Development and application of a quantitative method based on LC-QqQ MS/MS for determination of steviol glycosides in Stevia leaves.

Stevia is a currently well-known plant thanks to the presence of steviol glycosides, which are considered as sweeteners obtained from a natural source. In this research, a method based on LC-MS/MS by using a triple quadrupole detector was developed for quantitation of 8 steviol glycosides in extracts from Stevia leaves. The ionization and fragmentation parameters for selected reaction monitoring were optimized. Detection and quantitation limits ranging from 0.1 to 0.5ng/mL and from 0.5 to 1ng/mL, respectively, were achieved: the lowest attained so far. The steviol glycosides were quantified in extracts from leaves of seven varieties of Stevia cultivated in laboratory, greenhouse and field. Plants cultivated in field presented higher concentration of steviol glycosides than those cultivated in greenhouse. Thus, the way of cultivation clearly influences the concentration of these compounds. The inclusion of branches together with leaves as raw material was also evaluated, showing that this inclusion modifies, either positively or negatively, the concentration of steviol glycosides.

Tentative identification of polar and mid-polar compounds in extracts from wine lees by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry in high-resolution mode.

Sustainable agriculture has a pending goal in the revalorization of agrofood residues. Wine lees are an abundant residue in the oenological industry. This residue, so far, has been used to obtain tartaric acid or pigments but not for being qualitatively characterized as a source of polar and mid-polar compounds such as flavonoids, phenols and essential amino acids. Lees extracts from 11 Spanish wineries have been analyzed by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) in high resolution mode. The high-resolution power of LC-MS/MS has led to the tentative identification of the most representative compounds present in wine lees, comprising primary amino acids, anthocyans, flavanols, flavonols, flavones and non-flavonoid phenolic compounds, among others. Attending to the profile and content of polar and mid-polar compounds in wine lees, this study underlines the potential of wine lees as an exploitable source to isolate interesting compounds.

Characterization and Comparison of Wine Lees by Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry in High-Resolution Mode.

Wine lees from 11 different wineries pertaining to two denominations of origin in Spain (La Rioja and Ribera del Duero) have been characterized in this research by LC-MS/MS in high-resolution mode. For this purpose, the wine lees were separated into the liquid phase (imbibed wine from lees) and the solid residue, which was dried and subjected to solid-liquid extraction assisted by microwaves (dried lees). Both fractions were separately analyzed and the fractions from the 11 wineries compared to find similarity in their patterns. The statistical analysis enabled both differences and common aspects in the composition of imbibed wine from lees and dried lees from all wineries to be found. MS/MS tentative identification of representative compounds in each fraction revealed the varied composition of wine lees with special emphasis on flavonoids such as quercetin, myricetin, and malvidin 3-galactoside, identified in extracts of dried lees, or other compounds such as kaempferol 3-(2',3'-diacetylrhamnoside)-7″-rhamnoside, aminocaproic acid, and citric acid, exclusively identified in imbibed wine from lees. The adsorbent capacity of the solid residue justified the high concentration of phenolic compounds in the extracts from solid lees. The differences found in the composition of the two phases support the separated exploitation of them.

Anthocyanidins, proanthocyanidins, and anthocyanins profiling in wine lees by solid-phase extraction-liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry with data-dependent methods.

A method has been developed to study the content of anthocyanidins, proanthocyanidicins, and anthocyanins in wine lees, an abundant byproduct from wineries. Detection/quantitation of the target compounds was carried out by a hyphenated system consisting of a solid-phase extraction workstation (Prospekt-2 unit) online coupled to a liquid chromatograph-triple-quadrupole tandem mass spectrometer (LC-MS/MS), where standards were used for identification/quantitation of both anthocyanidins and proanthocyanidins. Owing to the lack of anthocyanins standards, advantages from the use of data-dependent methods were taken for their identification and confirmatory analysis. Combination of the scanning methods (viz. product-ion, precursor-ion, and neutral-loss scanning) allowed identifying five different anthocyanins present in wine residues. The results thus obtained have been validated by complementary analysis of the extracts using LC-TOF/MS in high-resolution mode. Quantitation of the monitored compounds was supported on selected reaction monitoring (SRM) and calibration curves run with standards of anthocyanidins and proanthocyanidins.

Down-regulation of tumor necrosis factor receptors by blockade of mitochondrial respiration.

We have studied the effect of blockade of mitochondrial respiration on the binding of human 125I-TNF alpha to L929 cell receptors. Specific TNF alpha binding was decreased to about 20-40% of controls by blocking mitochondrial respiration. This effect was dose- and time-related and was observed independently of the level at which the respiration was blocked (respiratory chain, proton backflow, ATPase, anaerobiosis). This blockade had no effect on the half-life of the specific TNF alpha binding, the internalization or degradation of TNF alpha-receptor complexes, or the number of TNF alpha-binding sites. Scatchard analysis of TNF alpha binding data indicated a 2-4-fold decrease in the affinity of these binding sites. These effects did not appear to be related to the protein kinase C activity or to reactive oxygen radicals, since they were not antagonized by pretreatment of cells with oxygen radical scavengers, deferoxamine, or inhibitors of protein kinase C. Decrease in TNF alpha binding capacity correlated significantly with cellular ATP content (r = 0.94; p < 0.01) and with the cytocidal activity of TNF alpha against L929 cells. These findings suggest that blockade of mitochondrial respiration down-regulates the binding of TNF alpha to cells, most likely by changing the affinity of receptors for this cytokine. This down-regulation may increase the resistance of cells to TNF alpha cytotoxicity.

Toxic oil stimulates collagen synthesis acting at a pretranslational level in cultured fat-storing cells.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The toxic oil syndrome appeared in Spain in 1981 as a result of ingestion of rapeseed oil denatured with aniline. Some patients developed scleroderma-like skin lesions and liver cirrhosis. Mechanisms of these fibrotic lesions are not known. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of toxic oils on collagen metabolism. METHODS: We measured the relative rate of collagen production, absolute rate of collagen synthesis, production, secretion, and degradation, proline transport, steady-state levels of procollagen alpha 1(l)-messenger RNA (mRNA) in cultured fat-storing cells, and chloramphenicol acetyltransferase activity in transfected cells. RESULTS: Toxic oils increased collagen synthesis, procollagen alpha 1(l)-mRNA levels, and chloramphenicol acetyltransferase activity in cultured fat-storing cells. Effect on collagen production correlated with lipid peroxide content in oils. Cycloheximide, alpha-tocopherol, and methylene blue prevented the increase in procollagen alpha 1(l)-mRNA. Oleylanilide and linoleylanilide, markers for toxic oils, reproduced the stimulatory effects of toxic oils on collagen production and procollagen alpha 1(l)-mRNA. CONCLUSIONS: Toxic oils increased collagen synthesis by acting on the promoter of procollagen alpha 1(l) gene, probably through lipid peroxides derived from acylanilides. We suggest that toxic oil may have stimulated procollagen gene expression through the formation of adducts of aldehydes with some transcription factor.

Reversal of carbon tetrachloride induced changes in microviscosity and lipid composition of liver plasma membrane by colchicine in rats.

Colchicine is beneficial in the treatment of cirrhotic patients, it prevents changes in plasma membrane bound enzymes induced by CCl4 intoxication. In this study, lipid composition and microviscosity were measured in liver plasma membranes isolated from rats given CCl4. Microviscosity values increased in rats given CCl4 for six weeks but fell considerably in those given CCl4 for 10 weeks. Both these changes were absent when colchicine was given with CCl4. The cholesterol/phospholipid molar ratios and lipid peroxide values increased but plasma membrane phospholipids, the length of fatty acyl chains, and the unsaturation index fell significantly after CCl4 intoxication. Colchicine treatment also prevented these changes. Changes in the lipid composition of liver plasma membranes were significantly correlated with lipid peroxidation. Colchicine prevents changes in the physicochemical properties of liver plasma membranes induced by longterm CCl4 treatment, probably by blocking peroxidation of unsaturated fatty acids.