A microassay-based procedure for measuring low levels of toxic organophosphorus compounds through acetylcholinesterase inhibition

Using a microtiter plate spectrophotometric system, an assay procedure was developed for the following toxic organophosphorus compounds: 1,2,2-trimethylpropyl ester of methylphosphonofluoridic acid (1, soman); ethyl N,N-dimethylphosphoramidocyanidate (3, tabun); O-ethyl S-[2-[bis(1-methylethyl)amino]ethyl]- methylphosphonothiolate (4, VX); the diethyl 4-nitrophenyl ester of phosphoric acid (5, paraoxon); and bis(1-methylethyl) phosphorofluoridate (6, DFP). The procedure, based on the Ellman assay method, uses inhibition of eel acetylcholinesterase (0.01 unit per well) to carry out the determination of inhibitor concentrations for both a standard curve and the unknown samples on a single 96-well microtiter plate. On a typical plate, samples of both unknowns and standards (a minimum of six concentrations were used per standard curve) were assayed five times per sample, with three control (uninhibited) enzyme activity points included for each sample. The time required for carrying out a single plate was approx 30 min. Sensitivity for the most potent acetylcholinesterase inhibitor tested was 0.4 nM under the conditions used for a typical assay. It should be noted, however, that no attempt was made to optimize the assay procedure for sensitivity.     

Use of nile red for the rapid in situ quantitation of lipids on thin-layer chromatograms

We describe the use of the fluorescent dye nile red, 9-diethylamino-5H-benzo[alpha]phenoxazine-5-one, as a general-purpose reagent for the rapid detection and quantitation of a wide variety of lipids and other hydrophobic compounds separated by thin-layer chromatography. After samples are applied to silica gel plates and chromatographed, the plate is briefly dipped into a nile red solution (8 micrograms/ml of methanol-water 80:20, v/v). Background fluorescence of nile red dye adsorbed to the silica gel is then preferentially destroyed by dipping the plate in a dilute aqueous solution of bleach. After drying, lipid bands are visualized under ultraviolet light. Reflectance fluorometry (Ex: 580 nm; Em: 640 nm) is utilized for in situ quantitative analysis of the fluorescence of the lipids on the nile red-stained plate. Neutral lipids, phospholipids, sphingolipids, and fatty acids can be examined, although the nile red fluorescence intensity varies significantly among the lipid classes. Also, staining is stronger for unsaturated lipids than for saturated lipids. The lower detection limit of the assay is 25-100 ng for cholesterol, cholesteryl esters, triacylglycerols, and phospholipids.     

Comparative study of controlled pore glass, silica gel and poraver for the immobilization of urease to determine urea in a flow injection conductimetric biosensor system

This study compared the responses of three enzyme reactors containing urease immobilized on three types of solid support, controlled pore glass (CPG), silica gel and Poraver. The evaluation of each enzyme reactor column was done in a flow injection conductimetric system. When urea in the sample solution passed though the enzyme reactor, urease catalysed the hydrolysis of urea into charged products. A lab-built conductivity meter was used to measure the increase in conductivity of the solution. The responses of the enzyme reactor column with urease immobilized on CPG and silica gel were similar and were much higher than that of Poraver. Both CPG and silica gel reactor columns gave the same limit of detection, 0.5 mM, and the response was still linear up to 150mM. The analysis time was 4-5 min per sample. The enzyme reactor column with urease immobilized on CPG gave a slightly better sensitivity, 4% higher than the reactor with silica gel. The life time of the immobilized urease on CPG and silica gel were more than 310h operation time (used intermittently over 7 months). Good agreement was obtained when urea concentrations of human serum samples determined by the flow injection conductimetric biosensor system was compared to the conventional methods (Fearon and Berthelot reactions). These were statistically shown using the regression line and Wilcoxon signed rank tests. The results showed that the reactor with urease immobilized on silica gel had the same efficiency as the reactor with urease immobilized on CPG.     

Development of sensors for direct detection of organophosphates. Part I: Immobilization, characterization and stabilization of acetylcholinesterase and organophosphate hydrolase on silica supports

Biosensors for organophosphates in solution may be constructed by monitoring the activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) or organophosphate hydrolase (OPH) immobilized to a variety of microsensor platforms. The area available for enzyme immobilization is small (< 1 mm2) for microsensors. In order to construct microsensors with increased surface area for enzyme immobilization, we used a sol-gel process to create highly porous and stable silica matrices. Surface porosity of sol-gel coated surfaces was characterized using scanning electron microscopy; pore structure was found to be very similar to that of commercially available porous silica supports. Based upon this analysis, porous and non-porous silica beads were used as model substrates of sol-gel coated and uncoated sensor surfaces. Two different covalent chemistries were used to immobilize AChE and OPH to these porous and non-porous silica beads. The first chemistry used amine-silanization of silica followed by enzyme attachment using the homobifunctional linker glutaraldehyde. The second chemistry used sulfhydryl-silanization followed by enzyme attachment using the heterobifunctional linker N-gamma-maleimidobutyryloxy succinimide ester (GMBS). Surfaces were characterized in terms of total enzyme immobilized, total and specific enzyme activity, and long term stability of enzyme activity. Amine derivitization followed by glutaraldehyde linking yielded supports with greater amounts of immobilized enzyme and activity. Use of porous supports not only yielded greater amounts of immobilized enzyme and activity, but also significantly improved long term stability of enzyme activity. Enzyme was also immobilized to sol-gel coated glass slides. The mass of immobilized enzyme increased linearly with thickness of coating. However, immobilized enzyme activity saturated at a porous silica thickness of approximately 800 nm.     

Active-site determinations on forms of mammalian brain and eel acetylcholinesterase.

Three forms of brain acetylcholinesterase were purified from bovine caudate-nucleus tissue and determined by calibrated gel filtration to have mol.wts. of approx. 120 000 (C), 230 000 (B) and 330 000 (A). [3H]Di-isopropyl phosphorofluoridate (isopropyl moiety labelled) was purified from commercial preparations and its concentration estimated by an enzyme-titration procedure. Brain acetylcholinesterase preparations and enzyme from eel electric tissue were allowed to react with [3H]di-isopropyl phosphorofluridate in phosphate buffer until enzyme activity was inhibited by 98%. Excess of [3H]di-isopropyl phosphorofluoridate that had not reacted was separated from the labelled enzyme protein by gel filtration, or by vacuum filtration or by extensive dialysis. The specificity of active-site labelling was confirmed by use of the enzyme reactivator, pyridine 2-aldoxime. The forms of brain acetylcholinesterase were calculted to contain approximately two (C) four (B) and six (A) active sites per molecule respectively. Acetylcholinesterase (mol.wt. 250 000) from electric-eel tissue was estimated to contain two active sites per molecule. Gradient-gel electrophoresis was used to confirm the estimation of molecular weights of brain acetylcholinesterase forms made by gel filtration. Under the conditions of electrophoresis acetylcholinesterase form A was stable, but form B was converted into a species of approx. 120 000 mol. wt. Similarly, form C of the brain enzyme was converted into a 60 000-mol.wt. form during electrophoresis. These results are in general accord with the suggestion that the multiple forms of brain acetylcholinesterase may be related to the aggregation of a single low-molecular-weight species.     

Fluorinated aldehydes and ketones acting as quasi-substrate inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase.

1. The inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (acetylcholine hydrolase, EC 3.1.1.7) by compounds containing trifluoromethyl-carbonyl groups was investigated and related to the effects observed with structurally similar, non-fluorinated chemicals. 2. Compounds that in aqueous solution readily form hydrates inhibit acetylcholinesterase in a time-dependent process. On the other hand non-hydrated, carbonyl-containing compounds showed rapid and reversible, time-independent enzyme inactivation when assayed under steady state conditions. 3. m-N,N,N-Trimethylammonium-acetophenone acts as a rapid and reversible, time-independent, linear competitive inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase (Ki = 5.0 . 10(-7) M). 4. The most potent enzyme inhibitor tested in this series was N,N,N,-trimethylammonium-m-trifluoroacetophenone. It gives time-dependent inhibition and the concentration which inactivates eel acetylcholinesterase to 50% of the original activity after 30 min exposure is 1.3 . 10(-8) M. The bimolecular rate constant for this reaction is 1.8 . 10(6) 1 . mol-1 . min-1. The enzyme-inhibitor complex is very stable as the inhibited enzyme after 8 days of dialysis is reactivated to 20% only. This compound represents a quasi-substrate inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase.     

Determination of inhibitors’ potency (IC50) by a direct high-performance liquid chromatographic method on an immobilised acetylcholinesterase column

An immobilised acetylcholinesterase (AChE) stationary phase was prepared by using an in situ AChE immobilisation procedure. A stainless steel column packed with epoxide silica was connected to the HPLC system and the enzyme solution at pH 5.8 was recycled through the column at a flow-rate of 0.5 ml/min for 24 h. The activity of the immobilised AChE was determined by injecting the substrate acetylthiocholine, using as mobile phase 0.1 M phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) containing Ellman’s reagent [5,5′-dithio-bis(2-nitrobenzoic acid)] and measuring the area of the obtained peak with UV detection at 412 nm. The effect of AChE inhibitors tacrine, edrophonium and donepezil were evaluated by the simultaneous injection of each inhibitor with the substrate. The resulting decrease in the AChE activity, as expressed by the decrease of the peak area detected at 412 nm, was related to the concentration and potency of the solutes. The obtained IC₅₀ values were compared with those derived by the conventional spectrophotometric method. This immobilized enzyme reactor, included in a chromatographic system, can be used for the rapid screening for new inhibitors allowing for the on-line determination of a compound’s inhibitory potency. The advantages over the conventional methods are the increased enzyme stability and system automation which allows a large number of compounds to be analysed continuously.     

Microtiter assay for acetylcholinesterase

A microtiter plate adaptation of the classical Ellman colorimetric procedure for measurement of acetylcholinesterase activity is described. This method permits use of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay plate reader for rapid analysis of multiple samples and is particularly suitable for analysis of acetylcholinesterase activity on sucrose gradients. The novel procedure is rapid and sensitive and does not require use of radioactive material.     

Acetylcholinesterase from fetal bovine serum. Purification and characterization of soluble G4 enzyme

Acetylcholinesterase (EC 3.1.1.7) from fetal bovine serum (FBS) was purified to electrophoretic homogeneity. The procedure involved procainamide affinity chromatography with native FBS, followed by chromatography on Sepharose 6B and DEAE-Sephadex. The acetylcholinesterase was purified approximately 44,000-fold, and 13 mg was obtained corresponding to an overall yield of about 45%. The purified acetylcholinesterase was stable at 4 degrees C for at least 8 weeks but was labile to freezing; however, in 50% glycerol the enzyme was stable at -20 degrees C for at least 12 weeks. FBS acetylcholinesterase exhibited typical substrate inhibition, had a Km of 120 microM, and a turnover number of 5300 s-1 with the substrate acetylthiocholine. The enzyme was highly sensitive to the specific acetylcholinesterase inhibitor 1,5-bis(4-allyldimethylammoniumphenyl)pentan-3-one. FBS acetylcholinesterase was characterized as a G4 form of acetylcholinesterase and was distinguished from bovine erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase on the basis of lectin gel binding, [3H] Triton X-100 binding, amino acid composition, number of catalytic subunits/molecule, and hydrodynamic properties. FBS acetylcholinesterase had a Stokes radius of 76 A as judged by gel filtration, and from this a molecular weight of 340,000 daltons was calculated. The enzyme had a subunit weight of approximately 83,000 daltons by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis; paraoxon titration indicated a relative active site mass of 75,000 daltons. The amino acid composition of FBS acetylcholinesterase was similar to the human erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase (Rosenberry, T. L., and Scoggin, D. M. (1984) J. Biol. Chem. 259, 5643-5652). A monoclonal antibody directed against human erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase, AE-2, (Fambrough, D. M., Engel, A. G., and Rosenberry, T. L. (1982) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 79, 1078-1082) cross-reacted with FBS acetylcholinesterase.     

Use of a 96-well microplate reader for measuring routine enzyme activities

A method is described for the routine determination of the rate of colorimetric enzyme reactions using a 96-well microtiter plate reader commonly used in immunoassay. This approach is illustrated by monitoring esterase activity using three common products: release of thiol, release of ethanol, and release of p-nitrophenylate ion. Examples include monitorings of the rate of hydrolysis of acetylthiocholine iodide by eel acetylcholinesterase and the rate of hydrolysis of malathion and nonconventional esters such as O-methyl, O-ethyl, and O-isobutyl carbonates of p-nitrophenol by commercial porcine liver carboxylesterase. Data obtained from the plate reader were compared to those obtained, under similar conditions, in a conventional spectrophotometer. Absorbance measurements made in both machines on the same solution, as well as absorbance changes measured over time, were similar. The use of the 96-well plate format tremendously increased the number of enzyme assays carried out per person and the interface with a personal computer allowed rapid manipulation of the absorbance values to calculate the desired rate data. This approach should be generally applicable to many routine colorimetric assays in the research laboratory.     

Immunoquantitation of human placental alkaline phosphatase using radial immunodiffusion.

A simple procedure is described for immunoquantitation of human placental alkaline phosphatase by radial immunodiffusion. Agarose gels in petri dishes were overlayed with diluted antiserum, and, after equilibration of the antibody with the gel, the overlay was poured off and the gel was used for quantitation of enzyme protein using a specific stain to amplify visualization. The method has a variation of 0–8.5% for triplicate determinations on a single plate, with a mean of 2.6%. Variations between plates were 0–13%, with a mean of 4.2%. By including Triton X-100 detergent in the overlay solution, it was possible to quantitate the amount of enzyme in membrane preparations from placentae and cancer fluids: A 1000-fold range of antiserum and enzyme dilutions was tested; over this range, only a 2–3 × deviation from the expected ring size was found. As little as 5 ng of enzyme protein could be measured by this technique.     

Semi disposable reactor biosensors for detecting carbamate pesticides in water

Two flow-injection biosensor systems using semi disposable enzyme reactor have been developed to determine carbamate pesticides in water samples. Acetylcholinesterase was immobilized on silica gel by covalent binding. pH and conductivity electrodes were used to detect the ionic change of the sample solution due to hydrolysis of acetylcholine. Carbamate pesticides inhibited acetylcholinesterase and the decrease in the enzyme activity was used to determine these pesticides. Parameters influencing the performance of the systems were optimized to be used in the inhibition procedure. Carbofuran and carbaryl were used to test these systems. Detection limits for the potentiometric and conductimetric systems were both at 10% inhibition corresponding to 0.02 and 0.3 ppm of carbofuran and carbaryl, respectively. Both systems also provided the same linear ranges, 0.02-8.0 ppm for carbofuran, and 0.3-10 ppm for carbaryl. The analysis of pesticides was done a few times before the reactor was disposed. Percentages of inhibition obtained from different reactors were reproducible, therefore, no recalibration was necessary when changing the reactor. The biosensors were used to analyze carbaryl in water samples from six wells in a vegetable growing area. Both systems could detect the presence of carbaryl in the samples and provided good recoveries of the added carbaryl, i.e., 80-106% for the potentiometric system and 75-105% for the conductimetric system. The presence of carbaryl in water samples analyzed by the biosensors was confirmed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometric system. These biosensors do not require any sample preconcentration and are suitable for detecting pesticides in real water samples.     

Thin-layer Chromatography of Triose Reductone and its Relative Compounds

Application of thin-layer chromatographic techniques to the analysis and preparation of triose reductone from naturally occuring reductone compounds has become an important tool in reductone chemistry. A satisfactory method for the separation of triose reductone and related compounds by thin-layer chromatography, using silica gel plate and various solvents as developer, is described. Seven reductones were separated from each other by two-dimensional chromatography.     

A rapid and sensitive method for the determination of the lithogenic index of bile by thin-layer chromatography and densitometry using a dual-wavelength chromatoscanner

A rapid and sensitive method for quantitative determination of three bile lipid components, cholesterol, bile acids, and lecithin, is described. These components were separated by thin-layer chromatography on a silica gel plate, spots were visualized with a phosphomolybdate reagent, and their color intensities were estimated by direct densitometry using a dualwavelength chromatoscanner. The lithogenic index was estimated by the molar ratio of the three lipids. This method can be applied to the routine analysis of bile in patients with gallstones. It has been evaluated by comparison with the method using standard gas-liquid chromatography and spectrophotometry.     

Silver stain for detecting 10-femtogram quantities of protein after polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis

A rapid and highly sensitive silver stain and color stain were developed for visualizing proteins. The procedure is simple and the bands were clear. This silver stain detects 100 pg quantities of proteins. In order to stain quickly, sensitively, and sharply a protein matrix in a gel, the repeated shrinkage and swelling gel was developed with a hyper- and hypotonic solution to remove the sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) from SDS-protein complex and to generate influx of staining solution into the gel. We have found that the silver staining method with the repeated exposure to hyper- and hypotonic solution and a narrow well produced 10 fg order of proteins.     

Subunit heterogeneity of acetylcholinesterase

Several different preparations of purified 11 S acetylcholinesterase have been examined for structural heterogeneity. While no contaminant protein was observed in any of the preparations, minor isozymic forms with catalytic activity were observed in addition to the major component both in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and in isoelectric focusing. Major differences in the relative composition of the disulfide-reduced polypeptides among the preparations were found by gel electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulfate. Several characteristics of these differences strongly suggest that they derive from a proteolytic fragmentation of a single subunit species. In particular, the apparent fragmentation in the crude enzyme solution is inhibited by benzethonium chloride, an inhibitor of proteolysis which also prevents the conversion of 18, 14, and 8 S acetylcholinesterase species to the 11 S form in fresh electric tissue extracts. No significant differences in the enzyme specific activity are observed among the preparations, an observation which indicates that fully active native enzyme molecules are composed of subunits which are heterogeneous with respect to discrete points of polypeptide cleavage.     

Comparison of air-drying methods for evaluating the desiccation tolerance of liquid culture-produced blastospores of Paecilomyces fumosoroseus

Various drying methods were tested to identify a standard procedure for evaluating the desiccation tolerance of liquid culture-produced blastospores of Paecilomyces fumosoroseus. Since our work is focused on optimizing fermentation conditions for the production of P. fumosoroseus, the criteria for selecting a drying method included ease of use, moderate spore survival after drying and limited variation in spore survival. Three air-drying methods were tested: P. fumosoroseus blastospores mixed with silica gel, with sand, or with diatomaceous earth. Humidity controlled drying was used in the diatomaceous earth drying method. Blastospore survivals after drying were 19% (C.V. range, 32 to 45%), 82% (C.V. range, 26 to 43%), and 2% (C.V. range 32 to 50%) for the silica gel, sand, and diatomaceous earth methods, respectively. Blastospores dried using the silica gel and sand methods had been rinsed in 0.7 m polyethylene glycol before drying and rehydrated in the same solution for determination of survival. The variation observed within each method was similar. The silica gel drying method was selected as most appropriate for our studies based on moderate blastospore survival (19%) and ease of use.     

The treatment of chlorophenols with laccase immobilized on sol–gel-derived silica

Laccase, a so-called “blue-copper” oxidase, is able to oxidize a variety of organic compounds. Sol–gel derived silica glasses are frequently adopted as an immobilization method to improve the stability of enzymes and make them reusable. In this study, immobilization conditions were optimized to achieve improved embedding results. The thermal stability, reaction stability and storage stability were improved with the immobilized enzyme when compared to the free enzyme. 2,4-Dichlorophenol (DCP) and 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (TCP) were chosen as model compounds. The treatment of chlorophenols (CPs) by immobilized laccase demonstrated excellent removal and response stability. The affinity of TCP for immobilized laccase was higher than that of DCP. This finding leads to different removal efficiencies under variable conditions (reaction time, initial concentration, dosage of immobilized laccase and removal rate in mixed solution). By fitting the experimental data with the diffusion model of the degradation process, the degradation of CPs by immobilized laccase matches an intraparticle diffusion-controlled model.     

Separation of dolichol from dehydrodolichol by a simple two-plate thin-layer chromatography.

A novel thin-layer chromatographic procedure was devised to separate dolichol and dehydrodolichol from each other with the concomitant separation of each family with respect to the carbon chain length. This method involves development of the polyprenols successively on two different plates, a silica gel plate and a reversed-phase plate.     

Molecular forms of acetylcholinesterase present in the white and grey matter of pig brain

Extraction of the white matter of pig brain with EDTA, lysolecithin or Triton X-100 gave poor yields of soluble acetylcholinesterase although these agents had proved effective at solubilizing the enzyme in the grey matter. This finding, together with the observation that the strong detergent sodium deoxycholate, was needed to solubilize the enzyme, shows that it is more difficult to remove acetylcholinesterase from the white matter of brain than from the grey. This could mean that the enzyme in the white matter is more firmly bound to the membrane than the enzyme in the grey matter.The difference in binding of the enzyme from the two regions of the brain is also reflected in the affinity chromatography experiments which showed a lower recovery for the acetylcholinesterase of white matter compared with the enzyme from grey matter.Starch-block electrophoresis of acetylcholinesterase showed a single negatively charged peak of activity for both the naturally soluble and the deoxycholate solubilized preparations. The presence of only one form on electrophoresis suggests that the molecular species of acetylcholinesterase do not arise from differences in charge.Sucrose density gradient centrifugation of the two preparations from white matter gave a single peak of activity with a sedimentation constant of about 10 S. This corresponds closely to the major species of molecular weight 260,000 detected by gradient gel electrophoresis. Other forms detected in both enzyme preparations by gradient gel electrophoresis were species with molecular weights of 660,000, 180,000, 130,000 and 115,000. The significance of these species in terms of the formation of oligomers is discussed.A comparison was made with the corresponding preparations of acetylcholinesterase from the grey matter and the results showed that acetylcholinesterase from the white and grey matter of pig brain were very similar. The exception to this was the species with a molecular weight of 68,000 which was present in the grey but not the white matter of pig brain.