Monolithic chromatography on conjoint liquid chromatography columns for speciation of platinum-based chemotherapeutics in serum of cancer patients

BackgroundMonolithic chromatography using convective interaction media (CIM) disks or columns can be used in the separation step of speciation analysis. When different monolithic disks are placed in one housing, forming conjoint liquid chromatography (CLC) monolithic column, two-dimensional separation is achieved in a single chromatographic run.MethodsHere, we assembled low-pressure (maximum 50 bar) CLC monolithic column, which consists of two 0.34 mL shallow CIM monolithic disks and high-pressure CLC column (maximum 150 bar) from 0.1 mL analytical high performance short bed CIMac monolithic disks. Both the CLC columns constructed from affinity Protein G and weak anion exchange diethylamine (DEAE) disks, were applied for the speciation of cisplatin, oxaliplatin and carboplatin in spiked standard serum proteins, spiked human serum and serum of cancer patients. The analytical performances of the CLC columns used were evaluated by comparing their robustness, selectivity, repeatability and reproducibility. The separated serum proteins were detected on-line by ultraviolet (UV) and eluted Pt species by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). For accurate quantification of the separated Pt species (unbound Pt-based chemotherapeutic from species associated to transferrin (Tf), human serum albumin (HSA) and Immunoglobulin G (IgG)), post column isotope dilution (ID)-ICP-MS was used.ResultsThe data from analyses showed that both tested CLC monolithic columns gave statistically comparable results, with the low-pressure CLC column exhibiting better resolving power and robustness. It also enables more effective cleaning of monolithic disks and to analyse larger series of serum samples than the high-pressure CLC column. Analyses of serum samples of cancer patients treated with cisplatin or carboplatin showed that Pt-chemotherapeutics were bound preferentially to HSA (around 80%). The portion of unbound Pt in general did not exceed 2%, up to 5% of Pt was associated with Tf and approximately 20% with IgG. Column recoveries, calculated as a ratio between the sum of concentrations of Pt species eluted and concentration of total Pt in serum samples, were close to 100%.ConclusionsLow-pressure CLC column exhibited greater potential than high-pressure CLC column, and can be thus recommended for its intended use in speciation analysis of metal-based biomolecules.     

Problems and progresses in speciation of Al in human serum: An overview

Aluminium (Al) is associated with many clinical disorders in renal patients. Al accumulation in brain has also been related to the neurodegenerative processes in Alzheimer’s disease. In order to better understand Al transport in the human body, it is necessary to identify and quantify chemical species in which Al is present in body fluids and tissues. Among a variety of biological samples, Al speciation was the most frequently investigated in human serum. Improvements were made in the development of analytical techniques for the determination of the amount and composition of high molecular mass Al (HMM-Al) and low molecular mass Al (LMM-Al) species in human serum. However, due to the complex chemistry of Al in serum, its low total concentration and the high risk of contamination, speciation of Al in biological samples is still a difficult task for analytical chemists. In this work, problems related to speciation of Al in human serum are critically discussed. An overview of the progress that was made by the use of different analytical procedures, in order to propose analytical protocols for reliable speciation of Al in serum at low ng mL⁻¹ concentration range, is presented.     

Chromatography on DEAE ion-exchange and Protein G affinity columns in tandem for the separation and purification of proteins.

A high-performance liquid-chromatographic method based on coupled DEAE anion-exchange and Protein G affinity columns has been developed for the simultaneous separation and purification of immunoglobulin G and albumin from mouse serum. The diluted mouse serum was injected directly into this system, and the proteins were eluted separately from the DEAE and Protein G columns, coupled in series, by the column-switching technique. The advantages of this method are that IgG and albumin can be separated and purified simultaneously, the expensive affinity column is protected from contamination by the impurities in the mouse serum, and it is fast, selective, robust, and reproducible.     

Ultrahigh pressure fast size exclusion chromatography for top‐down proteomics

Top‐down MS‐based proteomics has gained a solid growth over the past few years but still faces significant challenges in the LC separation of intact proteins. In top‐down proteomics, it is essential to separate the high mass proteins from the low mass species due to the exponential decay in S/N as a function of increasing molecular mass. SEC is a favored LC method for size‐based separation of proteins but suffers from notoriously low resolution and detrimental dilution. Herein, we reported the use of ultrahigh pressure (UHP) SEC for rapid and high‐resolution separation of intact proteins for top‐down proteomics. Fast separation of intact proteins (6–669 kDa) was achieved in < 7 min with high resolution and high efficiency. More importantly, we have shown that this UHP‐SEC provides high‐resolution separation of intact proteins using a MS‐friendly volatile solvent system, allowing the direct top‐down MS analysis of SEC‐eluted proteins without an additional desalting step. Taken together, we have demonstrated that UHP‐SEC is an attractive LC strategy for the size separation of proteins with great potential for top‐down proteomics.     

Purification from goat antiserum of immunoglobulins against G6PD from rabbits]

DEAE Affi-Gel Blue (Bio-Rad) provides an efficient and rapid fractionation of human serum proteins by a single chromatographic step. When goat serum is applied to the matrix and chromatography is performed following the procedure utilized for the human serum proteins, the elution pattern changes and the Ig purification is not satisfactory. We achieved a better Ig purification from goat serum by the following improved procedure. We performed first an AS-40 fractionation followed by extensive dialysis in 50 mM Na-citrate pH 5.7. The sample was then loaded onto a P11 column equilibrated in the same buffer. The fraction eluted at Vo contained total IgG and the other serum proteins, except beta-globulins which were eluted with 0.24 M phosphate. Peak 1 concentrated and dialyzed in 20 mM phosphate buffer pH 8 was then applied to a DEAE Affi-Gel Blue column, equilibrated in the same buffer. Two protein peaks were eluted from this column and electrophoretically characterized as: peak 1, containing a pure Ig fraction (70% yield), peak 2 with albumin and other contaminating serum proteins. When goat antiserum is obtained against a specific protein, our technique may be suitably employed to purify polyclonal antibodies for immunoprecipitation studies.     

Arsenic speciation in human urine reference materials using high-performance liquid chromatography with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometric detection.

Six arsenic compounds including arsenocholine, arsenobetaine, dimethylarsinic acid, methylarsonic acid, arsenous acid and arsenic acid were separated by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) on a Hamilton PRP-X100 anion-exchange column using isocratic elution and detected by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). This analytical procedure was applied to the speciation of arsenic compounds in human urine. The influence of urine matrix on the separation of arsenic compounds was evaluated and the determination of arsenic compounds was not hampered by the ArCl interference which has often been encountered in ICP-MS. Three human urine reference materials, SRM 2670 normal level, SRM 2670 elevated level and Lyphocheck urine metal control 1, were analyzed with respect to arsenic compounds by HPLC-ICP-MS. The results were found to be in good agreement with the certified total arsenic concentration in the reference materials. Six arsenic compounds were detected. Arsenobetaine was found to be present in all of the investigated human urine reference materials.     

Content of trace elements and chromium speciation in Neem powder and tea infusions

Total concentrations of selected trace elements in Neem powder and in Neem tea were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The data revealed that despite high total concentrations of the potentially toxic elements Al and Ni in Neem powder, their amounts dissolved in Neem tea were low. Total concentrations of the other toxic elements Pb, As and Cd were also very low and do not represent a health hazard. In contrast, total concentrations of the essential elements Fe, Cu, Zn, Se Mo and Cr in Neem powder were high and also considerable in Neem tea. Consuming one cup of Neem tea (2 g per 200 mL of water) covers the recommended daily intakes for Cr and Se and represents an important source of Mo and Cu.Speciation analysis of Cr by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled to ICP-MS with the use of enriched Cr isotopic tracers to follow species interconversions during the analytical procedure demonstrated that toxic Cr(VI) was not present either in Neem powder or in Neem tea. Its concentrations were below the limits of detection of the HPLC–ICP-MS procedure applied. The speciation analysis data confirmed that even Cr(VI) was added, it was rapidly reduced by the presence of antioxidants in Neem leaves. By the use of enriched Cr isotopic spike solutions it was also demonstrated that for obtaining reliable analytical data it is essential to apply the extraction procedures which prevent Cr species interconversions, or to correct for species transformation.     

Aluminium in tea: SEC-ICP-MS speciation studies of infusions and simulated gastrointestinal digests

Abstract

The speciation of aluminium in tea infusions and in vitro gastrointestinal digests of tea infusions has been investigated using size exclusion chromatography coupled to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (SEC-ICP-MS). At pH 2.5, following simulated gastric treatment, Al from tea eluted at a similar retention volume to that obtained for an aqueous Al standard. At pH 5.5, an aqueous Al standard was eluted from an SEC column in Tris buffer (Al recovery ≈ 100%) only in the presence of a complexing agent (NaF), and at a retention volume corresponding to a molecular mass greater than that expected for an ionic species. Aluminium associated with a tea infusion eluted in two fractions: a higher molecular weight fraction corresponding to Al strongly bound to ligands in the tea, and a lower molecular weight fraction probably comprised of labile Al eluting as Al-F complexes. Simulated gastrointestinal digestion produced three Al-bearing fractions, of which the two at higher molecular mass represented ligand-bound Al. The molarity of the Tris buffer strongly influenced the retention volume of the Al fractions, particularly for the ligand-bound Al. After simulated gastrointestinal digestion, the soluble labile fraction (15% of the Al from the tea infusion) was considered to be potentially available for absorption. The actual proportion of the fraction that might be absorbed would depend upon a number of physiological and nutritional factors.     

Purification of the glial fibrillary acidic protein by anion-exchange chromatography

A procedure for the isolation of assembly-competent glial fibrillary acidic (GFA) protein from 2 m urea extracts of bovine spinal cord by anion-exchange chromatography is reported. The tissue was previously extracted with low-ionic-strength buffer. The procedure allowed the separation of nondegraded GFA protein from GFA protein comprising degraded species. As previously reported for neurofilament preparations obtained from porcine spinal cord (N. Geisler and K. Weber, J. Mol. Biol., 151, 565–571 (1981)), the procedure also allowed the simultaneous separation of the three neurofilament polypeptides (200,000; 150,000; and 70,000 daltons) contained in the 2 m urea extract. Brain filament proteins sequentially eluted at increasing salt concentration (25–200 mm NaCl) according to their isoelectric point. Proteins with higher pI eluted first. Tubulin eluted between the 200,000- and 150,000-dalton neurofilament polypeptides.     

Sample preparation strategies for quantitative analysis of catalase in red blood cells by elemental mass spectrometry

A sample preparation strategy for the determination of the Fe-containing enzyme catalase (CAT) by Fe specific monitoring in human erythrocytes has been optimized. For this purpose, the combined use of elemental mass spectrometry (via inductively coupled plasma, ICP-MS), molecular mass spectrometry (via MALDI-TOF) and enzymatic activity measurements has been required. The procedure involved haemoglobin precipitation from cell lysate with a solution of ethanol-chloroform and preconcentration of the supernatant by using a Speed-Vac concentrator. Catalase recoveries of about 88 ± 15% could be measured by monitoring the protein enzymatic activity before and after precipitation. Further fractionation of Fe-containing proteins from the preconcentrated extract was achieved by size exclusion chromatography (Superdex 200) with a mobile phase of ammonium acetate (0.05 M, pH 7.4) coupled to ICP-MS (Fe monitoring) and UV/VIS detection (specific absorption of the heme-group at 408 nm). A second dimensional chromatography of the CAT-positive activity fraction was carried out by anion-exchange chromatography (Mono Q 5/50) using for elution a linear gradient of ammonium acetate (0-0.750 M in 15 min). This second step revealed a single Fe-containing species in the chromatogram and permitted the unambiguous characterization of the CAT in such fractions by MALDI-TOF. Column recoveries were evaluated and were quantitative, in terms of Fe bound to protein and CAT activity.     

Behaviour of vanadate and vanadium-transferrin complex on different anion-exchange columns. Application to in vivo 48V-labelled rat serum

The behaviour of free [48V]vanadate and [48V]vanadium-transferrin complex was investigated on five different anion-exchange columns (Mono Q 5/5 HR, Hitrap Q HP, Sepharose Q FF, Sepharose DEAE FF and Hitrap Q XL). The recovery of both V-compounds was quantitative. The peak shape and retention time of vanadate varied according to the type of column. The vanadium-transferrin complex also showed different elution patterns depending on the type of column. Especially in case of the Sepharose Q FF, Mono Q 5/5 HR and Hitrap Q XL columns the vanadium-transferrin binding was degraded during elution on the column. The results clearly prove that care should be taken as to the choice of column for speciation purposes of vanadium compounds in order to prevent various artefacts showing up in the chromatograms. A Hitrap Q HP column was used to fractionate different vanadium compounds in rat serum.     

Preparative elution of proteins from nitrocellulose membranes after separation by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis

Various conditions were analyzed and optimized for the preparative elution of proteins from nitrocellulose membranes after transfer from sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gels. The efficiency of elution was best using pyridine or acetonitrile elution solvents, intermediate for buffer containing a mixture of sodium dodecyl sulfate, Triton X-100, and sodium deoxycholate, and negligible for buffers containing any single detergent or chaotropic salt, such as urea or guanidine hydrochloride. The efficiency of elution with any solvent also depended on the molecular weight of the proteins, smaller proteins being more easily removed from membranes. As a general procedure, proteins may be eluted from nitrocellulose membranes by incubation with either 40% acetonitrile or 50% pyridine in 0.1 M ammonium acetate, pH 8.9, for 1-3 h at 5-37 degrees C. The recommended procedures for protein elution appear to offer a rapid, simple, and efficient means of recovering proteins from complex mixtures after separation by SDS-PAGE and transfer to nitrocellulose membranes.     

Distribution of elements binding to molecules with different molecular weights in aqueous extract of Antarctic krill by size-exclusion chromatography coupled with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

The distribution of silver, arsenic, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, iron, manganese, nickel, lead, selenium and zinc binding to species with different molecular weight in aqueous extract of krill was studied by on-line size-exclusion chromatography (SEC)/inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The extract was fractionated in three fractions with different molecular weight (MW) ranges (>20,000 relative molecular mass (rel. mol. mass), 2000-20,000 rel. mol. mass and <2000 rel. mol. mass), which were further analyzed by SEC with columns having different optimum fractionation ranges in order to obtain more detailed information about the MW distribution of the elements. Various distribution profiles for the target elements among different MW ranges were observed. The results obtained indicated that manganese, zinc, silver, cadmium and lead species were mostly distributed in the higher MW range (>20,000 rel. mol. mass). In the case of chromium, iron, cobalt, arsenic and selenium, most of them bind to species with lower MW (<2000 rel. mol. mass). Only copper and nickel species was predominantly present in middle MW range (2000-20,000 rel. mol. mass). Further speciation of arsenic compounds in the small MW fraction was carried out with anion exchange chromatography (AEC) coupled with ICP-MS. The results showed that the dominant arsenic species in this fraction is As(III) (63% of extractable arsenic), while As(V) (13%) and two unknown arsenic species (19% and 5%, respectively) are present in lower amounts.     

Analysis of the free nucleotide pools of mammalian tissues by high-pressure liquid chromatography

Perchloric acid extracts of tissues were neutralized with tri-N-octylamine and, after removal of ClO₄^?, subjected to preliminary purification on a Cu²⁺-loaded column of Chelex 100. A high-pressure liquid chromatographic (HPLC) anion-exchange procedure was developed and gave good resolution of the naturally occurring free nucleotides on a single column. Where heterogeneous peaks eluted, an effective supplementary analysis was achieved by reverse-phase HPLC. An HPLC paired-ion technique was also evaluated for use in nucleotide analysis. Although anion-exchange was best for overall separation of nucleotides, both reverse-phase and paired-ion chromatography gave excellent separation of cyclic nucleotides. Reduced pyridine nucleotides were detected and measured in the form of their acid-decomposition products. The recovery of nucleotides was examined throughout the described analytical techniques and shown to be quantitative.     

Isolation of alpha-connectin, an elastic protein, from rabbit skeletal muscle

alpha-Connectin (also called titin 1) has been isolated from rabbit back muscle. Myofibrils were well washed with 5 mM NaHCO3 and then extracted with 0.2 M sodium phosphate, pH 7.0. The extract was dialyzed against 0.1 M potassium phosphate, pH 7.0, to sediment myosin. The supernatant, adjusted to 0.18 M potassium phosphate, pH 7.0, and 4 M urea, was subjected to DEAE Toyopearl column chromatography. beta-Connectin was eluted in the flow-through fraction and alpha-connectin was eluted at around 0.1 M NaCl, when a 0 to 0.25 M NaCl gradient was applied. The separated alpha-connectin was dialyzed against 0.2 M potassium phosphate, pH 7.0. The resultant alpha-connectin showed the same mobility as that in an SDS extract of rabbit back muscle on SDS gel electrophoresis using 1.8% polyacrylamide gels. A monoclonal antibody against chicken breast muscle beta-connectin reacted with the alpha-connectin isolated from rabbit back muscle.     

Purification of a delayed hypersensitivity-inducing protein from Listeria monocytogenes

Abstract Cell-envelope fragments were prepared from Listeria monocytogenes L242, serotype 4b. Delayed hypersensitivity (DH)-inducing proteins were extracted with deoxycholate and separated into two fractions by filtration through a Sephacryl S-200 column equilibrated with deoxycholate buffer. The second peak eluting from the Sephacryl column was fractionated using ion exchange chromatography on a DEAE Sepharose CL-6B column in the presence of 6 M urea. A purified 20 400-Da protein which induced DH against L. monocytogenes was obtained by isocratic elution. Three other DH-inducing fractions containing several protein bands were eluted by a gradient of potassium thiocyanate (KSCN) in urea buffer. Our results indicate that denaturing conditions can be employed for the fractionation and purification of DH inducing proteins from L. monocytogenes . In addition, it is suggested that the procedure described might also be useful for the purification of other antigens involved in cellular immune reactions.     

Measurement of resiniferatoxin in serum samples by high-performance liquid chromatography

A novel and simple method of extraction, separation, identification and quantification of resiniferatoxin (RTX) in serum samples is reported. Human serum and whole blood were treated with acetonitrile to denature proteins, such as orosomucoid, and the soluble fraction was passed through a reversed-phase C18 cartridge. RTX eluted from the cartridge was quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using a reversed-phase C18 column. Reproducible recovery of RTX and tinyatoxin, an internal standard, from serum was achieved. Isocratic elution with 62% acetonitrile provided a suitable retention time without interfering peaks eluting near the analyte. Therefore, the procedure described provides a useful assay for determination of serum RTX pharmacokinetic parameters.     

Direct recovery of glutathione S-transferase by expanded bed adsorption: anion exchange as an alternative to metal affinity fusions

The use of expanded beds of ion-exchange adsorbents for the direct recovery of a recombinant intracellular protein, glutathione S-transferase (GST), from unclarified Escherichia coli homogenates is described. The results form the basis for a comparison between this approach for purifying GST and a chelating fusion strategy and highlight the need to consider the additional costs entailed by these more-complicated approaches. The separation performance was investigated with respect to choice of anion or cation exchanger, adsorption pH, load volume, sample preparation, and stepwise elution protocol. Anion exchange was found to be more appropriate than cation exchange, as the low pHs involved in the latter caused a loss of activity. The optimal pH for adsorption was found to be 9 with a dynamic capacity from clarified homogenate in packed mode of 112 U mL(-1) (11.2 mg GST mL(-1)). As increasing volumes of unclarified homogenate were applied to the expanded bed, the yield of GST in the eluate decreased, and the purification factor was found to increase and then decrease. This was due to the displacement of weakly bound proteins by GST and then its displacement by even more strongly binding proteins. The dynamic capacity of the anion exchanger, STREAMLINE DEAE, from unclarified homogenate in expanded mode decreased slightly to 85 U mL(-1) (8.5 mg GST mL(-1)). The elution protocol for GST from the anion exchanger was then adjusted to try to maximize the degree of purification. Anion exchange expanded bed adsorption of GST from unclarified E. coli homogenate gave an eluted yield of 95.7% and 1.64-fold purification. Interestingly, a decrease in the expression level of GST in the feedstream from 23 down to 13% caused a decrease in the dynamic capacity from 85 to 14.5 U mL(-1) whereas the degree of purification remained similar.     

Partial purification and characterization of phenobarbital-induced house fly cytochrome P-450

Two forms of phenobarbital-induced cytochrome P-450 were partially purified from the Rutgers diazinon-resistant strain of house fly using cholate solubilization, polyethylene glycol 6000 precipitation, and chromatography on DEAE cellulose. The preparation of highest purity had an absorbance maximum of 452 nm, a specific content of 10.0 nmol/mg protein, and an apparent molecular weight of 60,000 when examined by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide electrophoresis. The yield of the highly purified cytochrome P-450 was 2–3%. This form contained proportionately less cytochrome P-420 than the original cholate solubilized microsomes, and is thus apparently more stable. A second form of cytochrome P-450 having a specific content of 0.50–0.89 nmol/mg protein was eluted from DEAE cellulose with a 0-0.25 M salt gradient. This is consistent with a previously reported elution pattern for Emulgen 913-solubilized house fly microsomes. Several methods of solubilizing house fly microsomes were examined. High salt, 2M KCI, in the absence of detergents effectively solubilized cytochrome P-450 (50–70% recovery) with little or no conversion to cytochrome P-(420).     

Mapping the membrane proteome of Corynebacterium glutamicum

In order to avoid the specific problems with intrinsic membrane proteins in proteome analysis, a new procedure was developed which is superior to the classical two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2-D PAGE) method in terms of intrinsic membrane proteins. For analysis of the membrane proteome from Corynebacterium glutamicum, we replaced the first separation dimension, i.e., the isoelectric focusing step, by anion-exchange chromatography, followed by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-PAGE in the second separation dimension. Enrichment of the membrane intrinsic subproteome was achieved by washing with 2.5 M NaBr which removed more than 35% of the membrane-associated soluble proteins. For the extraction and solubilization of membrane proteins, the detergent amidosulfobetaine 14 (ASB-14) was most efficient in a detailed screening procedure and proved also suitable for chromatography. 356 gel bands were spotted, and out of 170 different identified proteins, 50 were membrane-integral. Membrane proteins with one up to 13 transmembrane helices were found. Careful analysis revealed that this new procedure covers proteins from a wide pI range (3.7-10.6) and a wide mass range of 10-120 kDa. About 50% of the identified membrane proteins belong to various functional categories like energy metabolism, transport, signal transduction, protein translocation, and proteolysis while for the others a function is not yet known, indicating the potential of the developed method for elucidation of membrane proteomes in general.