Authenticating Production Origin of Gilthead Sea Bream (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Sparus aurata)</Emphasis> by Chemical and Isotopic Fingerprinting

Recent EU legislation (EC/2065/2001) requires that fish products, of wild and farmed origin, must provide consumer information that describes geographical origin and production method. The aim of the present study was to establish methods that could reliably differentiate between wild and farmed European gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata). The methods that were chosen were based on chemical and stable isotopic analysis of the readily accessible lipid fraction. This study examined fatty acid profiles by capillary gas chromatography and the isotopic composition of fish oil (δ¹³C, δ¹⁸O), phospholipid choline nitrogen (δ¹⁵N) and compound specific analysis of fatty acids (δ¹³C) by isotope ratio mass spectroscopy as parameters that could reliably discriminate samples of wild and farmed sea bream. The sample set comprised of 15 farmed and 15 wild gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata), obtained from Greece and Spain, respectively. Discrimination was achieved using fatty acid compositions, with linoleic acid (18:2n-6), arachidonic acid (20:4n-6), stearic acid (18:0), vaccenic acid (18:1n-7) and docosapentaenoic acid (22:5n-3) providing the highest contributions for discrimination. Principle components analysis of the data set highlighted good discrimination between wild and farmed fish. Factor 1 and 2 accounted for >70% of the variation in the data. The variables contributing to this discrimination were: the fatty acids 14:0, 16:0, 18:0, 18:1n-9, 18:1n-7, 22:1n-11, 18:2n-6 and 22:5n-3; δ¹³C of the fatty acids 16:0, 18:0, 16:1n-7, 18:1n-9, 20:5n-3 and 22:6n-3; Bulk oil fraction δ¹³C; glycerol/choline fraction bulk δ¹³C; δ¹⁵N; % N; % lipid.     

The Palladium(II) Complex of Aβ4−16 as Suitable Model for Structural Studies of Biorelevant Copper(II) Complexes of N-Truncated Beta-Amyloids

The Aβ4−42 peptide is a major beta-amyloid species in the human brain, forming toxic aggregates related to Alzheimer’s Disease. It also strongly chelates Cu(II) at the N-terminal Phe-Arg-His ATCUN motif, as demonstrated in Aβ4−16 and Aβ4−9 model peptides. The resulting complex resists ROS generation and exchange processes and may help protect synapses from copper-related oxidative damage. Structural characterization of Cu(II)Aβ4−x complexes by NMR would help elucidate their biological function, but is precluded by Cu(II) paramagneticism. Instead we used an isostructural diamagnetic Pd(II)-Aβ4−16 complex as a model. To avoid a kinetic trapping of Pd(II) in an inappropriate transient structure, we designed an appropriate pH-dependent synthetic procedure for ATCUN Pd(II)Aβ4−16, controlled by CD, fluorescence and ESI-MS. Its assignments and structure at pH 6.5 were obtained by TOCSY, NOESY, ROESY, 1H-13C HSQC and 1H-15N HSQC NMR experiments, for natural abundance 13C and 15N isotopes, aided by corresponding experiments for Pd(II)-Phe-Arg-His. The square-planar Pd(II)-ATCUN coordination was confirmed, with the rest of the peptide mostly unstructured. The diffusion rates of Aβ4−16, Pd(II)-Aβ4−16 and their mixture determined using PGSE-NMR experiment suggested that the Pd(II) complex forms a supramolecular assembly with the apopeptide. These results confirm that Pd(II) substitution enables NMR studies of structural aspects of Cu(II)-Aβ complexes.     

Advanced Glycation End-Products (AGEs) of Lysine and Effects of Anti-TCR/Anti-TNF-α Antibody-Based Therapy in the LEW.1AR1-iddm Rat,an Animal Model of Human Type 1 Diabetes

The LEW.1AR1-iddm rat is an animal model of human type 1 diabetes (T1D). Previously, we have shown that combination with anti-TCR/anti-TNF-α antibody-based therapy re-established normoglycemia and increased proteinic arginine-dimethylation in the spleen, yet not in the pancreas. High blood glucose is often associated with elevated formation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) which act via their receptor (RAGE). Both anti-TCR and anti-TNF-α are inhibitors of RAGE. The aim of the present work was to investigate potential biochemical changes of anti-TCR/anti-TNF-α therapy in the LEW.1AR1-iddm rat. We determined by stable-isotope dilution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) the content of free and proteinic AGEs and the N^ε-monomethylation of lysine (Lys) residues in proteins of pancreas, kidney, liver, spleen and lymph nodes of normoglycemic control (ngCo, n = 6), acute diabetic (acT1D, n = 6), chronic diabetic (chT1D, n = 4), and cured (cuT1D, n = 4) rats after anti-TCR/anti-TNF-α therapy. Analyzed biomarkers included Lys and its metabolites N^ε-carboxymethyl lysine (CML), furosine and N^ε-monomethyl lysine (MML). Other amino acids were also determined. Statistical methods including ANOVA, principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) were used to evaluate the effects. Most statistical differences between the study groups were observed for spleen, pancreas and kidney, with liver and lymph nodes showing no such differences. In the pancreas, the groups differed with respect to proteinic furosine (p = 0.0289) and free CML (p = 0.0023). In the kidneys, the groups differed with respect to proteinic furosine (p = 0.0076) and CML (p = 0.0270). In the spleen, group differences were found for proteinic furosine (p = 0.0114) and free furosine (p = 0.0368), as well as for proteinic CML (p = 0.0502) and proteinic MML (p = 0.0191). The acT1D rats had lower furosine, CML and MML levels in the spleen than the rats in all other groups. This observation corresponds to the lower citrullination levels previously measured in these rats. PCA revealed diametric associations between PC1 and PC2 for spleen (r = −0.8271, p < 0.0001) compared to pancreas (r = 0.5805, p = 0.0073) and kidney (r = 0.8692, p < 0.0001). These findings underscore the importance of the spleen in this animal model of human T1D. OPLS-DA showed that in total sixteen amino acids differed in the experimental groups.     

P5C as an Interface of Proline Interconvertible Amino Acids and Its Role in Regulation of Cell Survival and Apoptosis

Studies of cancer metabolism have focused on the production of energy and the interconversion of carbons between cell cycles. More recently, amino acid metabolism, especially non-essential amino acids (NEAAs), has been investigated, underlining their regulatory role. One of the important mediators in energy production and interconversion of carbons in the cell is Δ¹-pyrroline-5-carboxylate (P5C)—the physiological intracellular intermediate of the interconversion of proline, ornithine, and glutamate. As a central component of these conversions, it links the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA), urea cycle (UC), and proline cycle (PC). P5C has a cyclic structure containing a tertiary nitrogen atom (N) and is in tautomeric equilibrium with the open-chain form of L-glutamate-γ-semialdehyde (GSAL). P5C is produced by P5C synthase (P5CS) from glutamate, and ornithine via ornithine δ-amino acid transferase (δOAT). It can also be converted to glutamate by P5C dehydrogenase (P5CDH). P5C is both a direct precursor of proline and a product of its degradation. The conversion of P5C to proline is catalyzed by P5C reductase (PYCR), while proline to P5C by proline dehydrogenase/oxidase (PRODH/POX). P5C-proline-P5C interconversion forms a functional redox couple. Their transformations are accompanied by the transfer of a reducing-oxidizing potential, that affect the NADP+/NADPH ratio and a wide variety of processes, e.g., the synthesis of phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate (PRPP), and purine ribonucleotides, which are crucial for DNA synthesis. This review focuses on the metabolism of P5C in the cell as an interconversion mediator of proline, glutamate, and ornithine and its role in the regulation of survival and death with particular emphasis on the metabolic context.     

Quantitative high-resolution13C and1H nuclear magnetic resonance of ω3 fatty acids from white muscle of atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)

High-resolution¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra have been obtained and used to define the ω3 (n-3) fatty acid distribution in lipid extract and white muscle from Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). The¹³C spectrum of lipid extracted from muscle gives quantitative information about the individual n-3 fatty acids, 18:2n-6, 20:1/22:1 and groups of fatty acids. The quantitative data compare favorably with those obtained by gas-liquid chromatography. The¹H NMR spectrum of the lipid extract gives information about the amount of 22:6n-3 and the total content of n-3 fatty acids. The¹³C NMR technique also revealed the positional distribution (1,3- and 2-acyl) of the important 20:5n-3 and 22:6n-3 acids in the triacylglycerol molecules. In the quantitative¹³C NMR spectrum of white muscle, the methyl region of the acyl chains of triacylglycerols gave rise to sufficiently resolved signals to permit estimation of the total concentration of lipids and the n-3 fatty acid content. The NMR data are in good agreement with corresponding data obtained by traditional methods.     

Molecular Rearrangement of Pyrazino[2,3-c]quinolin-5(6H)-ones during Their Reaction with Isocyanic Acid

New tetrahydropyrazino[2,3-c]quinolin-5(6H)-ones were prepared from 3-chloroquinoline-2,4(1H,3H)-diones and ethylene diamine. In their reaction with HNCO, an unprecedented molecular rearrangement produced new types of hydantoin derivatives. All prepared compounds were characterized on the basis of their ¹H, ¹³C, and ¹⁵N NMR and ESI mass spectra and some were authenticated by X-ray analysis of single crystalline material. A proposed mechanism for rearrangement is discussed in this essay. The CDK and ABL inhibition activity as well as in vitro cytotoxicity of the prepared compounds was also tested.     

Crystallography and Structure–Property Relationships of 2,2″,4,4′,4″,6,6′,6″‐Octanitro‐1,1′ : 3′,1″‐Terphenyl (ONT)

An X‐ray crystallographic study of 2,2″,4,4′,4″,6,6′,6″‐octanitro‐1,1′ : 3′,1″‐terphenyl (ONT) has been carried out. The dihedral angles between benzene rings vary from 84.9° to 89.4°. Nonbinding interatomic distances of oxygen atoms inside all the nitro groups are shorter than the intermolecular contact radii for oxygen. On the basis of the DFT B3LYP/6‐31(d, p) method it was found that the difference between the X‐ray structure in the solid phase and DFT result for the gas phase is 98 kJ mol⁻¹, and the bearer of the highest initiation reactivity of the ONT molecule in the solid phase should be the nitro group at 4″‐position, in contrast to those at 4′‐ or 6′‐position that play this role in the isolated molecule. It has been stated that the nitro groups at the reaction centers of the ONT molecule are relatively well specified by their ¹⁵N NMR chemical shifts.