Prevention of retinal light damage by zinc oxide combined with rosemary extract.

PURPOSE: Zinc oxide effectively reduces visual cell loss in rats exposed to intense visible light and is known to slow the rate of disease progression in advanced stages of age-related macular degeneration. Our goal was to determine the efficacy of zinc oxide in combination with novel and well-established antioxidants in an animal model of light-induced oxidative retinal damage. METHODS: One group of male Sprague-Dawley rats was pretreated with zinc oxide with or without a detergent extract of rosemary powder and then exposed to intense visible light for 4-24 h. Another group of animals received zinc oxide combined with rosemary oil diluted with a mixture of polyunsaturated fatty acids (ROPUFA) and a third group was given an antioxidant mineral mix containing zinc oxide, as recommended by the Age Related Eye Disease Study group's first clinical trial (AREDS1). Visual cell survival was determined 2 weeks after intense light treatment by measuring rhodopsin and photoreceptor cell DNA levels and confirmed by retinal histology and agarose gel electrophoresis of DNA. Western analysis was used to determine the effects of zinc and antioxidants on the oxidative stress markers, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), heme-oxygenase-1 (HO-1), and carboxyethylpyrrole (CEP). Rod and cone opsin and arrestin levels were used as markers of photoreceptor cell function. RESULTS: Dark-reared rats treated with 1.3 mg/kg zinc oxide and 17 mg/kg rosemary extract, or with one-half those doses, and exposed to moderate intensity green light retained 75%-85% of the rhodopsin and retinal DNA measured in unexposed rats. These levels were significantly higher than found for zinc oxide or rosemary treatment alone. Rosemary oil was also effective when combined with zinc oxide, but ROPUFA alone was no more effective than the detergent vehicle. Prolonged intense green light led to increases in retinal GFAP and HO-1 levels and to decreases in cone cell opsin and rod and cone arrestins. Rosemary plus zinc treatment reduced the expression of oxidative stress protein markers and enhanced visual cell survival, as shown by improved photoreceptor cell morphology and by decreased retinal DNA degradation. Using higher intensity white light for exposures in cyclic light-reared rats, treatment with an AREDS antioxidant/mineral mixture was found to be ineffective, whereas rosemary extract plus an equivalent dose of zinc oxide was significantly more effective in preserving visual cells. CEP protein adduct formation was reduced by all antioxidant treatments, but rosemary plus zinc oxide also prevented the loss of cone cell opsin and arrestin more effectively than AREDS. CONCLUSIONS: In the rat model of acute retinal light damage, zinc oxide combined with a detergent extract of rosemary powder or rosemary oil is more effective than treatment with either component alone and significantly more effective than an AREDS mixture containing a comparable dose of zinc oxide. Light-induced oxidative stress in animal models of retinal degeneration can be a useful preclinical paradigm for screening novel antioxidants and for testing potential therapeutics designed to slow the progression of age-related ocular disease.

Methods for studying reaction kinetics in gas chromatography, exemplified by using the 1-chloro-2,2-dimethylaziridine interconversion reaction.

In this paper, methods are described that are used for studying first-order reaction kinetics by gas chromatography. Basic theory is summarized and illustrated using the interconversion of 1-chloro-2,2-dimethylaziridine enantiomers as a representative example. For the determination of the kinetic and thermodynamic activation data of interconversion the following methods are reviewed: (i) classical kinetic methods where samples of batch-wise kinetic studies are analyzed by enantioselective gas chromatography, (ii) stopped-flow methods performed on one chiral column, (iii) stopped-flow methods performed on an achiral column or empty capillary coupled in series with two chiral columns, (iv) on-flow method performed on an achiral column coupled in series with two chiral columns, and (v) reaction gas chromatography, known as a dynamic gas chromatography, where the interconversion is performed on chiral column during the separation process. The determination of kinetic and thermodynamic activation data by methods (i) through (iv) is straightforward as the experimental data needed for the evaluation (particularly the concentration of reaction constituents) are accessible from the chromatograms. The evaluation of experiments from reaction chromatography method (v) is complex as the concentration bands of reaction constituents are overlapped. The following procedures have been developed to determination peak areas of reaction constituents in such complex chromatograms: (i) methods based on computer-assisted simulations of chromatograms where the kinetic activation parameters for the interconversion of enantiomers are obtained by iterative comparison of experimental and simulated chromatograms, (ii) stochastic methods based on the simulation of Gaussian distribution functions and using a time-dependent probability density function, (iii) approximation function and unified equation, (iv) computer-assisted peak deconvolution methods. Evaluation of the experimental data permits the calculation of apparent rate constants for both the interconversion of the first eluted (k (A-->B)(app)) as well as the second eluted (k(B-->A)(app)) enantiomer. The mean value for all the rate constants (from all the reviewed methods) was found for 1-chloro-2,2-dimethylaziridine A-->B enantiomer interconversion at 100 degrees C: k (A-->B)(app)=21.2 x 10(-4)s(-1) with a standard deviation sigma=10.7 x 10(-4). Evaluating data for reaction chromatography at 100 degrees C {k (app)=k(A-->B)(app)=k(B-->A)(app)=13.9 x 10(-4)s(-1), sigma=3.0 x 10(-4)s(-1)} shows that differences between k(A-->B)(app) and k(B-->A)(app) are the same within experimental error. It was shown both theoretically and experimentally that the Arrhenius activation energy (E(a)) calculated from Arrhenius plots (lnk(app) versus 1/T) is proportional to the enthalpy of activation {E(a)=DeltaH+RT}. Statistical treatment of Gibbs activation energy values gave: DeltaG (app)=110.5kJmol(-1), sigma=2.4kJmol(-1), DeltaG (A-->B)(app)=110.5kJmol(-1), sigma=2.2kJmol(-1), DeltaG (B-->A)(app)=110.3kJmol(-1), sigma=2.8kJmol(-1). This shows that the apparent Gibbs energy barriers for the interconversion of 1-chloro-2,2-dimethylaziridine enantiomers are equal DeltaG (app)=DeltaG(A-->B)(app)=DeltaG(B-->A)(app) and within the given precision of measurement independent of the experimental method used.

Gas chromatographic determination of the interconversion energy barrier for dialkyl 2,3-pentadienedioate enantiomers.

The enantiomers of dialkyl 2,3-pentadienedioate undergo interconversion during gas chromatographic separation on chiral stationary phases. In this paper the on-column apparent interconversion kinetic and thermodynamic activation data were determined for dimethyl, diethyl, propylbutyl and dibutyl 2,3-pentadienedioate enantiomers by gas chromatographic separation of the racemic mixtures on a capillary column containing a polydimethylsiloxane stationary phase coupled to 2,3-di-O-methyl-6-O-tertbutyldimethylsilyl-beta-cyclodextrin. A deconvolution method was used to determine the individual enantiomer peak areas and retention times that are needed to calculate the interconversion rate constants and the energy barriers. The apparent rate constants and interconversion energy barriers decrease slightly with an increase in the alkyl chain length of the dialkyl 2,3-pentadienedioate esters. The optimum conformation of the dialkyl 2,3-pentadienedioate molecules, their separation selectivity factors and apparent interconversion enthalpy and entropy data changes with the alkyl chain length. The dependence of the apparent interconversion energy barrier (deltaG(app)(a-->b), deltaG(app)(b-->a)) on temperature was used to determine the apparent activation enthalpy (deltaH(app)(a-->b), deltaH(app)(b-->a)) and apparent entropy (deltaS(app)(a-->b), deltaS(app)(a-->b)) (where a denotes the first and b second eluted enantiomer). The comparison of the activation enthalpy and entropy (deltaS(app)(a-->b), deltaS(app)(a-->b)) indicated that the interconversion of dialkyl 2,3-pentadienedioate enantiomers on the HP-5+Chiraldex B-DM column series is an entropy driven process at 160 degrees C. Data obtained for dimethyl 2,3-pentadienedioate enantiomers on the HP-5+Chiraldex B-DM column series at 120 degrees C (deltaG(app)(a-->b) = 123.3 and deltaG(app)(b-->a) = 124.4 kJ mol(-1)) corresponds (at the 95% confidence interval) with the value of deltaG(#) = 128+/-1 kJ mol(-1) found at this temperature by gas chromatography using a two-dimensional stop flow technique on an empty capillary column [V. Schurig, F. Keller, S. Reich, M. Fluck, Tetrahedron: Asymmetry 8 (1997) 3475].

Chemometric studies of retention in capillary gas chromatographic separation of hydrocarbons in coupled columns.

This paper describes how different multivariate analysis and classification methods can be used, to characterize the gas chromatographic separation of complex hydrocarbon mixtures in three columns coupled in series. Principal component analysis (PCA), correspondence factor analysis (CFA), and hierarchical ascending classification (HAC) were used as potential tools for evaluating the experiments on single columns and on column series. It has been demonstrated that: (1) multivariate analysis with PCA and CFA offers a powerful strategy to search for the main factors influencing the separation of hydrocarbons without a priori knowledge of the key factors of the separation. (2) With CFA the contribution of retention due to vapour pressure can be minimized. The use of retention indices, which use the n-alkanes as reference compounds, also helps to decrease the dominant focus on vapour pressure in favor of the more selectivity-based interaction forces. (3) CFA helps to analyze the degree of relevance of the chosen experimental design to the most important factors, controlling chromatographic selectivity.

The complex of apomyoglobin with the fluorescent dye coumarin 153.

Understanding a protein's dielectric response requires both a theoretical model and a well-defined experimental system. The former has already been proposed by Song (J. Chem. Phys. 116, 9359 [2002]). We suggest that the latter is provided by the complex of coumarin 153 (C153) with apomyoglobin (ApoMb). C153 has been exhaustively studied and has proven to be an excellent probe of the solvation dynamics of polar solvents. Myoglobin is one of the most thoroughly studied proteins. Myoglobins from a wide range of species have been subject to X-ray structural analysis and site-directed mutagenesis. Here, we demonstrate the existence of a robust C153-apomyglobin system by means of molecular dynamics simulations, equilibrium binding studies using a Job's plot and capillary electrophoresis, circular dichroism and time-resolved fluorescence. The reorganization energy of C153 bound to ApoMb is compared with that of C153 in bulk solvent using the method of Jordanides et al. (J. Phys. Chem. B 103, 7995 [1999]).

Selectivity tuning of serially coupled (S,S) Whelk-O 1 and (R,R) Whelk-O 1 columns in HPLC.

The selectivity tuning of two columns coupled in series is investigated in chiral high-performance liquid chromatography. Two columns with reversal enantioselectivities [(R,R) Whelk-O 1 and (S,S) Whelk-O 1] are coupled in series via a T connector. Selectivity of such a column series is tuned by varying the mobile phase flows in the individual columns. The flow ratio necessary for the required selectivity is calculated on the basis of retention factors measured on the individual columns. The performance of this method for adjusting the required selectivity is studied by the separation of enantiomers of alkoxy substituted esters of phenylcarbamic acid. It is demonstrated that the change of the mobile phase flows in the individual columns enables change in the elution order of enantiomers.

On-flow gas chromatographic method for the determination of the enantiomer interconversion energy barrier.

A novel on-flow gas chromatographic (GC) method is developed for the determination of the kinetic rate constants and interconversion energy barrier of thermally labile enantiomers. The validity of the developed method is approved by the study of interconversion of 1-chloro-2,2-dimethylaziridine enantiomers on an achiral column. The overall experiments are performed in a series of three columns placed in two independently heated GC ovens. The racemate of the 1-chloro-2,2-dimethylaziridine is injected and separated in the first chiral column at 60 degrees C in which the interconversion of enantiomers is suppressed. Separated enantiomers are then transferred into the achiral column, where the enantiomers are interconverted at a selected temperature under the current carrier gas flow. Effluent from this column is transferred into the second chiral column, where the native enantiomers and those originated by the on-flow interconversion on an achiral column are again separated at 60 degrees C. Chromatograms obtained by monitoring the effluents from the second chiral column are used to determine the peak areas of the original and the newly interconverted enantiomers. The corresponding peak areas and the interconversion times are used to calculate the interconversion rate constants and energy barriers of the 1-chloro-2,2-dimethylaziridine enantiomers. The apparent energy barriers of the enantiomers of 1-chloro-2,2-dimethylaziridine are equal for both enantiomers within a 95% confidence interval and independent of the polarity of the stationary phase of the column in which the interconversion of enantiomers occur.

Solvent properties of the 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ionic liquid.

1-Butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (BMIM-PF(6)) was synthesized and purified to be used as a ionic liquid solvent. Its physicochemical properties were studied. The ionic liquid/water (P(il/water)) and ionic liquid/heptane (P(il/heptane)) distribution coefficients of a set of 40 compounds with various functionalities, including organic acids, organic bases, amino acids, antioxidants, and neutral compounds, were measured using liquid chromatography. For ionizable compounds, the P(il/water) values measured at pH 2, 5.1, and 10 were very different. These allowed the determination of both the molecular P(o)il(/water) values and the ion P(-)il(/water) value for each compound. These coefficients were compared to the corresponding P(oct/water) coefficients. Marked differences in the partitioning behavior of basic, acidic, and neutral compounds were observed. The relationship between P(il/water) and P(oct/water) is different from that reported previously. By using the linear free energy solvation approach and the descriptors found for 12 solutes, the BMIM-PF(6) solvent parameters were calculated for the ionic liquid/water and ionic liquid/heptane biphasic systems. The regression parameters show a low basicity of the BMIM-PF(6) solvent compared to octanol. The high cohesion of the ions in the ionic liquid phase is also indicated by the regression equations obtained. Ionized phenols (phenoxide ions) associate more strongly with BMIM-PF(6) than most other ionized molecules. Amino acids were not soluble in ionic liquid; however, it is possible to extract them partially by adding a crown ether to the ionic liquid phase and working at pH 1. The positive form of amino acids is complexed by the crown ether and the complex is extracted in the ionic liquid phase.

Selectivity tuning in chiral dual column gas chromatography.

The enantioselective tuning of two columns coupled in series is investigated in chiral high-resolution gas chromatography. Two columns with opposite enantioselectivities (Chirasil-L-Val and Chirasil-D-Val) are coupled in series via a T connector, and the relative retention of enantiomers chromatographed on the system is changed by varying the individual carrier gas flow rates in the coupled columns. The flow-rate ratio necessary for the required selectivity is calculated on the basis of the measured retention factors on the individual columns. The performance of this method for adjusting selectivity is studied by the separation of enantiomers of the N-TFA-O-methyl esters of six amino acids. It is demonstrated that the change of the coupling point carrier gas pressure, at the constant inlet and outlet pressures, may change the enantioselectivity of the given column series to such an extent that the enantiomer elution order may be reversed.

In vitro study of enzymatic hydrolysis of diperodon enantiomers in blood serum by two-dimensional LC.

An on-line coupled HPLC system is described for the determination of the enantiomers of diperodon in blood serum. The method involves three steps: (i) off-line preconcentration and clean-up, (ii) separation of the diperodon enantiomers from the matrix components on a reversed-phase stationary phase, and (iii) separation of the racemate from the reversed-phase column on a teicoplanin chiral stationary phase. The method is suitable for simultaneous determination of both enantiomers in serum up to 0.5 microg/ml. The degradation of diperodon enantiomers was studied in serum by an in vitro method and the experimental rate constants were determined. The enantiomeric hydrolysis rates and half-lives for diperodon in serum are different.

Evaluation of reversible and irreversible models for the determination of the enantiomerization energy barrier for N-(p-methoxybenzyl)-1,3,2-benzodithiazol-1-oxide by supercritical fluid chromatography.

It has been found that the interconversion of enantiomers on a chromatographic column during the separation process can be studied by the first-order kinetic equations derived both for reversible and irreversible reactions in a stationary system if the extent of interconversion is not too high. The equation derived for irreversible reactions gives, however, results also for higher degrees of enantiomerization while that derived for reversible interconversion failed. The irreversible equation was used to determine the enantiomerization barrier of N-(p-methoxybenzyl)-l,3,2-benzodithiazol-l-oxide enantiomers by supercritical fluid chromatography. The racemate of N-(p-methoxybenzyl)-l,3,2-benzodithiazol-l-oxide was separated by supercritical fluid chromatography on the (R,R)-Whelk-Ol column with supercritical carbon dioxide containing 20% methanol as a mobile phase. Peak areas of enantiomers prior to and after the separation used for the calculation of the enantiomerization barrier were determined by computer-assisted peak deconvolution of peak clusters registered on chromatograms using commercial software.

Direct chiral separation of unnatural amino acids by high-performance liquid chromatography on a ristocetin a-bonded stationary phase.

Direct high-performance liquid chromatographic chiral separation of numerous underivatized unnatural amino acids on a ristocetin A-bonded chiral stationary phase used in the reversed-phase and in the polar organic chromatographic modes is reported. The effects of different parameters such as mobile phase composition, temperature, and the structure of the analytes on the selectivity in both chromatographic modes are discussed. By variation of the parameters, the separation of the stereoisomers was optimized and, as a result, baseline resolution was achieved in most cases.

Determination of cell viability in single or mixed samples using capillary electrophoresis laser-induced fluorescence microfluidic systems.

The advent of high-efficiency microbial separations will have a profound effect on both chemistry and microbiology. For the first time, it appears that it may be possible to obtain qualitative and quantitative information on microbial systems with the accuracy, precision, speed, and throughput that currently is found for chemical systems. Recently it was suggested that an analytical separations-based approach for determining the viability of cells would be advantageous. The feasibility of such an approach is demonstrated using CE-LIF of two bacteria and yeast. The analytical procedures and figures of merit are outlined. High-throughput analyses and evaluation of microorganisms now appear to be possible.

Ionic liquids as matrixes for matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry.

Room-temperature ionic liquids are useful as solvents for organic synthesis, electrochemical studies, and separations. We wished to examine whether their high solubalizing power, negligible vapor pressure, and broad liquid temperature range are advantageous if they are used as matrixes for UV-MALDI. Several different ionic matrixes were synthesized and tested, using peptides, proteins, and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG-2000). All ionic liquids tested have excellent solubilizing properties and vacuum stability compared to other commonly used liquid and solid matrixes. However, they varied widely in their ability to produce analyte gas-phase ions. Certain ionic matrixes, however, produce homogeneous solutions of greater vacuum stability, higher ion peak intensity, and equivalent or lower detection limits than currently used solid matrixes. Clearly, ionic liquids and their more amorphous solid analogues merit further investigation as MALDI matrixes.

Relationships among calcaneal backscatter, attenuation, sound speed, hip bone mineral density, and age in normal adult women.

The present study was undertaken in order to investigate the use of calcaneal ultrasonic backscatter for the application of diagnosis of osteoporosis. Broadband ultrasonic attenuation (BUA), speed of sound (SOS), the average backscatter coefficient (ABC), and the hip bone mineral density (BMD) were measured in calcanea in 47 women (average age: 58 years, standard deviation: 13 years). All three ultrasound variables had comparable correlations with hip BMD (around 0.5). As reported previously by others, BUA and SOS were rather highly correlated with each other. The logarithm of the ABC was only moderately correlated with the other two. The three ultrasound parameters exhibited similar moderate negative correlations with age. These results taken collectively suggest that the ABC may carry important diagnostic information independent of that contained in BUA and SOS and, therefore, may be useful as an adjunct measurement in the diagnosis of osteoporosis.

High-performance liquid chromatographic enantioseparation of bicyclic 1,3-amino alcohols.

Different high-performance liquid chromatographic methods were developed for the separation and identification of enantiomers of diendo- and diexo-3-aminobicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-2-methanol and diendo- and diexo-3-amino-bicyclo[2.2.1]hept-5-ene-2-methanol derivatives. Direct separation was carried out on a naphthylethyl carbamate-derivatized beta-cyclodextrin (Cyclobond I 2000 SN) stationary phase, which was used in the polar-organic mode. This allowed the simultaneous separation of stereoisomers of alcohol and ester analogs of the bicyclic 1,3-amino alcohols. Alternatively, the derivatization of amino alcohols on the amino group with 1-fluoro-2,4-dinitrophenyl-5-L-alanine amide produced diastereomers which were separable with high resolution (Rs>5-10) on a LiChrospher RP-18 stationary phase. The order of elution of the enantiomers was determined by both direct and indirect methods.

Methods for the determination of binding constants by capillary electrophoresis.

Apparent equilibrium constants for molecular association (e.g., association constants, binding constants, dissociation constants, partition coefficients) can be determined with a variety of different capillary electrophoresis (CE) approaches. In many cases, the investigated association behavior is between a smaller molecule or ion (i.e., the solute, drug, or analyte of interest) and a larger entity (e.g., proteins, micelles, polymers, chiral selectors such as cyclodextrins, etc.). Each experimental approach has advantages and disadvantages. Frequently, it is the nature of the system being evaluated that determines the optimal experimental approach. Six different CE-based techniques for evaluating binding constants are reviewed. Examples of each method, and recent references on its use are given.

Composition and chirality of amino acids in aerosol/dust from laboratory and residential enclosures.

Initial results from the analyses of geological and anthropological samples for amino acids were difficult to accept because of the high enantiomeric purities of the analytes (i.e., predominantly L-amino acids). Consequently, sources of contamination had to be considered. All sources were eliminated except for direct atmospheric contamination. Essentially invisible, microscopic, aerosol/dust was found to rapidly contaminate the surface of samples and sample containers even after brief exposure times in clean laboratories. Contamination increased with exposure time. The aerosol/dust amino acids were contained predominantly in a proteinaceous material. Aerosol/dust from different locations can contain different percentages of proteinoid/amino acid material. However, the relative concentrations of the amino acids were similar for both laboratory and residential samples. The enantiomeric purity of the L-amino acids studied in aerosol/dust appears to be 99% or greater for the samples examined. Thus, even slight contamination of any sample with microscopic dust or aerosol particles can skew the results of trace amino acid analyses and amino acid e.e. determinations.

High-performance liquid chromatographic and capillary electrophoretic enantioseparation of plant growth regulators and related indole compounds using macrocyclic antibiotics as chiral selectors.

Enantioseparation of plant growth regulators, such as 3-(3-indolyl)-butyric acid, abscisic acid and structurally related molecules including a variety of substituted tryptophan compounds, has been achieved by HPLC and/or CE. The covalently bonded macrocyclic antibiotics, teicoplanin, ristocetin A and vancomycin, were used as chiral stationary phases (CSPs) in HPLC. Most of the racemates were baseline resolved in the reversed-phase mode (EtOH-H2O) using the teicoplanin CSP. The chiral recognition mechanism is discussed in regard to the structure of the analytes. In CE, the three aforementioned macrocyclic antibiotics were used as chiral additives in a phosphate run buffer. The effect of pH and the concentration of the organic modifiers were considered. The results obtained by HPLC and CE were compared.