A rapid quantitative method for the analysis of synthetic cannabinoids by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

Synthetic cannabinoids represent an emerging drug problem in the USA, as these compounds are constantly being modified and rapidly sold as soon as they become available. Laboratories around the world are constantly improving the analytical methods to detect and identify these newly available designer drugs. This study used a simple approach to detect and quantify a variety of synthetic cannabinoids (14 parent compounds and 15 metabolites including series XLR, AM, JWH, UR, RCS, PB, HU and AB-FUBINACA) using LC-MS-MS. Drug-free urine samples spiked with various synthetic cannabinoids and their metabolites were separated on a C18-Hypersil Gold column using an Agilent 1290 ultra-high performance liquid chromatography and detected by an AB Sciex API 4000 tandem mass spectrometer. Studies were carried out to determine limit of detection, limit of quantitation, upper limit of linearity, ion suppression, interference, precision and accuracy to validate the method. Urine samples from patients and known users were hydrolyzed with ß-glucuronidase prior to the analysis by LC-MS-MS, and the data are presented. The method described here is rapid, highly sensitive and specific for the identification of a variety of synthetic cannabinoids.

Validation of analysis of amphetamines, opiates, phencyclidine, cocaine, and benzoylecgonine in oral fluids by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

The aim of the present study was to develop and validate a method for the detection and quantitation of drugs of abuse in oral fluids. Fortified oral fluid samples (made in-house) and samples from donors collected with Quantasil oral fluid collection kits from Immunalysis were screened on an Olympus 5400 using reagents purchased from Immunalysis. Amphetamines (AMPs), opiates, phencyclidine (PCP), and cocaine and its metabolite benzoylecgonine (BE) in oral fluids were quantitated by an Applied Biosystems 3200 QTRAP liquid chromatograph-tandem mass spectrometer (LC-MS-MS). AMPs, opiates, PCP, cocaine, and BE were extracted from samples using liquid-liquid or solid-phase extractions and the extracts were separated on a Shimadzu high-performance liquid chromatograph prior to the MS-MS analysis. For each drug, two multiple reaction mode transitions were monitored using positive electrospray ionization coupled to an MS-MS detector. Corresponding d3, d5, d6, and d11 internal standards were used to quantitate the results. The limit of detection/quantitation for AMPs, opiates, PCP, cocaine, and its metabolite BE were 10, 10, 2, 2, and 2 ng/mL of oral fluid, respectively, on a signal-to-noise ratio > 4. This corresponded to 25, 25, 5, 5, and 5 pg on column. The method was verified by participating in the North America Oral Fluid Proficiency Testing administered by Research Triangle Institute and by analyzing real samples from donors. In conclusion, LC-MS-MS provided a simple way to analyze and quantitate drugs of abuse in oral fluids.

Low-level human equivalent gestational lead exposure produces supernormal scotopic electroretinograms, increased retinal neurogenesis, and decreased retinal dopamine utilization in rats.

BACKGROUND: Postnatal lead exposure in children and animals produces alterations in the visual system primarily characterized by decreases in the rod-mediated (scotopic) electroretinogram (ERG) amplitude (subnormality). In contrast, low-level gestational Pb exposure (GLE) increases the amplitude of scotopic ERGs in children (supernormality). OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to establish a rat model of human equivalent GLE and to determine dose-response effects on scotopic ERGs and on retinal morphology, biochemistry, and dopamine metabolism in adult offspring. METHODS: We exposed female Long-Evans hooded rats to water containing 0, 27 (low), 55 (moderate), or 109 (high) ppm of Pb beginning 2 weeks before mating, throughout gestation, and until postnatal day (PND) 10. We measured maternal and litter indices, blood Pb concentrations (BPb), retinal Pb concentrations, zinc concentrations, and body weights. On PND90, we performed the retinal experiments. RESULTS: Peak BPb concentrations were < 1, 12, 24, and 46 microg/dL in control, low-, moderate- and high-level GLE groups, respectively, at PNDs 0-10. ERG supernormality and an increased rod photoreceptor and rod bipolar cell neurogenesis occurred with low- and moderate-level GLE. In contrast, high-level GLE produced ERG subnormality, rod cell loss, and decreased retinal Zn levels. GLE produced dose-dependent decreases in dopamine and its utilization. CONCLUSIONS: Low- and moderate-level GLE produced persistent scotopic ERG supernormality due to an increased neurogenesis of cells in the rod signaling pathway and/or decreased dopamine utilization, whereas high-level GLE produced rod-selective toxicity characterized by ERG subnormality. The ERG is a differential and noninvasive biomarker of GLE. The inverted U-shaped dose-response curves reveal the sensitivity and vulnerability of the developing retina to GLE.

Survival and cell death in cells constitutively unable to synthesize glutathione.

We examined the role of GSH in survival and cell death using GCS-2 cells that are deficient in glutamate cysteine ligase (gamma-glutamyl cysteine synthetase, gammaGCS), an enzyme essential for GSH synthesis. Cells maintained in 2.5 mM GSH have GSH levels that are approximately 2% of wild type and grow indefinitely; however, they express both pro- and anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family members and have detectable levels of cytoplasmic cytochrome C. Withdrawal of GSH from the medium results in a fall in intracellular GSH to undetectable levels, decreased mitochondrial dehydrogenase activity, decreased anti-apoptotic factor RNAs, increased pro-apoptotic factor RNAs, additional cytochrome C release, and a fall in ATP levels; however, cells continue to grow for another 24h. At 48 h, these trends continue with the exception that mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP levels rise; DNA fragmentation begins at 48 h. Thus, severe reduction of GSH to 2% of wild type produces a metastable state compatible with survival, but complete absence of GSH triggers apoptosis.

Formation and urinary excretion of arsenic triglutathione and methylarsenic diglutathione.

Taking advantage of mice deficient in gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase that are unable to metabolize glutathione (GSH), we have identified two previously unrecognized urinary metabolites of arsenite: arsenic triglutathione and methylarsenic diglutathione. Following administration of sodium arsenite to these mice, approximately 60-70% of urinary arsenic is present as one of these GSH conjugates. We did not detect the dimethyl derivative, dimethyl arsenic GSH; however, dimethyl arsenic (DMAV) represented approximately 30% of urinary arsenic. Administration of buthionine sulfoximine, an inhibitor of GSH synthesis, to wild-type mice reduced urinary arsenic excretion by more than 50%, indicating the GSH dependence of arsenic metabolism, transport, or both. Rodents deficient in three known ABC family transporters (MRP1, MRP2, and MDR1a/1b) exhibited urinary arsenic levels similar or greater than those in wild-type rodents; however, administration of MK571, an MRP inhibitor, reduced urinary arsenic excretion by almost 50%. MK571-treated mice showed approximately 50% reduction of AsIII, MMAV, and AsV as compared to untreated wild-type controls, while DMAV levels were unchanged. These findings suggest that arsenic excretion is in part dependent on GSH and on an MRP transporter other than MRP1 or 2.

Identification and characterization of HtsA, a second heme-binding protein made by Streptococcus pyogenes.

Group A streptococci (GAS) can use heme and hemoproteins as sources of iron. However, the machinery for heme acquisition in GAS has not been firmly revealed. Recently, we identified a novel heme-associated cell surface protein (Shp) made by GAS. The shp gene is cotranscribed with eight downstream genes, including spy1795, spy1794, and spy1793 encoding a putative ABC transporter (designated HtsABC). In this study, spy1795 (designated htsA) was cloned from a serotype M1 strain, and recombinant HtsA was overexpressed in Escherichia coli and purified to homogeneity. HtsA binds 1 heme molecule per molecule of protein. HtsA was produced in vitro and localized to the bacterial cell surface. GAS up-regulated transcription of htsA in human blood compared with that in Todd-Hewitt broth supplemented with 0.2% yeast extract. The level of the htsA transcript dramatically increased under metal cation-restricted conditions compared with that under metal cation-replete conditions. The cation content, cell surface location, and gene transcription of HtsA were also compared with those of MtsA and Spy0385, the lipoprotein components of two other putative iron acquisition ABC transporters of GAS. Our results suggest that HtsABC is an ABC transporter that may participate in heme acquisition in GAS.

Bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis is attenuated in gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase-deficient mice.

To investigate repair mechanisms in bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis, we used mice deficient in gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT-/-), a key enzyme in glutathione (GSH) and cysteine metabolism. Seventy-two hours after bleomycin (0.03 U/g), GGT-/- mice displayed a different inflammatory response to wild-type mice as judged by a near absence of neutrophils in lung tissue and bronchoalveolar lavage and a less pronounced rise in matrix metalloproteinase-9. Inflammation in GGT-/- mice consisted mainly of lymphocytes and macrophages. At 1 month, lungs from bleomycin-treated GGT-/- mice exhibited minimal areas of fibrosis compared with wild-type mice(light microscopy fibrosis index: 510 +/- 756 versus 1975 +/- 817, p < 0.01). Lung collagen content revealed a significant increase in bleomycin-treated wild-type (15.1 +/- 3.8 versus 8.5 +/- 0.7 microg hydroxy(OH)-proline/mg dry weight, p < 0.01) but not in GGT-/- (10.4 +/- 1.7 versus 8.8 +/- 0.8). Control lungs from GGT-/- showed a significant reduction of cysteine (0.03 +/- 0.005 versus 0.055 +/- 0.001, p < 0.02) and GSH levels (1.24 +/- 0.055 versus 1.79 +/- 0.065, p < 0.002). These values decreased after 72 hours of bleomycin in both GGT-/- and wild-type but reached their respective control values after 1 month. Supplementation with N-acetyl cysteine partially ameliorated the effects of GGT deficiency. These findings suggest that increased neutrophils and matrix metalloproteinase-9 during the early inflammatory response and adequate thiol reserves are key elements in the fibrotic response after bleomycin-induced pulmonary injury.

Identification and characterization of a novel heme-associated cell surface protein made by Streptococcus pyogenes.

Analysis of the genome sequence of a serotype M1 group A Streptococcus (GAS) strain identified a gene encoding a previously undescribed putative cell surface protein. The gene was cloned from a serotype M1 strain, and the recombinant protein was overexpressed in Escherichia coli and purified to homogeneity. The purified protein was associated with heme in a 1:1 stoichiometry. This streptococcal heme-associated protein, designated Shp, was produced in vitro by GAS, located on the bacterial cell surface, and accessible to specific antibody raised against the purified recombinant protein. Mice inoculated subcutaneously with GAS and humans with invasive infections and pharyngitis caused by GAS seroconverted to Shp, indicating that Shp was produced in vivo. The blood of mice actively immunized with Shp had significantly higher bactericidal activity than the blood of unimmunized mice. The shp gene was cotranscribed with eight contiguous genes, including homologues of an ABC transporter involved in iron uptake in gram-negative bacteria. Our results indicate that Shp is a novel cell surface heme-associated protein.