The Human Fecal Microbiota Metabolizes Foodborne Heterocyclic Aromatic Amines by Reuterin Conjugation and Further Transformations.

SCOPE: Heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) are process-induced food contaminants with high mutagenic and/or carcinogenic potential. Although the human gut microbiota is known to affect the metabolism of dietary constituents, its impact on HAA metabolism and toxicity has been little studied. Here, the glycerol-dependent metabolism of seven foodborne HAAs (AαC, Trp-P-1, harman, norharman, PhIP, MeIQx, and MeIQ) by the human fecal microbiota is investigated. METHODS AND RESULTS: As analyzed by HPLC-DAD/FLD, the extent of conversion is strongly dependent on glycerol supplementation and HAA structure. AαC (60-100%) and the 2-aminoimidazoazarenes (up to 58%) are especially prone to microbial conversion. Based on high-resolution MS and/or NMR spectroscopy data, 70 fecal metabolites are identified in total, mainly formed by chemical reactions with one or two molecules of microbially derived reuterin. Moreover, it has been demonstrated that the human fecal microbiota can further transform reuterin adducts by reduction and/or hydroxylation reactions. Upon isolation, some reuterin-induced HAA metabolites appear to be partially unstable, complicating structural identification. CONCLUSION: The formation of microbial metabolites needs to be incorporated into risk assessment considerations for HAAs in human health. In this study, several HAA metabolites, mainly reuterin-dependent, are identified in vitro, providing the basis for future human studies investigating microbial HAA metabolism.

Studies on the reactions between daptomycin and glyceraldehyde.

The objectives of this project were to determine the reaction pathways of daptomycin in the presence of glyceraldehyde in acidic solutions, and to quantitate the kinetics of the major pathways. In the presence of glyceraldehyde (pH range 1-7 at 25 to 60 degrees C), daptomycin formed two major products separable by RP-HPLC. The products were identified using UV spectroscopy, fluorimetry, mass spectrometry, and 2D-1H NMR. The reaction scheme involved the reversible formation of imine and anilide derivatives. Carbinolamine was believed to be a common intermediate in formation pathways of both products. The carbinolamine intermediate underwent either acid catalyzed dehydration resulting in imine formation or intramolecular hydrogen bonding and bond cleavage giving rise to anilide formation. In mild acid conditions, both products reversed to daptomycin. The reaction between daptomycin and glyceraldehyde was first-order with respect to both reactants. In a pH range of 1-7, the imine formation rate was pH dependent with a maximum rate at approximate pH values of 3-4. The observed pH dependence was consistent with the pH dependence of typical amine-aldehyde reactions.