eu(III) energy transfers leading to strong Eu-centered red luminescence, 50 times as intense as the luminescence observed when the carboxamide groups are replaced by substituted benzimidazole units in [Eu(2)(L(4))(3)](6+). Resistance toward hydrolysis also results from the use of carboxamide groups, and no quenching of luminescence is observed for [Eu(2)(L(5))(3)](6+) in moist acetonitrile up to 2.5 M water. The crucial role played by carboxamide groups for the control of structural, electronic, and photophysical properties is discussed. Replacing perchlorates by triflates allows the isolation of the dinuclear double-stranded helicate [Eu(2)(L(6))(2)(CF(3)SO(3))(4)(H(2)O(2))(2)](CF(3)SO(3))(2)(MeOH)(2)(H(2)O)(5)(.5), whose crystal structure (13a, C(85)H(106)Eu(2)F(18)N(16)O(30)S(6), monoclinic, C2/m, Z = 2) reveals a side-by-side arrangement of the two strands and 9-coordinate Eu ions linked through hydrogen-bonded water molecules.

Journal Article↗

Stability and Size-Discriminating Effects in Mononuclear Lanthanide Triple-Helical Building Blocks with Tridentate Aromatic Ligands.

The planar aromatic tridentate ligand 2,6-bis(1-methylbenzimidazol-2-yl)pyridine (L(1)) reacts with Ln(III) (Ln = La-Lu) in acetonitrile to give the successive complexes [Ln(L(1))(n)()](3+) (n = 1-3). Stability constants determined by spectrophotometry and potentiometric competitive titrations with Ag(I) show that the 1:1 and the 1:2 complexes display the usual thermodynamic behavior associated with electrostatic effects while the 1:3 complexes exhibit an unusual selectivity for the midrange Ln(III) ions (Delta log K(3)(Gd-Lu) approximately 4). A detailed investigation of the solution structure of [Ln(L(1))(3)](3+) (Ln = La-Dy) reveals that the closely packed triple-helical structure found in the crystal structure of [Eu(L(1))(3)](3+) is retained in acetonitrile for the complete series. A sharp control of the coordination cavity results from the interstrand pi-stacking interactions which appear to be optimum for Gd(III). For Yb(III), for instance, a 1:2 complex only could be isolated, which crystallizes as a hydroxo-bridged dimer [Yb(OH)(L(1))(2)](2)(ClO(4))(4)(HClO(4))(0.5)(CH(3)CN)(7.32)(L(1))(0.5) (triclinic, P&onemacr;, a = 13.250(2) Å, b = 16.329(2) Å, c = 27.653(3) Å, alpha = 99.941(9) degrees, beta = 93.394(9) degrees, gamma = 108.114(9) degrees, Z = 2). The binding of bulky substituents to the nitrogen atoms of the benzimidazole side arms in L(4) (i) severely affects the wrapping process, (ii) leads to less stable triple-helical building blocks, and (iii) removes the size-discriminating effect. The last can however be restored if a strong electron-donor group is connected to the central pyridine ring in L(8). Stability and solution structure data for [Ag(2)(L(i)())(2)](2+) (i = 1, 4, 8) are also reported and discussed.

Journal Article↗