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Biomedical subjects

H P Benschop

Publications and source records attributed to H P Benschop.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2002

Biomonitoring of exposure to chemical warfare agents: a review.

In this report an overview of the methods currently available for detection of exposure to a number of chemical warfare agents (CWA), i.e., sulfur mustard, lewisite and nerve agents, is presented. Such methods can be applied for various purposes, e.g., diagnosis and dosimetry of exposure of casualties, confirmation of nonexposure, verification of nonadherence to the Chemical Weapons Convention, health surveillance, and forensic purposes. The methods are either based on mass spectrometric or immunochemical analysis of CWA adducts with DNA or proteins or based on mass spectrometric analysis of urine or plasma metabolites that result from hydrolysis and/or glutathione conjugation. Several of the methods have been successfully applied to actual cases.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Retrospective detection of exposure to organophosphorus anti-cholinesterases: mass spectrometric analysis of phosphylated human butyrylcholinesterase.

In this paper a novel and general procedure is presented for detection of organophosphate-inhibited human butyrylcholinesterase (HuBuChE), which is based on electrospray tandem mass spectrometric analysis of phosphylated nonapeptides obtained after pepsin digestion of the enzyme. The utility of this method is exemplified by the positive analysis of serum samples from Japanese victims of the terrorist attack with sarin in the Tokyo subway in 1995.

Butyrylcholinesterase↗
PubMed2000

Intravenous and inhalation toxicokinetics of sarin stereoisomers in atropinized guinea pigs.

We report the first toxicokinetic studies of (+/-)-sarin. The toxicokinetics of the stereoisomers of this nerve agent were studied in anesthetized, atropinized, and restrained guinea pigs after intravenous bolus administration of a dose corresponding to 0.8 LD50 and after nose-only exposure to vapor concentrations yielding 0.4 and 0.8 LCt50 in an 8-min exposure time. During exposure the respiratory minute volume and frequency were monitored. Blood samples were taken for gas chromatographic analysis of the nerve agent stereoisomers and for measurement of the activity of blood acetylcholinesterase (AChE). In all experiments, the concentration of (+)-sarin was below the detection limit (<5 pg/ml). The concentration-time profile of the toxic isomer, i.e., (-)-sarin, after an intravenous bolus was adequately described with a two-exponential equation. (-)-Sarin is distributed ca. 10-fold faster than C(-)P(-)-soman, whereas its elimination proceeds almost 10-fold slower. During nose-only exposure to 0.4 and 0.8 LCt50 of (+/-)-sarin in 8 min, (-)-sarin appeared to be rapidly absorbed. The blood AChE activity decreased during the exposure period to ca. 15 and 70% of control activity, respectively. There were no effects on the respiratory parameters. A significant nonlinearity of the toxicokinetics with dose was observed for the respiratory experiments.

Acetylcholinesterase↗
PubMed2000

Diagnosis and dosimetry of exposure to sulfur mustard: development of a standard operating procedure for mass spectrometric analysis of haemoglobin adducts: exploratory research on albumin and keratin adducts.

Experiments were carried out to develop a standard operating procedure for analysis of sulfur mustard adducts to the N-terminal valine in haemoglobin and to explore adduct formation with albumin and keratin. In the first approach, gas chromatography-negative chemical ionization/mass spectrometry (GC-NCI/MS) of the thiohydantoin sample subsequent to the modified Edman degradation was performed using a thermodesorption/cold trap (TCT) injection technique (detection limit for in vitro exposure of human blood to sulfur mustard: 30 nM). In the second approach, the crude thiohydantoin sample was purified by solid-phase extraction procedures. In the third approach, the procedure was shortened significantly by performing the Edman degradation for 2 h at 60 degrees C. Upon exposure of human blood to various concentrations of [14C]sulfur mustard, ca. 20% was covalently bound to albumin. One of the tryptic fragments (T5 containing an alkylated cysteine (HETE-(A-L-V-L-I-A-F-A-Q-Y-L-Q-Q-C-P-F-E-D-H-V-K); MW 2536 Da) could be detected sensitively with liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry analysis (detection limits: > or =15 pg absolute and 1 microM for in vitro exposure of human blood). Upon exposure of human callus (suspensions in 0.9% NaCl; 500 mg ml(-1)) to various concentrations of [14C]sulfur mustard we found 15-20% of the added radioactivity covalently bound to keratin. Upon incubation with base, 80% of the bound radioactivity was split off as [14C]thiodiglycol. This result opens the way for sensitive mass spectrometric detection of sulfur mustard exposure of skin by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry of (derivatized) thiodiglycol.

Albumins↗
PubMed2000

Biomonitoring of exposure to lewisite based on adducts to haemoglobin.

The development of a procedure for retrospective detection and quantitation of exposure to the arsenical dichloro(2-chlorovinyl)arsine (lewisite; L1) has been initiated. Upon incubation of human blood with [14C]L1 (20 nM-0.2 mM) in vitro, more than 90% of the total radioactivity was found in the erythrocytes and 25-50% of the radioactivity becomes associated with globin. Evidence was obtained for the presence of several binding sites. One type of binding was identified as L1-induced crosslinking of cysteine residues 93 and 112 of the beta-globin chain. A method was developed for extraction of bound and unbound 2-chlorovinylarsonous acid (CVAA), a major metabolite of L1, from whole blood after treatment with 2,3-dimercapto-1-propanol (BAL). Subsequent to derivatization with heptafluorobutyryl imidazole, the CVAA-BAL derivative could be analysed at a 40-fmol level by means of gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) under electron impact conditions. With this procedure, in vitro exposure of human blood to 1 nM L1 could be determined. The same procedure was applied to the analysis of human urine samples spiked with CVAA. In vivo exposure of guinea pigs could be established at least 240 h after subcutaneous administration of the agent (0.25 mg/kg) by the determination of bound and unbound CVAA in the blood. In the urine of these animals, CVAA could be detected for 12 h after exposure.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

In vitro adduct formation of phosgene with albumin and hemoglobin in human blood.

The development of procedures for retrospective detection and quantitation of exposure to phosgene, based on adducts to hemoglobin and albumin, is described. Upon incubation of human blood with [(14)C]phosgene (0-750 microM), a significant part of radioactivity (0-13%) became associated with globin and albumin. Upon Pronase digestion of globin, one of the adducts was identified as the pentapeptide O=C-(V-L)-S-P-A, representing amino acid residues 1-5 of alpha-globin, with a hydantoin function between N-terminal valine and leucine. Micro-LC/tandem MS analyses of tryptic as well as V8 protease digests identified one of the adducts to albumin as a urea resulting from intramolecular bridging of lysine residues 195 and 199. The adducted tryptic fragment could be sensitively analyzed by means of micro-LC/tandem MS with multiple-reaction monitoring (MRM), enabling the detection in human blood of an in vitro exposure level of >/=1 microM phosgene.

Albumins↗
PubMed1999

Exploring the active center of human acetylcholinesterase with stereomers of an organophosphorus inhibitor with two chiral centers.

The stereoselectivity of the phosphonylation reaction and the effects of adduct configuration on the aging process were examined for human acetylcholinesterase (HuAChE) and its selected active center mutants, using the four stereomers of 1,2,2-trimethylpropyl methylphosphonofluoridate (soman). The reactivity of wild type HuAChE toward the PS-soman diastereomers was 4.0-7.5 x 10(4)-fold higher than that toward the PR-diastereomers. Aging of the PSCS-somanyl-HuAChE conjugate was also >1.6 x 10(4)-fold faster than that of the corresponding PRCS-somanyl adduct, as shown by both reactivation and electrospray mass spectrometry (ESI/MS) experiments. On the other hand, both processes exhibited very limited sensitivity to the chirality of the alkoxy group Calpha of either PS- or PR-diastereomers. These stereoselectivities presumably reflect the relative participation of the enzyme in stabilization of the Michaelis complexes and in dealkylation of the respective covalent conjugates, and therefore could be utilized for further probing of the HuAChE active center functional architecture. Reactivities of HuAChE enzymes carrying replacements at the acyl pocket (F295A, F297A, and F295L/F297V) indicate that stereoselectivity with respect to the soman phosphorus chirality depends on the structure of this binding subsite, but this stereoselectivity cannot be explained only by limitation in the capacity to accommodate the PR-diastereomers. In addition, these acyl pocket enzyme mutants display some (5-10-fold) preference for the PRCR-soman over the PRCS-stereomer, while reactivity of the hydrophobic pocket mutant enzyme W86F toward the PRCS-soman resembles that of the wild type HuAChE. Residue substitutions in the H-bond network (E202Q, E450A, Y133F, and Y133A) and the hydrophobic pocket (F338A, W86A, W86F, and Y337A) result in a limited stereoselectivity for the PSCS- over the PSCR-stereomer. Aging of the PS-somanyl conjugates with all the HuAChE mutant enzymes tested practically lacked stereoselectivity with respect to the Calpha of the alkoxy moiety. Thus, the inherent asymmetry of the active center does not seem to affect the rate-determining step of the dealkylation process, possibly because both the PSCS- and the PSCR-somanyl moieties yield the same carbocationic intermediate.

Acetylcholinesterase↗
PubMed1999

Alkylation of human serum albumin by sulfur mustard in vitro and in vivo: mass spectrometric analysis of a cysteine adduct as a sensitive biomarker of exposure.

To develop a mass spectrometric assay for the detection of sulfur mustard adducts with human serum albumin, the following steps were performed: quantitation of the binding of the agent to the protein by using [(14)C]sulfur mustard and analysis of acidic and tryptic digests of albumin from blood after exposure to sulfur mustard for identification of alkylation sites in the protein. The T5 fragment containing an alkylated cysteine could be detected in the tryptic digest with micro-LC/tandem MS analysis. Attempts to decrease the detection limit for in vitro exposure of human blood by analysis of the alkylated T5 fragment were not successful. After Pronase treatment of albumin, S-[2-[(hydroxyethyl)thio]ethyl]Cys-Pro-Phe was analyzed by means of micro-LC/tandem MS, allowing a detection limit for in vitro exposure of human blood of 10 nM, which is 1 order of magnitude lower than that obtained by means of modified Edman degradation. The analytical procedure could be successfully applied to the analysis of albumin samples from Iranian victims of the Iran-Iraq war.

Alkylating Agents↗
PubMed1998

Inhalation toxicokinetics of soman stereoisomers in the atropinized guinea pig with nose-only exposure to soman vapor.

The toxicokinetics of the four stereoisomers of the nerve agent C(+/-)P(+/-)-soman were studied in anesthetized, atropinized guinea pigs for nose-only exposure to soman vapor. During exposure the respiratory minute volume (RMV) and respiratory frequency (RF) were monitored. Blood samples were taken for chiral gas chromatographic analysis of the concentrations of nerve agent stereoisomers and for measurement of the progressive inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE). The animals were exposed for 4-8 min to 0.4-0.8 LCt50 of C(+/-)P(+/-)-soman. Concentrations of the P(-)-isomers increased rapidly during exposure, up to several nanograms per milliliter of blood. Mathematical equations describing the concentration-time courses of the P(-)-isomers were obtained by nonlinear regression. The kinetics were mathematically described as a discontinuous process, with a monoexponential equation for the exposure period and a two-exponential equation for the postexposure period. The absorption phase of C(+)P(-)-soman lagged behind that of the C(-)P(-)-isomer, presumably due to preferential covalent binding at as yet unidentified binding sites. The terminal half-life observed after nose-only exposure is longer than that observed after an equitoxic iv bolus administration, which suggests the presence of a depot in the upper respiratory tract from which absorption continues after termination of the exposure. Two types of nonlinearity of the toxicokinetics were observed, i.e., with dose and with exposure time. The AChE activity was rapidly inhibited during exposure to the nerve agent vapor. There were no soman-related effects on RMV and RF. The toxicokinetics of the soman stereoisomers observed for nose-only exposure are compared with those determined for iv bolus and sc administration.

Absorption↗
PubMed1998

Low level nose-only exposure to the nerve agent soman: toxicokinetics of soman stereoisomers and cholinesterase inhibition in atropinized guinea pigs.

In order to initiate a quantitative basis for the toxicology of low level exposure to nerve agents, the toxicokinetics of soman stereoisomers during nose-only exposure for 5 h to 20 ppb (160 microg/m3) of C(+/-)P(+/-)-soman in air were studied in restrained, anesthetized, and atropinized guinea pigs. The concentrations of the toxic C(+/-)P(-)-soman stereoisomers in blood increased according to a biexponential function, after an initial lag time of ca. 30 min for C(+)P(-)-soman, with final concentrations </= 36 pg/ml. It is hypothesized that the lag time is due to binding to carboxylesterases (CaE), partly in the airways prior to systemic uptake. The gradual inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in erythrocytes during the exposure appeared to be in satisfactory accordance with the observed levels of the C(+/-)P(-)-soman stereoisomers in blood. Inhibition of AChE in brain and diaphragm is insignificant at the end of the exposure period. This result suggests that neuropsychological disorders are unlikely to develop in this exposure scenario. However, incapacitating miosis due to direct penetration of nerve agent into the eye would probably occur. Our experiments should be reconsidered for exposure of primates, which lack scavenging CaE in their blood. It is argued that the same challenge level in primates might give rise to higher blood levels of C(+/-)P(-)-soman stereoisomers and concomitantly higher inhibition levels of AChE. Therefore, the critical Ct (mg.min/m3) values for nonsystemic effects on eyes and airways and systemic effects might be less divergent than in guinea pigs.

Administration, Inhalation↗
PubMed1998

Quantitative analysis of O-isopropyl methylphosphonic acid in serum samples of Japanese citizens allegedly exposed to sarin: estimation of internal dosage.

A convenient and rapid micro-anion exchange liquid chromatography (LC) tandem electrospray mass spectrometry (MS) procedure was developed for quantitative analysis in serum of O-isopropyl methylphosphonic acid (IMPA), the hydrolysis product of the nerve agent sarin. The mass spectrometric procedure involves negative or positive ion electrospray ionization and multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) detection. The method could be successfully applied to the analysis of serum samples from victims of the Tokyo subway attack and of an earlier incident at Matsumoto, Japan. IMPA levels ranging from 2 to 135 ng/ml were found. High levels of IMPA appear to correlate with low levels of residual butyrylcholinesterase activity in the samples and vice versa. Based on our analyses, the internal and exposure doses of the victims were estimated. In several cases, the doses appeared to be substantially higher than the assumed lethal doses in man.

Butyrylcholinesterase↗
PubMed1998

Toxicokinetics of sulfur mustard and its DNA-adducts in the hairless guinea pig.

In order to provide a quantitative basis for pretreatment and therapy of intoxications with sulfur mustard (SM) the toxicokinetics of this agent as well as its major DNA-adduct were studied in male hairless guinea pigs for the intravenous, respiratory and percutaneous routes. The study comprised measurement of the concentration-time course of SM in blood and measurement of the concentrations of intact SM and its adduct to guanine in various tissues at several time points after administration of, or exposure to SM. SM was analyzed in blood and tissues by gas chromatography with automated thermodesorption injection and mass-spectrometric detection. DNA-adducts were measured via an immuno-slot-blot method. In contrast with nerve agents of the phosphofluoridate type, SM partitions strongly to various organs, especially the lung, spleen, liver and bone marrow. The respiratory toxicity of SM appears to be local, rather than systemic. Surprisingly, the maximum concentration of SM in blood upon percutaneous exposure to 1 LCt50 (10,000 mg.min.m-3, estimated) is approximately 6-fold higher than that for nose--only exposure to 3 LCt50 (2,400 mg.min.m-3). Pretreatment of hairless guinea pigs with the potential scavengers N-acetyl cysteine or cysteine isopropyl ester did not significantly increase the LCt50-value for nose--only exposure to SM vapor.

Administration, Cutaneous↗
PubMed1997

Direct determination of the chemical composition of acetylcholinesterase phosphonylation products utilizing electrospray-ionization mass spectrometry.

While non-reactivability of cholinesterases from their phosphyl conjugates (aging) is attributed to an unimolecular process involving loss of alkyl group from the phosphyl moiety, no conclusive evidence is available that this is the only reaction path and involvement of other post-inhibitory processes cannot be ruled out. To address this issue, molecular masses of the bacterially expressed recombinant human acetylcholinesterase and of its conjugates with a homologous series of alkyl methylphosphonofluoridates, were measured by electrospray-ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). The measured mass of the free enzyme was 64,700 Da (calculated 64,695 Da) and those of the methylphosphono-HuAChE adducts, bearing isopropyl, isobutyl, 1,2-dimethylpropyl and 1,2,2-trimethylpropyl substituents, were 64,820, 64,840, 64,852 and 64,860 Da, respectively. These values reflect both the addition of the phosphonyl moiety and the gradual mass increase due to branching of the alkoxy substituent. The composition of these adducts change with time to yield a common product with molecular mass of 64,780 Da which is consistent with dealkylation of the phosphonyl moieties. Furthermore, in the case of 1,2-dimethylpropyl methylphosphono-HuAChE, the change in the molecular mass and the kinetics of non-reactivability appear to occur in parallel indicating that dealkylation is indeed the predominant molecular transformation leading to 'aging' of phosphonyl-AChE adducts.

Acetylcholinesterase↗
PubMed1997

New method for retrospective detection of exposure to organophosphorus anticholinesterases: application to alleged sarin victims of Japanese terrorists.

With regard to detection of exposure to anticholinesterase, the presently used methods have the disadvantage that they cannot detect either low-level exposures with certainty or the structure of the agent and the extent of poisoning. In principle, organophosphate-inhibited butyrylcholinesterase in human plasma is the most persistent and abundant source for biomonitoring of exposure to organophosphate anticholinesterases. Fluoride ions reactivate the inhibited enzyme readily at pH 4, converting the organophosphate moiety into the corresponding phosphofluoridate. Subsequent quantitation of the latter product provides a reliable, highly sensitive and retrospective method for detection of exposure to, or handling of, organophosphates such as nerve agents and organophosphorus pesticides. We applied the new procedure to serum samples from victims of the Tokyo subway attack by the AUM Shinriyko sect and from an earlier incident at Matsumoto. In serum of 10 of 11 victims from the Tokyo incident and of 2 of the 7 samples from the Matsumoto incident, reactivation with fluoride ions yielded sarin concentrations in the range of 0.2-4.1 ng/ml serum. Evidently, these victims had been exposed to an organophosphate with the structure PriO(CH3)P(O)X, presumably with X = F (sarin). Several applications of the new procedure to establish nerve agent and/or organophosphate (OP) pesticide exposure can be envisaged, e.g., (i) in biomonitoring of exposure for health surveillance of those handling organophosphates, (ii) in cases of alleged exposure to nerve agents and/or OP pesticides in armed conflict situations or terrorist attacks, (iii) in medical treatment of intoxication, and (iv) in forensic cases against suspected terrorists that may have handled anticholinesterases.

Cholinesterase Inhibitors↗
PubMed1997

Synthesis and mass spectrometric identification of the major amino acid adducts formed between sulphur mustard and haemoglobin in human blood.

As part of a program to develop methods for the verification of alleged exposure to sulphur mustard, we synthesized and characterized three amino acid adducts presumably formed by alkylation of haemoglobin: 4-(2-hydroxyethylthioethyl)-L-aspartate, 5-(2-hydroxyethylthioethyl)L-glutamate and N1- and N3-(2-hydroxyethylthioethyl)-L-histidine. Suitable derivatization methods for GC/MS analysis were developed for these adducts as well as for the cysteine and the N-terminal valine adduct. Incubation of human blood with [35S]sulfur mustard in vitro followed by acidic hydrolysis of isolated globin and derivatization with Fmoc-Cl afforded three radioactive peaks upon HPLC analysis, one of which coeluted with the synthetic Fmoc derivative of N1/N3-(2-hydroxyethylthioethyl)-L-histidine. After pronase digestion of globin the adducts of histidine, glutamic acid, aspartic acid, cysteine and N-terminal valine could be tentatively identified and quantitated. Final identification was obtained from GC/MS analysis. The most abundant adduct, N1/N3-(2-hydroxyethylthioethyl)-L-histidine, could not be sensitively analysed by GC/MS. A convenient LC-tandem MS procedure was developed for this compound, enabling the detection of exposure of human blood to 10 microM sulphur mustard in vitro.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1997

Development of a physiologically based model for the toxicokinetics of C(+/-)P(+/-)-soman in the atropinized guinea pig.

A physiologically based model was developed which describes the in vivo toxicokinetics of the highly reactive nerve agent C(+/-)P(+/-)-soman at doses corresponding to 0.8-6 LD50 in the atropinized guinea pig. The model differentiates between the summated highly toxic C(+/-)P(-)-soman stereoisomers at supralethal doses and the individual nontoxic C(+/-)P(+)-isomers. Several toxicant-specific parameters for the soman stereoisomers were measured in guinea pig tissue homogenates. Cardiac output and blood flow distribution were measured in the atropinized, anesthetized, and artificially ventilated guinea pig. The model was validated by comparison of the time courses for the blood concentrations of the two pairs of stereoisomers in the guinea pig after i.v. bolus administration with the blood concentrations predicted by the model. The predictions put forward for the summated C(+/-)P(-)-isomers are in reasonable agreement with the experimental data obtained after doses corresponding to 2 and 6 LD50. In view of large differences in the rates of hydrolysis of the C(+/-)P(+)-isomers, these two isomers had to be differentiated for satisfactory modeling of both isomers. In order to model the toxicokinetics of C(+/-)P(-)-soman at a dose of 0.8 LD50, the almost instantaneous elimination of the C(+)P(-)-isomer at that dose had to be taken into account. The sensitivity of the predictions of the model to variations in the parameters has been studied with incremental sensitivity analysis. The results of this analysis indicate that extension to a model involving four individual stereoisomers is desirable in view of large differences in the biochemical characteristics of the two C(+/-)P(-)- and C(+/-)P(+)-isomers.

Acetylcholinesterase↗
PubMed1996

Protection of guinea pigs against soman poisoning by pretreatment with p-nitrophenyl phosphoramidates.

Several p-nitrophenyl phosphoramidates with the general formula RO(NH2)P(O)OC6H4-p-NO2, in which R = CH2CH3, CH2CH2F, CH2CHF2, CH2CF3, CH2CH2CH2CH3, and CH2CH2Cl, as well as (NH2)2P(O)OC6H4-p-NO2 were administered intravenously to guinea pigs as pretreatment compounds for protection against the lethal effects of 1,2,2-trimethylpropyl methylphosphonofluoridate (soman) poisoning. Administration of phosphoramidates at a dose that produces 30% acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition in the blood of atropinized guinea pigs at the moment of soman poisoning increases the subcutaneous LD50 of soman up to almost fivefold depending on which compound was used. A synergistic effect with atropine was observed. Three of these compounds offered a higher degree of protection against soman poisoning than pyridostigmine. Furthermore, the surviving animals pretreated with the two phosphoramidates that provided the highest protective ratio were in a better condition at 24 hr after soman intoxication than those pretreated with pyridostigmine. Due to the limited number of compounds and their different characteristics, it appeared difficult to demonstrate a relationship between the rate of spontaneous reactivation of AChE inhibited by the pretreatment compound and the protection against soman. Nevertheless, the results indicate that a several-fold decrease in the rate of spontaneous reactivation relative to that of pyridostigmine may increase the protective ratio against soman.

Acetylcholinesterase↗