Lipids from microorganisms, and especially lipids from Archaea, are used as taxonomic markers. Unfortunately, knowledge is very limited due to the uncultivability of most Archaea, which greatly reduces the importance of the diversity of lipids and their ecological role. One possible solution is to use lipidomic analysis. Six radioactive sources were investigated, two of which are surface (Wettinquelle and Radonka) and four deep from the Svornost mine (Agricola, Behounek, C1, and Curie). A total of 15 core lipids and 82 intact polar lipids were identified from the membranes of microorganisms in six radioactive springs. Using shotgun lipidomics, typical Archaea lipids were identified in spring water, namely dialkyl glycerol tetraethers, archaeol, hydroxyarchaeol and dihydroxyarchaeol. Diverse groups of polar heads were formed in archaeal IPLs, whose polar heads are formed mainly by hexose, deoxyhexose, and phosphoglycerol. The analysis was performed using shotgun lipidomics and the structure of all molecular species was confirmed by tandem mass spectrometry. After acid hydrolysis, a mixture of polar compounds was obtained from the polar head. Further analysis by GC-MS confirmed that the carbohydrates were glucose and rhamnose. Analysis by HPLC-MS of diastereoisomers of 2-(polyhydroxyalkyl)-3-(O-tolylthiocarbamoyl)thiazolidine-4(R)-carboxylates revealed that both L-rhamnose and D-glucose are present in spring samples only in varying amounts. The glycoside composition depends on the type of spring, that is, Wettinquelle and Radonka springs are basically shallow groundwater, while the samples from the Svornost mine are deep groundwater and do not contain glycosides with rhamnose. This method enables quick screening for characteristic Archaea lipids, allowing decisions on whether to pursue further analyses, such as metagenomic analysis, to directly confirm the presence of Archaea.
Three types of solid waste are produced during beer fermentation: spent grain, hot trub, and residual yeast. While the first is used as livestock feed, the seconds has not yet found any real reapplication in the field of circular economy. The aim of this work is to study and characterize these two brewing wastes, i.e., hot trub and residual yeast, to evaluate their potential reuse in the agricultural field. Samples from top-fermented and bottom-fermented beers were chemically investigated. Initially, the safety was assessed via multi-detection analysis of 57 mycotoxins, and all samples were deemed safe. Subsequently, the chemical and elemental composition was examined via ICP-MS and microanalysis, along with phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity via HPLC and spectrophotometric determinations, to achieve a thorough characterization of these waste samples. The C/N ratio of residual yeast from top-fermented beer and hot trub of the bottom-fermented one were near the optimal one (10:1). This research marks an initial step towards repurposing brewery waste materials as fertilizers. The subsequent steps will involve the formulation and field trials.
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
There is growing evidence that endocrine disruptive chemicals have deleterious effects on sexual and reproductive function. To examine subjective sexual functions in human females and their relationship to postnatal phthalate exposure and perinatal androgenization, a Sexuality Score (SS) was established from a first-stage survey questionnaire of subjective sexual function filled out by female university students (n = 68; average age 25.23 ± 5.17 years; rural 25.51 ± 6.74 vs. urban 25.85 ± 1.43 years). Seventeen phthalate metabolites in urine samples were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). Females were also assessed for the 2D:4D digit ratio as an index of perinatal androgenization. The mean age of menarche was 12.82 ± 1.35 years (rural 12.59 ± 1.39 vs. urban 13.18 ± 1.27; p = 0.01). The mean age at first sexual intercourse was 14.88 ± 6.89 years (rural 14.62 ± 7.20 vs. urban 15.24 ± 6.55), and as the age of first sexual intercourse increases, the SS score tends to increase as well, albeit moderately (r = 0.25, p = 0.037). Mono-iso-butyl phthalate, mono(2-ethyl-5-carboxypentyl) phthalate, mono(hydroxy-n-butyl) phthalate, mono(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate (p ≤ 0.05) and mono(2-carboxymethylhexyl) phthalate (p ≤ 0.01) were negatively associated with SS. A compounding butterfly effect of prenatal exposure to androgens was observed with disruptive effects of mono(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate and mono(2-ethyl-5-carboxypentyl) phthalate on sexual function. Exposure to phthalates in adult females may lead to disruption of subjective sexual function, especially concerning sexual desire and sexual satisfaction, and perinatal androgenization could augment these effects.
- MeSH
- Androgens * MeSH
- Adult MeSH
- Endocrine Disruptors * MeSH
- Phthalic Acids * urine MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Adolescent MeSH
- Young Adult MeSH
- Surveys and Questionnaires MeSH
- Sexual Behavior * drug effects MeSH
- Pregnancy MeSH
- Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects * MeSH
- Check Tag
- Adult MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Adolescent MeSH
- Young Adult MeSH
- Pregnancy MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
Multidimensional chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS), including simple sample preparation with protein precipitation, anion conversion with ammonium hydroxide, and solid-phase extraction using mixed-mode anion exchange in a 96-well plate format, has been validated for rapid simultaneous analysis of human insulin and its six analogs (lispro, glulisine, glargine, degludec, detemir, and aspart) in human plasma. This method is critical for clinical diagnostics, forensic investigations, and anti-doping efforts due to the widespread use of these substances. In the present study, improved chromatographic resolution was achieved using a first-dimension trap-and-elute configuration with an XBridge C18 (2.1 × 20 mm, 3.5 μm) trap column combined with second dimension separation on a Cortecs Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (UHPLC) C18+ (2.1 × 100 mm, 1.6 μm) analytical column implemented within a two-dimensional-LC-MS/MS system. The total chromatographic run time was 11 min. This setup increases both the resolution and sensitivity of the method. A mobile phase consisting of 0.8% formic acid (FA) in water and 0.7% FA in acetonitrile was used for gradient elution. Bovine insulin was used as the internal standard. MS detection was performed in positive electrospray ionization mode, and the ion suppression due to matrix effects was evaluated. Validation criteria included linearity, precision, accuracy, recovery, lower limit of quantitation, matrix effect, and stability tests with and without protease inhibitor cocktail under different conditions (short-term stability, long-term stability, and freeze-thaw stability). The concentration range for all insulins was 50-15 000 pg/mL, with limits of quantification below the therapeutic reference range for all analytes. Intra-run precision ranged from 1.1% to 5.7%, inter-run precision from 0.7% to 5.9%, and overall recovery from 96.9% to 114.3%. The validated method has been implemented successfully by the Department of Forensic Medicine at our hospital for the investigation of unexplained deaths.
Epilepsy, affecting over 50 million people globally, presents a significant neurological challenge. Effective prevention of epileptic seizures relies on proper administration and monitoring of Anti-Seizure Medication (ASMs). Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM) ensures optimal dosage adjustment, minimizing adverse effects and potential drug interactions. While traditional venous blood collection for TDM may be stressful, emerging alternative sampling methods, particularly Dried Blood Spot (DBS) or oral fluid offer less invasive way of sampling. This study aimed to develop and validate an analytical method for the determination of lamotrigine in such alternative samples. The sample, either DBS or oral fluid, was subjected to extraction, evaporation, and reconstitution in 15 % acetonitrile containing 0.1 % formic acid. A Kinetex C18 Polar column was used for liquid chromatographic separation and MS in ESI+ mode was used for detection and quantitation of lamotrigine using an isotopically labelled internal standard according to EMA guidelines. The calibration range of the developed method enables the determination of lamotrigine in the concentration range of 1-30 μg/mL in DBS and 0.5-20 μg/mL in oral fluid. Oral fluid and DBS samples from patients treated with lamotrigine analysed by the developed method were compared to plasma concentrations measured by the hospital's accredited laboratory. Preliminary results indicate a promising potential for these alternative matrices in clinical TDM applications. By offering a less invasive sampling approach, this method improves the accessibility and safety of pharmacotherapy for epilepsy patients. The results of this study lay the foundation for further clinical applications by implementing alternative matrix TDM, which may significantly advance personalized care in epilepsy management.
- MeSH
- Anticonvulsants * analysis blood MeSH
- Chromatography, Liquid methods MeSH
- Epilepsy drug therapy MeSH
- Calibration MeSH
- Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry MeSH
- Lamotrigine * analysis blood MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Limit of Detection MeSH
- Drug Monitoring * methods MeSH
- Reproducibility of Results MeSH
- Saliva * chemistry MeSH
- Tandem Mass Spectrometry methods MeSH
- Dried Blood Spot Testing * methods MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Validation Study MeSH
The semi-synthetic cannabinoid hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) has become a highly discussed topic in forensic toxicology since 2022 due to its legal availability at this time and its psychoactive effects. This study aimed to investigate the pharmacokinetics, effects, and immunological detectability of HHC after oral (25 mg HHC fruit gum) and inhalative (three puffs from HHC vape) consumption with three participants per group. Serum (up to 48 h), urine (up to five days), and saliva (up to 48 h) samples were collected at different relevant time points and analyzed by HPLC-MS/MS for (9R)/(9S)-HHC, 11-hydroxy-HHC, and (9R)/(9S)-HHC carboxylic acid with a fully validated method. Additionally, immunological detectability was investigated with three different commercially available tests. To address the psychoactive effects, the subjective "high" feeling (scale 0-10) was monitored and different psychophysical tests (e.g. modified Romberg test, walk and turn) were conducted. Overall, the pharmacokinetics and effects of HHC were comparable to tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). However, the route of administration as well as inter-individual factors played a crucial role regarding maximum concentrations, pharmacokinetic profiles, and psychoactive effects.
- MeSH
- Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists pharmacokinetics pharmacology MeSH
- Administration, Inhalation * MeSH
- Administration, Oral * MeSH
- Adult MeSH
- Emotions drug effects MeSH
- Pharmacokinetics * MeSH
- Immunologic Tests MeSH
- Cannabinoids * analysis blood pharmacokinetics pharmacology urine MeSH
- Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Psychophysiology * MeSH
- Psychotropic Drugs * analysis blood pharmacokinetics pharmacology urine MeSH
- Saliva chemistry MeSH
- Dronabinol pharmacokinetics pharmacology MeSH
- Check Tag
- Adult MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
The precise and unambiguous detection and quantification of internal RNA modifications represents a critical step for understanding their physiological functions. The methods of direct RNA sequencing are quickly developing allowing for the precise location of internal RNA marks. This detection is, however, not quantitative and still presents detection limits. One of the biggest remaining challenges in the field is still the detection and quantification of m6A, m6Am, inosine, and m1A modifications of adenosine. The second intriguing and timely question remaining to be addressed is the extent to which individual marks are coregulated or potentially can affect each other. Here, we present a methodological approach to detect and quantify several key mRNA modifications in human total RNA and in mRNA, which is difficult to purify away from contaminating tRNA. We show that the adenosine demethylase FTO primarily targets m6Am marks in noncoding RNAs in HEK293T cells. Surprisingly, we observe little effect of FTO or ALKBH5 depletion on the m6A mRNA levels. Interestingly, the upregulation of ALKBH5 is accompanied by an increase in inosine level in overall mRNA.
- MeSH
- Adenosine * analogs & derivatives metabolism genetics analysis MeSH
- AlkB Homolog 5, RNA Demethylase * metabolism genetics MeSH
- Chromatography, Liquid methods MeSH
- Alpha-Ketoglutarate-Dependent Dioxygenase FTO * metabolism genetics MeSH
- HEK293 Cells MeSH
- Inosine * metabolism genetics MeSH
- Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- RNA, Messenger * genetics metabolism MeSH
- RNA Processing, Post-Transcriptional MeSH
- Tandem Mass Spectrometry * methods MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
Boswellia resin is an exudate from the cut bark of Boswellia trees. The main constituents of pharmacological interest are boswellic acids (pentacyclic triterpenoids), namely α-boswellic acid, β-boswellic acid, 3-O-acetyl-α-boswellic acid, 3-O-acetyl-β-boswellic acid, 11-keto-β-boswellic acid, and 3-O-acetyl-11-keto-β-boswellic acid. Nowadays, dietary supplements with Boswellia serrata extract are used in the treatment of inflammatory joint diseases. Additionally, the constituents of Boswellia resin have shown potential for the treatment of other chronic inflammatory diseases and various types of cancer. Separation methods including ultra/high-performance liquid chromatography, gas chromatography, thin layer chromatography, supercritical fluid chromatography, and capillary electrochromatography coupled with UV or MS detection have been used for the determination of boswellic acids in various matrices (mostly plant material and biological samples). This review aims to provide a comprehensive summary of these separation methods, offering a critical discussion of their strengths and limitations in the analysis of boswellic acids. The knowledge of various separation methods plays a pivotal role in the quality control of herbal dietary supplements and the monitoring of the metabolism and pharmacokinetics of their constituents. The approaches based on metabolomics and network pharmacology represent new ways of fingerprinting secondary metabolites in Boswellia resin increasing the comprehensiveness of the output of these methods resulting in safer dietary supplements.
- MeSH
- Boswellia chemistry MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Plant Extracts chemistry MeSH
- Triterpenes * analysis isolation & purification MeSH
- Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Review MeSH
Východiska: Hledání účinných biomarkerů pro včasnou diagnostiku ovariálního karcinomu (ovarian cancer – OC) patří k naléhavým úkolům moderní onkogynekologie. Metabolické profilování pomocí ultra vysokoúčinné kapalinové chromatografie a hmotnostní spektrometrie (ultraigh performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry – UHPLC-MS) poskytuje informace o souhrnu všech nízkomolekulárních metabolitů vzorku biologických tekutin pacienta, které odrážejí procesy probíhající v těle. Cílem studie bylo prozkoumat metabolomický profil krevní plazmy a moči pacientek se serózním ovariálním adenokarcinomem pomocí UHPLC-MS. Materiál a metody: K provedení metabolomické analýzy bylo odebráno 60 vzorků krevní plazmy a 60 vzorků moči pacientek s diagnózou serózního karcinomu vaječníků a 20 vzorků zdravých dobrovolníků. Chromatografická separace byla provedena na chromatografu Vanquish Flex UHPLC System (Thermo Scientific, Německo). Analýza hmotnostní spektrometrií byla provedena na Orbitrap Exploris 480 (Thermo Scientific, Německo) vybaveném elektrosprejovým ionizačním zdrojem. Bioinformatická analýza byla provedena pomocí Compound Discoverer Software (Thermo Fisher Scientific, USA), statistická analýza dat byla provedena v programovacím jazyce Python pomocí knihovny SciPy. Výsledky: Pomocí UHPLC-MS bylo v krevní plazmě identifikováno 1 049 metabolitů různých tříd. U pacientek s OC mělo 8 metabolitů významně nižší koncentraci (p < 0,01) ve srovnání se zdravými dárci, zatímco u 19 látek byly zjištěny vyšší hladiny (p < 0,01). Během metabolomického profilování vzorků moči bylo identifikováno 417 metabolitů: 12 látek mělo významně nižší koncentraci ve srovnání se zjevně zdravými jedinci a u 14 látek byly hladiny vyšší (p < 0,01). U pacientek se serózním adenokarcinomem vaječníků byla zjištěna významná změna v metabolomu krevní plazmy a moči, vyjádřená abnormálními koncentracemi lipidů a jejich derivátů, mastných kyselin a jejich derivátů, acylkarnitinů, fosfolipidů, aminokyselin a jejich derivátů, derivátů dusíkatých bází a steroidů. Mezi nejslibnější markery tohoto onemocnění přitom patří kynurenin, kyselina myristová, lysofosfatidylcholin a L-oktanoylkarnitin. Závěr: Odhalené změny v metabolomu se mohou stát základem pro zlepšení přístupů k diagnostice serózního ovariálního adenokarcinomu.
Background: The search for effective biomarkers for ovarian cancer (OC) early diagnosis is an urgent task of modern oncogynecology. Metabolic profiling by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS) provides information on the totality of all low molecular weight metabolites of patient’s biological fluids sample, reflecting the processes occurring in the body. The aim of the study was to research blood plasma and urine metabolomic profile of patients with serous ovarian adenocarcinoma by UHPLC-MS. Material and methods: To perform metabolomic analysis, 60 blood plasma samples and 60 urine samples of patients diagnosed with serous ovarian carcinoma and 20 samples of apparently healthy volunteers were taken. Chromatographic separation was performed on a Vanquish Flex UHPLC System chromatograph (Thermo Scientific, Germany). Mass spectrometric analysis was performed on an Orbitrap Exploris 480 (Thermo Scientific, Germany) equipped with an electrospray ionization source. Bioinformatic analysis was performed using Compound Discoverer Software (Thermo Fisher Scientific, USA), statistical data analysis was performed in the Python programming language using the SciPy library. Results: Using UHPLC-MS, 1,049 metabolites of various classes were identified in blood plasma. In patients with OC, 8 metabolites had a significantly lower concentration (P < 0.01) compared with conditionally healthy donors, while the content of 19 compounds, on the contrary, increased (P < 0.01). During the metabolomic profiling of urine samples, 417 metabolites were identified: 12 compounds had a significantly lower concentration compared to apparently healthy individuals, the content of 14 compounds increased (P < 0.01). In patients with ovary serous adenocarcinoma, a significant change in the metabolome of blood plasma and urine was found, expressed in abnormal concentrations of lipids and their derivatives, fatty acids and their derivatives, acylcarnitines, phospholipids, amino acids and their derivatives, derivatives of nitrogenous bases and steroids. At the same time, kynurenine, myristic acid, lysophosphatidylcholine and L-octanoylcarnitine are the most promising markers of this disease. Conclusion: The revealed changes in the metabolome can become the basis for improving approaches to the diagnosis of serous ovarian adenocarcinoma.
While the use of food additives is common manufacturing practice, the levels used in food have to be compliant with the prescribed legislation. For fast control of present levels of food additives in products, ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry with a triple quadrupole linear ion trap (QTRAP) mass analyser was applied to develop a method for the simultaneous determination of 41 frequently added food additives and flavourings, including 16 water-soluble colourants, 14 illegal dyes, 7 sweeteners, 2 preservatives, and 2 purine alkaloids. The method was validated using energy drink, chilli powder, condiment, and jelly sweets as food sample matrices. The average recovery values were in the range of 70‒120%, and the relative standard deviations were less than 10% for the majority of the analytes. The validated method was applied for the analysis of 134 samples from the Czech market.
- MeSH
- Food Analysis * methods MeSH
- Flavoring Agents analysis MeSH
- Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry MeSH
- Food Contamination * analysis MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Limit of Detection MeSH
- Beverages * analysis MeSH
- Food Additives * analysis MeSH
- Reproducibility of Results MeSH
- Tandem Mass Spectrometry methods MeSH
- Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Validation Study MeSH
- Geographicals
- Czech Republic MeSH
