Introduction Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are the most abundant DNA markers in the human genome occurring at a frequency of one in every 500--1000 nucleotides. A variety of methods have been used for the ...Introduction Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are the most abundant DNA markers in the human genome occurring at a frequency of one in every 500--1000 nucleotides. A variety of methods have been used for the analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms, including restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), direct sequencing by using laser-induced fluorescence detectionTM, fluorescence energy transfer, MALDI-TOF MS combined with primer extension or invasive cleavage, and fluorescence polarization. During the past two decades, mass spectrometry has become a very popular tool in the analysis of biomolecules and is perfectly suited to the analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) due to its speed, low cost, and accuracy. In this work, we used MALDI TOF mass spectrometry to detect the fragments of restriction endonuclease hydrolysis of PCR products flanking a SNP located at paraoxonase 1(Q192R). Compared with electrophoresis, this method requires less time of analysis and possess a higher accuracy.展开更多
Matrix-assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization with Time-of-flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS) was investigated as a method for the rapid identifica-tion of species. Current demand in microbial identi-fication is how...Matrix-assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization with Time-of-flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS) was investigated as a method for the rapid identifica-tion of species. Current demand in microbial identi-fication is how to compare unknown strains to the known one quickly, semi-automatically and accurately. In this paper, we present a software tool that allows flexibly microbial matching in a user-friendly way, by letting the users to customize comparison parameters including: in vitro transcription enzyme, mass tolerance,minimum fragment length, intensity threshold and corresponding weights. We provide three spectral scoring functions to compute the affin-ity between the species. Therefore, the precision of microbial comparison increases. To test and verify this tool, we employed experimental spectral data based on MALDI-TOFMS and the gene sequences of E.coli and Salmonella. This software is written in Java for cross-platform intention.展开更多
Background Freshwater snails of the genera Bulinus spp.,Biomphalaria spp.,and Oncomelania spp.are the main intermediate hosts of human and animal schistosomiasis.Identification of these snails has long been based on m...Background Freshwater snails of the genera Bulinus spp.,Biomphalaria spp.,and Oncomelania spp.are the main intermediate hosts of human and animal schistosomiasis.Identification of these snails has long been based on mor-phological and/or genomic criteria,which have their limitations.These limitations include a lack of precision for the morphological tool and cost and time for the DNA-based approach.Recently,Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorp-tion/lonization Time-Of-Flight(MALDI-TOF)mass spectrometry,a new tool used which is routinely in clinical microbi-ology,has emerged in the field of malacology for the identification of freshwater snails.This study aimed to evaluate the ability of MALDI-TOF MS to identify Biomphalaria pfeifferi and Bulinus forskali snail populations according to their geographicalorigin.Methods This study was conducted on 101 Bi.pfeifferi and 81 Bu.forskali snails collected in three distinct geo-graphical areas of Senegal(the North-East,South-East and central part of the country),and supplemented with wild and laboratory strains.Specimens which had previously been morphologically described were identified by MALDl-TOF MS[identification log score values(LSV)≥1.7],after an initial blind test using the pre-existing database.After DNA-based identification,new reference spectra of Bi.pfeiferi(n=10)and Bu.forskali(n=5)from the geographical areas were added to the MALDI-TOF spectral database.The final blind test against this updated database was per-formed to assess identification at the geographic source level.Results MALDI-TOF MS correctly identified 92.1%of 101 Bi.pfeifferi snails and 98.8%of 81 Bu.forskali snails.At the final blind test,88%of 166 specimens were correctly identified according to both their species and sampling site,with LSVs ranging from 1.74 to 2.70.The geographical source was adequately identified in 90.1%of 91 Bi.pfeifferi and 85.3%of 75 Bu.forskalii samples.Conclusions Our findings demonstrate that MALDI-TOF MS can identify and differentiate snail populations according to geographical origin.It outperforms the current DNA-based approaches in discriminating laboratory from wild strains.This inexpensive high-throughput approach is likely to further revolutionise epidemiological studies in areas which are endemic for schistosomiasis.展开更多
Background Recently, due to the rapid development of proteomic techniques, great advance has been made in many scientific fields. We aimed to use magnetic beads (liquid chip) based matrix-assisted laser desorption/i...Background Recently, due to the rapid development of proteomic techniques, great advance has been made in many scientific fields. We aimed to use magnetic beads (liquid chip) based matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) technology to screen distinctive biomarkers for lung adenocarcinoma (adCA), and to establish the diagnostic protein profiles. Methods Using weak cation exchange magnetic beads (MB-WCX) to isolate and purify low molecular weight proteins from sera of 35 lung adCA, 46 benign lung diseases (BLDs) and 44 healthy individuals. The resulting spectra gained by anchor chip-MALDI-TOF-MS were analyzed by ClinProTools and a pattern recognition genetic algorithm (GA). Results In the working mass range of 800-10 000 Da, 99 distinctive peaks were resolved in lung adCA versus BLDs, while 101 peaks were resolved in lung adCA versus healthy persons. The profile gained by GA that could distinguish adCA from BLDs was comprised of 4053.88, 4209.57 and 3883.33 Da with sensitivity of 80%, specificity of 93%, while that could separate adCA from healthy control was comprised of 2951.83 Da and 4209.73 Da with sensitivity of 94%, specificity of 95%. The sensitivity provided by carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in this experiment was significantly lower than our discriminatory profiles (P 〈0.005). We further identified a eukaryotic peptide chain release factor GTP-binding subunit (eRF3b) (4209 Da) and a complement C3f (1865 Da) that may serve as candidate biomarkers for lung adCA. Conclusion Magnetic beads based MALDI-TOF-MS technology can rapidly and effectively screen distinctive proteins/polypeptides from sera of lung adCA patients and controls, which has potential value for establishing a new diagnostic method for lung adCA.展开更多
Background The pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorders remains elusive and currently there are no diagnostic or pre-dictive biomarkers in autism available. Proteomic profiling has been used in a wide range of neurod...Background The pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorders remains elusive and currently there are no diagnostic or pre-dictive biomarkers in autism available. Proteomic profiling has been used in a wide range of neurodevelopmental disorder studies, which could produce deeper perceptions of the molecular bases behind certain disease and potentially becomes useful in discovering biomarkers in autism spectrum disorders. Methods Serum samples were collected from autistic children about 3 years old in age (n = 32) and healthy controls (n = 20) in similar age and gender. The samples were identified specific proteins that are diff erentially expressed by magnetic bead-based pre-fractionation and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-ToF-MS). Results Eight protein peaks were significantly different in autistic children from the healthy controls (P < 0.0001). The two peaks with the most significant diff erences were 6428 and 7758 Da in size. Conclusion According to diff erences in serum protein profiles between the autistic children and healthy controls, this study identified a set of diff erentially expressed proteins those are significant for further evaluation and might function as biomark-ers in autism.展开更多
Native and methyl-esterified sialylated glycans were analyzed with 2,4,6-trihydroxyacetophenone(THAP)and 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid(DHB)as matrix by a matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass...Native and methyl-esterified sialylated glycans were analyzed with 2,4,6-trihydroxyacetophenone(THAP)and 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid(DHB)as matrix by a matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometer(MALDI-TOF MS).High quality negative-ion spectra of commercial sialylated glycan were obtained with THAP as matrix.Detection limit of the glycan was less than 0.1 pmol.After methyl esterification of sialic acid(SA)residue,sialylated glycans were detected sensitively in the positive-ion mode using DHB as matrix.Neutral and sialylated glycans from the mixture of asialofetuin and fetuin were methylesterified and simultaneously recognized in one manipulation.Methyl esterification of SA residue offers a convenient and sensitive way to identify the structure of N-linked glycans for glycan profiling.展开更多
Cancer cell spheroids(CCS) are a valuable three-dimensional cell model in cancer studies because they could replicate numerous characteristics of solid tumors. Increasing researches have used matrix-assisted laser des...Cancer cell spheroids(CCS) are a valuable three-dimensional cell model in cancer studies because they could replicate numerous characteristics of solid tumors. Increasing researches have used matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging(MALDI-MSI) to investigate the spatial distribution of endogenous compounds(e.g., lipids) in CCS. However, only limited lipid species can be detected owing to a low ion yield by using MALDI. Besides, it is still challenging to fully characterize the structural diversity of lipids due to the existence of isomeric/isobaric species. Here, we carried out the initial application of MALDI coupled with laser-postionization(MALDI-2) and trapped ion mobility spectrometry(TIMS) imaging in HCT116 colon CCS to address these challenges. We demonstrated that MALDI-2 is capable of detecting more number and classes of lipids in HCT116 colon CCS with higher signal intensities than MALDI. TIMS could successfully separate numerous isobaric/isomeric species of lipids in CCS. Interestingly, we found that some isomeric/isobaric species have totally different spatial distributions in colon CCS. Further MS/MS imaging analysis was employed to determine the compositions of fatty acid chains for isomeric species by examining disparities in signal intensities and spatial distributions of product ions. This work stresses the robust ability of TIMS and MALDI-2 imaging in analyzing endogenous lipids in CCS, which could potentially become powerful tools for future cancer studies.展开更多
Objective To identify specific biomarkers that could improve early diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) technology. Methods Serum samples were isolated from 17 pat...Objective To identify specific biomarkers that could improve early diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) technology. Methods Serum samples were isolated from 17 patients with stage Ⅰ lung adenocarcinoma and 17 age-and sex-matched healthy controls,and the serum proteomic profiles were obtained by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry. Results Compared with healthy control group,two highly expressed potential biomarkers were identified with the relative molecular weights of 6 631.64 Da and 4 964.21 Da. The two best novel protein peaks were automatically chosen for the system training and the development of the constructed model. The constructed model was then used to test an independent set of masked serum samples from 15 lung adenocarcinoma patients and 22 healthy individuals. The analysis yielded a sensitivity of 93.3%,and a specificity of 95.5%. Conclusion These results suggest that MALDI-TOF-MS ProteinChip technology is a quick,convenient,and high-output analyzing method that is capable of selecting several relatively potential biomarkers from the serum of lung adenocarcinoma patients and may have a clinical value in the future,and will provide clues to identifying new serologic biomarkers of lung adenocarcinoma.展开更多
BACKGROUND Nocardia pneumonia shares similar imaging and clinical features with pulmonary tuberculosis and lung neoplasms,but the treatment and anti-infective medication are completely different.Here,we report a case ...BACKGROUND Nocardia pneumonia shares similar imaging and clinical features with pulmonary tuberculosis and lung neoplasms,but the treatment and anti-infective medication are completely different.Here,we report a case of pulmonary nocardiosis caused by Nocardia cyriacigeorgica(N.cyriacigeorgica),which was misdiagnosed as community-acquired pneumonia(CAP)with repeated fever.CASE SUMMARY A 55-year-old female was diagnosed with community-acquired pneumonia in the local hospital because of repeated fever and chest pain for two months.After the anti-infection treatment failed in the local hospital,the patient came to our hospital for further treatment.Enhanced computed tomography showed multiple patchy,nodular and strip-shaped high-density shadows in both lungs.A routine haematological examination was performed and showed abnormalities in CD19+B cells and CD4+T cells.Positive acid-fast bifurcating filaments and branching gram-positive rods were observed in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of the patient under an oil microscope,which was identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry as N.cyriacigeorgica.The patient’s condition quickly improved after taking 0.96 g compound sulfamethoxazole tablets three times a day.CONCLUSION The antibiotic treatment of Nocardia pneumonia is different from that of common CAP.Attention should be given to the pathogenic examination results of patients with recurrent fever.Nocardia pneumonia is an opportunistic infection.Patients with CD4+T-cell deficiency should be aware of Nocardia infection.展开更多
MALDI-TOF-MS technology was used for identification of lipopeptide antibiotics producedby GEB3 strain, a derivative of Bacillus subtilis 168 which was transformed by lpaB3gene. The result showed GEB3 only produced lip...MALDI-TOF-MS technology was used for identification of lipopeptide antibiotics producedby GEB3 strain, a derivative of Bacillus subtilis 168 which was transformed by lpaB3gene. The result showed GEB3 only produced lipopeptide antibiotic surfactin. The analysisby LC-MS demonstrated that GEB3 produced standard surfactin isoforms with side chainlengths of 13,14 and 15 carbon atoms. The bioactivity detection of surfactin indicatedthat the surfactin produced by GEB3 had inhibition effect on plant pathogens Rhizoctoniasolani and Pyricularia oryzae.展开更多
AIM: To evaluate the qualitative and quantitativechanges in N-linked glycosylation, which occurredin association with diethyl nitrosamine-inducedhepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in rodents.METHODS: Liver tissues of ...AIM: To evaluate the qualitative and quantitativechanges in N-linked glycosylation, which occurredin association with diethyl nitrosamine-inducedhepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in rodents.METHODS: Liver tissues of (1) normal (non-tumorbearing)rats; and (2) tumor-bearing rats; were collectedand were used for histological and GlycanMap? analyses.Briefly, GlycanMap? analysis is a high-throughputassay that provides a structural and quantitativereadout of protein-associated glycans using a unique,automated 96-well assay technology coupled tomatrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-offlightmass spectrometry and custom bioinformatics.Histopathological studies were carried out to ensure thedevelopment of HCC in the tested animals.RESULTS: The N-glycomic analysis revealed 5glycans; Glc1Man9GlcNAc2, Gal2Man3GlcNac4Fuc1Neu1,Man4G l c N a c 2, G a l 2Man3G l c N a c 4Neu3OAc 3, andMan3GlcNac5Fuc1, which showed significant changesin rat HCC tissues when compared with normal livertissues. Four glycans were increased (P 〈 0.05) andGlc1Man9GlcNAc2 was decreased (5.89 ± 0.45 vs 3.54± 0.21, P 〈 0.01) in HCC tissues compared to normal liver tissues. An increase (66.5 ± 1.05 vs 62.7 ± 1.1,P 〈 0.05) in high-mannose structures in HCC rats wasobserved compared to normal rats. Importantly, HCCrats showed an increase (P 〈 0.05) in both tumorassociatedcarbohydrates and in branched glycans. Thechanges in glycans correlated well with glycan flowchanges reported in the glycan biosynthetic pathway,which indicates the importance of enzyme activitiesinvolved in glycan synthesis at different subcellularlocalizations.CONCLUSION: The reported HCC-associated changesin glycan flow and subcellular localization explain theincrease in high mannose glycans and siayl Lewisglycans common in HCC liver tissues.展开更多
The radial basis function networks were applied to bacterial classification based on the matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometric (MALDI-TOF-MS) data. The classification of bacteri...The radial basis function networks were applied to bacterial classification based on the matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometric (MALDI-TOF-MS) data. The classification of bacteria cultured at different time was discussed and the effect of the network parameters on the classification was investigated. The cross-validation method was used to test the trained networks. The correctness of the classification of different bacteria investigated changes in a wide range from 61.5% to 92.8%. Owing to the complexity of biological effects in bacterial growth, the more rigid control of bacterial culture conditions seems to be a critical factor for improving the rate of correctness for bacterial classification.展开更多
BACKGROUND Comamonas kerstersii(C.kerstersii)infections have considered as non-pathogenic to humans,however due to new techniques such as matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry(MA...BACKGROUND Comamonas kerstersii(C.kerstersii)infections have considered as non-pathogenic to humans,however due to new techniques such as matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry(MALDI-TOF-MS),more cases have been identified.CASE SUMMARY This is the first report of a maternal patient with a C.kerstersii bacteremia following caesarean section.Due to the severity of the patient’s condition;high fever and rapidly progressing organ damage,the patient was transferred to the intensive care unit.C.kerstersii was detected by metagenomic next-generation sequencing testing.Based on the drug sensitivity test,appropriate antibiotic treatment was given and the patient recovered fully.CONCLUSION This case report confirms that the detection via MALDI-TOF-MS and metagenomic next-generation sequencing testing provides a reliable basis for the diagnosis of this rare bacterial infection.展开更多
BACKGROUND Burkholderia gladioli(B.gladioli)is regarded as a rare opportunistic pathogen.Only a few patients with abscesses caused by B.gladioli infections have been reported,and these are usually abscesses at the inc...BACKGROUND Burkholderia gladioli(B.gladioli)is regarded as a rare opportunistic pathogen.Only a few patients with abscesses caused by B.gladioli infections have been reported,and these are usually abscesses at the incision caused by traumatic surgery.CASE SUMMARY A 74-year-old male patient with abscesses and pain throughout his body for 1 mo was admitted to our hospital.Some of the abscesses had ruptured with purulent secretions on admission.Color Doppler ultrasound examination of the body surface masses showed mixed masses 75 mm×19 mm,58 mm×17 mm,17 mm×7 mm,and 33 mm×17 mm in size in the muscle tissues of both the right and left forearms,the posterior area of the right knee and the left leg,respectively.Abscess secretions and blood cultures grew B.gladioli.The following 3 methods were used to jointly identify the bacterium:an automatic microbial identification system,matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry,and full-length 16 S rDNA sequencing.After 27 d of treatment with meropenem,etimicin,trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and other antibiotics,most of his skin abscesses were flat and he was discharged without any symptoms.CONCLUSION This is the first reported case of multiple skin abscesses associated with bacteremia caused by B.gladioli.Our study provides important reference values for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of B.gladioli infections.展开更多
Tsukamurella species are obligate aerobic,gram-positive,weak acid-fast,nonmotile bacilli.They are found in various environments,such as soil,water,sludge,and petroleum reservoir wastewater,and belong to the order Acti...Tsukamurella species are obligate aerobic,gram-positive,weak acid-fast,nonmotile bacilli.They are found in various environments,such as soil,water,sludge,and petroleum reservoir wastewater,and belong to the order Actinomycetales.In 2016,there was a reclassification of species within the genus Tsukamurella,merging the species Tsukamurella tyrosinosolvens(T.tyrosinosolvens)and Tsukamurella carboxydivorans.Tsukamurella species are clinically considered to be a rare opportunistic pathogen,because most reported cases have been related to bacteremia and intravascular prosthetic devices and immunosuppression.To date,it has been isolated only from human specimens,and has always been associated with clinical disease;human infections are very rare.Reported infections have included pneumonia,brain abscesses,catheter-related bloodstream infections,ocular infections,bacteremia,and sepsis presenting with septic pulmonary emboli in patients who are immunocompromised.To date,there is no commercially available test for identification.On the other hand,sequence-based identification,including matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry,is an alternative method for identifying clinical isolates that are either slow growers or difficult to identify through biochemical profiling.The golden standards for diagnosis and optimal management still remain to be determined.However,newer molecular biological techniques can provide accurate identification,and contribute to the appropriate selection of definitive therapy for infections caused by this organism.Combinations of several antimicrobial agents have been proposed for treatment,though the length of treatment for infections has yet to be determined,and should be individualized according to clinical response.Immunocompromised patients often experience severe cases due to infection,and life-threatening T.tyrosinosolvens events associated with dissemination and/or failure of source control have occurred.Favorable prognoses can be achieved through earlier identification of the cause of infection,as well as successful management,including appropriate antibiotic therapy together with source control.Further analyses of similar cases are required to establish the most adequate diagnostic methods and treatment regimens for infections.展开更多
20-Hydroxyecdysone(20E)derived from plants has a wide range of physiological and pharmacological ef ects on animals and humans,and rapid and sensitive methods for screening of the endogenous 20E in plants are thus req...20-Hydroxyecdysone(20E)derived from plants has a wide range of physiological and pharmacological ef ects on animals and humans,and rapid and sensitive methods for screening of the endogenous 20E in plants are thus required.Herein,a matrixassisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-f ight tandem mass spectrometry(MALDI-TOF/TOF MS)method is described for rapid and sensitive determination of endogenous 20E in plants.It is based on the use of the(3-(acridin-9-ylamino)phenyl)boronic acid(AYPBA)as the mass tag to assist the MS and tandem MS(MS^(n))analysis of 20E on MALDI-TOF/TOF MS.Good linearity was obtained with a determination coef cient(R^(2))larger than 0.99 in the range of 0.025–2.5μΜ.The limit of detection(LOD)was 2.4 fmol.Acceptable precision and accuracy were gained by intra-and inter-day analysis with relative standard deviations less than 19.5%and relative recoveries ranging from 85.7 to 105.2%.In addition,the AYPBA labeled 20E produced abundant characteristic fragment ions under the high energy collision-induced dissociation,which facilitated the identif cation of 20E by MS^(2)analysis on MALDI-TOF/TOF MS.Using the method,we enabled the identif cation and quantif cation of endogenous 20E in four herbs including Cyanotis arachoidea,Achyranthes bidentata,Spinacia oleracea and Chenopodium quinoa willd.,demonstrating the feasibility of the proposed method for screening of the endogenous 20E in plants.展开更多
Background Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury occurs in many clinical procedures. The molecular mechanisms responsible for hepatic I/R injury however remain unknown. Sphingolipids, in particular ceramide, pla...Background Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury occurs in many clinical procedures. The molecular mechanisms responsible for hepatic I/R injury however remain unknown. Sphingolipids, in particular ceramide, play a role in stress and death receptor-induced hepatocellular death, contributing to the progression of several liver diseases including liver I/R injury. In order to further define the role of sphingolipids in hepatic I/R, systemic analysis of sphingolipids after reperfusion is necessary. Methods We investigated the lipidomic changes of sphingolipids in a rat model of warm hepatic I/R injury, by delayed extraction matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (DE MALDI-TOF-MS). Results The total amounts of ceramide and sphingomyelin and the intensity of most kinds of sphingolipids, mainly sphingomyelin, significantly increased at 1 hour after reperfusion (P 〈0.05) and reached peaks at 6 hours after reperfusion (P 〈0.01) compared to controls. Six new forms of ceramide and sphingomyelins appeared 6 hours after reperfusion, they were (m/z) 537.8, 555.7, 567.7, 583.8, 683.5 and 731.4 respectively. A ceramide-monohexoside (m/z) 804.4 (CMH(d18:1C22:1+Na)+) also increased after reperfusion and correlated with extent of liver injury after reperfursion. Conclusions Three main forms of sphingolipids, ceramide, sphingomyelin and ceramide-monohexoside, are related to hepatic I/R injury and provide a new perspective in understanding the mechanisms responsible for hepatic I/R injury.展开更多
Background:We investigated possible biomarkers for endometriosis (EM) using the ClinProt technique and proteomics methods.Methods:We enrolled 50 patients with EM,34 with benign ovarian neoplasms and 40 healthy vol...Background:We investigated possible biomarkers for endometriosis (EM) using the ClinProt technique and proteomics methods.Methods:We enrolled 50 patients with EM,34 with benign ovarian neoplasms and 40 healthy volunteers in this study.Serum proteomic spectra were generated by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MS) combined with weak cationic exchange (WCX) magnetic beads.Possible biomarkers were analyzed by a random and repeat pattern model-validation method that we designed,and ClinProtools software,results were refined using online liquid chromatography-tandem MS.Results:We found a cluster of 5 peptides (4210,5264,2660,5635,and 5904 Da),using 3 peptides (4210,5904,2660 Da) to discriminate EM patients from healthy volunteers,with 96.67% sensitivity and 100% specificity.We selected 4210 and 5904 m/z,which differed most between patients with EM and controls,and identified them as fragments of ATP1B4,and the fibrinogen alpha (FGA) isoform 1/2 of the FGA chain precursor,respectively.Conclusions:ClinProt can identify EM biomarkers,which-most notably-distinguish even early-stage or minimal disease.We found 5 stable peaks at 4210,5264,2660,5635,and 5904 Da as potential EM biomarkers,the strongest of which were associated with ATP1B4 (4210 Da) and FGA (5904 Da); this indicates that ATP1B4 and FGA are associated with EM pathogenesis.展开更多
文摘Introduction Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are the most abundant DNA markers in the human genome occurring at a frequency of one in every 500--1000 nucleotides. A variety of methods have been used for the analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms, including restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), direct sequencing by using laser-induced fluorescence detectionTM, fluorescence energy transfer, MALDI-TOF MS combined with primer extension or invasive cleavage, and fluorescence polarization. During the past two decades, mass spectrometry has become a very popular tool in the analysis of biomolecules and is perfectly suited to the analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) due to its speed, low cost, and accuracy. In this work, we used MALDI TOF mass spectrometry to detect the fragments of restriction endonuclease hydrolysis of PCR products flanking a SNP located at paraoxonase 1(Q192R). Compared with electrophoresis, this method requires less time of analysis and possess a higher accuracy.
文摘Matrix-assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization with Time-of-flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS) was investigated as a method for the rapid identifica-tion of species. Current demand in microbial identi-fication is how to compare unknown strains to the known one quickly, semi-automatically and accurately. In this paper, we present a software tool that allows flexibly microbial matching in a user-friendly way, by letting the users to customize comparison parameters including: in vitro transcription enzyme, mass tolerance,minimum fragment length, intensity threshold and corresponding weights. We provide three spectral scoring functions to compute the affin-ity between the species. Therefore, the precision of microbial comparison increases. To test and verify this tool, we employed experimental spectral data based on MALDI-TOFMS and the gene sequences of E.coli and Salmonella. This software is written in Java for cross-platform intention.
文摘Background Freshwater snails of the genera Bulinus spp.,Biomphalaria spp.,and Oncomelania spp.are the main intermediate hosts of human and animal schistosomiasis.Identification of these snails has long been based on mor-phological and/or genomic criteria,which have their limitations.These limitations include a lack of precision for the morphological tool and cost and time for the DNA-based approach.Recently,Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorp-tion/lonization Time-Of-Flight(MALDI-TOF)mass spectrometry,a new tool used which is routinely in clinical microbi-ology,has emerged in the field of malacology for the identification of freshwater snails.This study aimed to evaluate the ability of MALDI-TOF MS to identify Biomphalaria pfeifferi and Bulinus forskali snail populations according to their geographicalorigin.Methods This study was conducted on 101 Bi.pfeifferi and 81 Bu.forskali snails collected in three distinct geo-graphical areas of Senegal(the North-East,South-East and central part of the country),and supplemented with wild and laboratory strains.Specimens which had previously been morphologically described were identified by MALDl-TOF MS[identification log score values(LSV)≥1.7],after an initial blind test using the pre-existing database.After DNA-based identification,new reference spectra of Bi.pfeiferi(n=10)and Bu.forskali(n=5)from the geographical areas were added to the MALDI-TOF spectral database.The final blind test against this updated database was per-formed to assess identification at the geographic source level.Results MALDI-TOF MS correctly identified 92.1%of 101 Bi.pfeifferi snails and 98.8%of 81 Bu.forskali snails.At the final blind test,88%of 166 specimens were correctly identified according to both their species and sampling site,with LSVs ranging from 1.74 to 2.70.The geographical source was adequately identified in 90.1%of 91 Bi.pfeifferi and 85.3%of 75 Bu.forskalii samples.Conclusions Our findings demonstrate that MALDI-TOF MS can identify and differentiate snail populations according to geographical origin.It outperforms the current DNA-based approaches in discriminating laboratory from wild strains.This inexpensive high-throughput approach is likely to further revolutionise epidemiological studies in areas which are endemic for schistosomiasis.
基金This work was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 30570795) and Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University (No. NECT-06-0845) and the Program in Science and Technology of Xi'an, Shaanxi Province (No. S F08009(1)).Acknowledgement: We are grateful to HU Xiao-hui for the technical guidance.
文摘Background Recently, due to the rapid development of proteomic techniques, great advance has been made in many scientific fields. We aimed to use magnetic beads (liquid chip) based matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) technology to screen distinctive biomarkers for lung adenocarcinoma (adCA), and to establish the diagnostic protein profiles. Methods Using weak cation exchange magnetic beads (MB-WCX) to isolate and purify low molecular weight proteins from sera of 35 lung adCA, 46 benign lung diseases (BLDs) and 44 healthy individuals. The resulting spectra gained by anchor chip-MALDI-TOF-MS were analyzed by ClinProTools and a pattern recognition genetic algorithm (GA). Results In the working mass range of 800-10 000 Da, 99 distinctive peaks were resolved in lung adCA versus BLDs, while 101 peaks were resolved in lung adCA versus healthy persons. The profile gained by GA that could distinguish adCA from BLDs was comprised of 4053.88, 4209.57 and 3883.33 Da with sensitivity of 80%, specificity of 93%, while that could separate adCA from healthy control was comprised of 2951.83 Da and 4209.73 Da with sensitivity of 94%, specificity of 95%. The sensitivity provided by carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in this experiment was significantly lower than our discriminatory profiles (P 〈0.005). We further identified a eukaryotic peptide chain release factor GTP-binding subunit (eRF3b) (4209 Da) and a complement C3f (1865 Da) that may serve as candidate biomarkers for lung adCA. Conclusion Magnetic beads based MALDI-TOF-MS technology can rapidly and effectively screen distinctive proteins/polypeptides from sera of lung adCA patients and controls, which has potential value for establishing a new diagnostic method for lung adCA.
文摘Background The pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorders remains elusive and currently there are no diagnostic or pre-dictive biomarkers in autism available. Proteomic profiling has been used in a wide range of neurodevelopmental disorder studies, which could produce deeper perceptions of the molecular bases behind certain disease and potentially becomes useful in discovering biomarkers in autism spectrum disorders. Methods Serum samples were collected from autistic children about 3 years old in age (n = 32) and healthy controls (n = 20) in similar age and gender. The samples were identified specific proteins that are diff erentially expressed by magnetic bead-based pre-fractionation and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-ToF-MS). Results Eight protein peaks were significantly different in autistic children from the healthy controls (P < 0.0001). The two peaks with the most significant diff erences were 6428 and 7758 Da in size. Conclusion According to diff erences in serum protein profiles between the autistic children and healthy controls, this study identified a set of diff erentially expressed proteins those are significant for further evaluation and might function as biomark-ers in autism.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(30800193)Grant from Centre for International Mobility(CIMO),Finland
文摘Native and methyl-esterified sialylated glycans were analyzed with 2,4,6-trihydroxyacetophenone(THAP)and 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid(DHB)as matrix by a matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometer(MALDI-TOF MS).High quality negative-ion spectra of commercial sialylated glycan were obtained with THAP as matrix.Detection limit of the glycan was less than 0.1 pmol.After methyl esterification of sialic acid(SA)residue,sialylated glycans were detected sensitively in the positive-ion mode using DHB as matrix.Neutral and sialylated glycans from the mixture of asialofetuin and fetuin were methylesterified and simultaneously recognized in one manipulation.Methyl esterification of SA residue offers a convenient and sensitive way to identify the structure of N-linked glycans for glycan profiling.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos.22036001, 22276034 and 22106130)。
文摘Cancer cell spheroids(CCS) are a valuable three-dimensional cell model in cancer studies because they could replicate numerous characteristics of solid tumors. Increasing researches have used matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging(MALDI-MSI) to investigate the spatial distribution of endogenous compounds(e.g., lipids) in CCS. However, only limited lipid species can be detected owing to a low ion yield by using MALDI. Besides, it is still challenging to fully characterize the structural diversity of lipids due to the existence of isomeric/isobaric species. Here, we carried out the initial application of MALDI coupled with laser-postionization(MALDI-2) and trapped ion mobility spectrometry(TIMS) imaging in HCT116 colon CCS to address these challenges. We demonstrated that MALDI-2 is capable of detecting more number and classes of lipids in HCT116 colon CCS with higher signal intensities than MALDI. TIMS could successfully separate numerous isobaric/isomeric species of lipids in CCS. Interestingly, we found that some isomeric/isobaric species have totally different spatial distributions in colon CCS. Further MS/MS imaging analysis was employed to determine the compositions of fatty acid chains for isomeric species by examining disparities in signal intensities and spatial distributions of product ions. This work stresses the robust ability of TIMS and MALDI-2 imaging in analyzing endogenous lipids in CCS, which could potentially become powerful tools for future cancer studies.
文摘Objective To identify specific biomarkers that could improve early diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) technology. Methods Serum samples were isolated from 17 patients with stage Ⅰ lung adenocarcinoma and 17 age-and sex-matched healthy controls,and the serum proteomic profiles were obtained by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry. Results Compared with healthy control group,two highly expressed potential biomarkers were identified with the relative molecular weights of 6 631.64 Da and 4 964.21 Da. The two best novel protein peaks were automatically chosen for the system training and the development of the constructed model. The constructed model was then used to test an independent set of masked serum samples from 15 lung adenocarcinoma patients and 22 healthy individuals. The analysis yielded a sensitivity of 93.3%,and a specificity of 95.5%. Conclusion These results suggest that MALDI-TOF-MS ProteinChip technology is a quick,convenient,and high-output analyzing method that is capable of selecting several relatively potential biomarkers from the serum of lung adenocarcinoma patients and may have a clinical value in the future,and will provide clues to identifying new serologic biomarkers of lung adenocarcinoma.
文摘BACKGROUND Nocardia pneumonia shares similar imaging and clinical features with pulmonary tuberculosis and lung neoplasms,but the treatment and anti-infective medication are completely different.Here,we report a case of pulmonary nocardiosis caused by Nocardia cyriacigeorgica(N.cyriacigeorgica),which was misdiagnosed as community-acquired pneumonia(CAP)with repeated fever.CASE SUMMARY A 55-year-old female was diagnosed with community-acquired pneumonia in the local hospital because of repeated fever and chest pain for two months.After the anti-infection treatment failed in the local hospital,the patient came to our hospital for further treatment.Enhanced computed tomography showed multiple patchy,nodular and strip-shaped high-density shadows in both lungs.A routine haematological examination was performed and showed abnormalities in CD19+B cells and CD4+T cells.Positive acid-fast bifurcating filaments and branching gram-positive rods were observed in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of the patient under an oil microscope,which was identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry as N.cyriacigeorgica.The patient’s condition quickly improved after taking 0.96 g compound sulfamethoxazole tablets three times a day.CONCLUSION The antibiotic treatment of Nocardia pneumonia is different from that of common CAP.Attention should be given to the pathogenic examination results of patients with recurrent fever.Nocardia pneumonia is an opportunistic infection.Patients with CD4+T-cell deficiency should be aware of Nocardia infection.
基金supported by the National Nature1 Science Foundation of China(30170623)the National 863 Program of China(2001AA246013).
文摘MALDI-TOF-MS technology was used for identification of lipopeptide antibiotics producedby GEB3 strain, a derivative of Bacillus subtilis 168 which was transformed by lpaB3gene. The result showed GEB3 only produced lipopeptide antibiotic surfactin. The analysisby LC-MS demonstrated that GEB3 produced standard surfactin isoforms with side chainlengths of 13,14 and 15 carbon atoms. The bioactivity detection of surfactin indicatedthat the surfactin produced by GEB3 had inhibition effect on plant pathogens Rhizoctoniasolani and Pyricularia oryzae.
基金Supported by National Research Foundation Grant No.UIRCA 2012-21832 for A.Amin
文摘AIM: To evaluate the qualitative and quantitativechanges in N-linked glycosylation, which occurredin association with diethyl nitrosamine-inducedhepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in rodents.METHODS: Liver tissues of (1) normal (non-tumorbearing)rats; and (2) tumor-bearing rats; were collectedand were used for histological and GlycanMap? analyses.Briefly, GlycanMap? analysis is a high-throughputassay that provides a structural and quantitativereadout of protein-associated glycans using a unique,automated 96-well assay technology coupled tomatrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-offlightmass spectrometry and custom bioinformatics.Histopathological studies were carried out to ensure thedevelopment of HCC in the tested animals.RESULTS: The N-glycomic analysis revealed 5glycans; Glc1Man9GlcNAc2, Gal2Man3GlcNac4Fuc1Neu1,Man4G l c N a c 2, G a l 2Man3G l c N a c 4Neu3OAc 3, andMan3GlcNac5Fuc1, which showed significant changesin rat HCC tissues when compared with normal livertissues. Four glycans were increased (P 〈 0.05) andGlc1Man9GlcNAc2 was decreased (5.89 ± 0.45 vs 3.54± 0.21, P 〈 0.01) in HCC tissues compared to normal liver tissues. An increase (66.5 ± 1.05 vs 62.7 ± 1.1,P 〈 0.05) in high-mannose structures in HCC rats wasobserved compared to normal rats. Importantly, HCCrats showed an increase (P 〈 0.05) in both tumorassociatedcarbohydrates and in branched glycans. Thechanges in glycans correlated well with glycan flowchanges reported in the glycan biosynthetic pathway,which indicates the importance of enzyme activitiesinvolved in glycan synthesis at different subcellularlocalizations.CONCLUSION: The reported HCC-associated changesin glycan flow and subcellular localization explain theincrease in high mannose glycans and siayl Lewisglycans common in HCC liver tissues.
基金Supported by Foundation for Young Mainstay TeachersEducation Ministry of China.
文摘The radial basis function networks were applied to bacterial classification based on the matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometric (MALDI-TOF-MS) data. The classification of bacteria cultured at different time was discussed and the effect of the network parameters on the classification was investigated. The cross-validation method was used to test the trained networks. The correctness of the classification of different bacteria investigated changes in a wide range from 61.5% to 92.8%. Owing to the complexity of biological effects in bacterial growth, the more rigid control of bacterial culture conditions seems to be a critical factor for improving the rate of correctness for bacterial classification.
文摘BACKGROUND Comamonas kerstersii(C.kerstersii)infections have considered as non-pathogenic to humans,however due to new techniques such as matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry(MALDI-TOF-MS),more cases have been identified.CASE SUMMARY This is the first report of a maternal patient with a C.kerstersii bacteremia following caesarean section.Due to the severity of the patient’s condition;high fever and rapidly progressing organ damage,the patient was transferred to the intensive care unit.C.kerstersii was detected by metagenomic next-generation sequencing testing.Based on the drug sensitivity test,appropriate antibiotic treatment was given and the patient recovered fully.CONCLUSION This case report confirms that the detection via MALDI-TOF-MS and metagenomic next-generation sequencing testing provides a reliable basis for the diagnosis of this rare bacterial infection.
基金Supported by Jilin Science and Technology Development Program,No.20190304110YY
文摘BACKGROUND Burkholderia gladioli(B.gladioli)is regarded as a rare opportunistic pathogen.Only a few patients with abscesses caused by B.gladioli infections have been reported,and these are usually abscesses at the incision caused by traumatic surgery.CASE SUMMARY A 74-year-old male patient with abscesses and pain throughout his body for 1 mo was admitted to our hospital.Some of the abscesses had ruptured with purulent secretions on admission.Color Doppler ultrasound examination of the body surface masses showed mixed masses 75 mm×19 mm,58 mm×17 mm,17 mm×7 mm,and 33 mm×17 mm in size in the muscle tissues of both the right and left forearms,the posterior area of the right knee and the left leg,respectively.Abscess secretions and blood cultures grew B.gladioli.The following 3 methods were used to jointly identify the bacterium:an automatic microbial identification system,matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry,and full-length 16 S rDNA sequencing.After 27 d of treatment with meropenem,etimicin,trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and other antibiotics,most of his skin abscesses were flat and he was discharged without any symptoms.CONCLUSION This is the first reported case of multiple skin abscesses associated with bacteremia caused by B.gladioli.Our study provides important reference values for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of B.gladioli infections.
文摘Tsukamurella species are obligate aerobic,gram-positive,weak acid-fast,nonmotile bacilli.They are found in various environments,such as soil,water,sludge,and petroleum reservoir wastewater,and belong to the order Actinomycetales.In 2016,there was a reclassification of species within the genus Tsukamurella,merging the species Tsukamurella tyrosinosolvens(T.tyrosinosolvens)and Tsukamurella carboxydivorans.Tsukamurella species are clinically considered to be a rare opportunistic pathogen,because most reported cases have been related to bacteremia and intravascular prosthetic devices and immunosuppression.To date,it has been isolated only from human specimens,and has always been associated with clinical disease;human infections are very rare.Reported infections have included pneumonia,brain abscesses,catheter-related bloodstream infections,ocular infections,bacteremia,and sepsis presenting with septic pulmonary emboli in patients who are immunocompromised.To date,there is no commercially available test for identification.On the other hand,sequence-based identification,including matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry,is an alternative method for identifying clinical isolates that are either slow growers or difficult to identify through biochemical profiling.The golden standards for diagnosis and optimal management still remain to be determined.However,newer molecular biological techniques can provide accurate identification,and contribute to the appropriate selection of definitive therapy for infections caused by this organism.Combinations of several antimicrobial agents have been proposed for treatment,though the length of treatment for infections has yet to be determined,and should be individualized according to clinical response.Immunocompromised patients often experience severe cases due to infection,and life-threatening T.tyrosinosolvens events associated with dissemination and/or failure of source control have occurred.Favorable prognoses can be achieved through earlier identification of the cause of infection,as well as successful management,including appropriate antibiotic therapy together with source control.Further analyses of similar cases are required to establish the most adequate diagnostic methods and treatment regimens for infections.
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(2017YFC0906800)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(21635006,31670373 and 21721005)
文摘20-Hydroxyecdysone(20E)derived from plants has a wide range of physiological and pharmacological ef ects on animals and humans,and rapid and sensitive methods for screening of the endogenous 20E in plants are thus required.Herein,a matrixassisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-f ight tandem mass spectrometry(MALDI-TOF/TOF MS)method is described for rapid and sensitive determination of endogenous 20E in plants.It is based on the use of the(3-(acridin-9-ylamino)phenyl)boronic acid(AYPBA)as the mass tag to assist the MS and tandem MS(MS^(n))analysis of 20E on MALDI-TOF/TOF MS.Good linearity was obtained with a determination coef cient(R^(2))larger than 0.99 in the range of 0.025–2.5μΜ.The limit of detection(LOD)was 2.4 fmol.Acceptable precision and accuracy were gained by intra-and inter-day analysis with relative standard deviations less than 19.5%and relative recoveries ranging from 85.7 to 105.2%.In addition,the AYPBA labeled 20E produced abundant characteristic fragment ions under the high energy collision-induced dissociation,which facilitated the identif cation of 20E by MS^(2)analysis on MALDI-TOF/TOF MS.Using the method,we enabled the identif cation and quantif cation of endogenous 20E in four herbs including Cyanotis arachoidea,Achyranthes bidentata,Spinacia oleracea and Chenopodium quinoa willd.,demonstrating the feasibility of the proposed method for screening of the endogenous 20E in plants.
基金This work was supported partly by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 30772054 and No. 30672071).
文摘Background Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury occurs in many clinical procedures. The molecular mechanisms responsible for hepatic I/R injury however remain unknown. Sphingolipids, in particular ceramide, play a role in stress and death receptor-induced hepatocellular death, contributing to the progression of several liver diseases including liver I/R injury. In order to further define the role of sphingolipids in hepatic I/R, systemic analysis of sphingolipids after reperfusion is necessary. Methods We investigated the lipidomic changes of sphingolipids in a rat model of warm hepatic I/R injury, by delayed extraction matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (DE MALDI-TOF-MS). Results The total amounts of ceramide and sphingomyelin and the intensity of most kinds of sphingolipids, mainly sphingomyelin, significantly increased at 1 hour after reperfusion (P 〈0.05) and reached peaks at 6 hours after reperfusion (P 〈0.01) compared to controls. Six new forms of ceramide and sphingomyelins appeared 6 hours after reperfusion, they were (m/z) 537.8, 555.7, 567.7, 583.8, 683.5 and 731.4 respectively. A ceramide-monohexoside (m/z) 804.4 (CMH(d18:1C22:1+Na)+) also increased after reperfusion and correlated with extent of liver injury after reperfursion. Conclusions Three main forms of sphingolipids, ceramide, sphingomyelin and ceramide-monohexoside, are related to hepatic I/R injury and provide a new perspective in understanding the mechanisms responsible for hepatic I/R injury.
基金grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China,supported by Peking University People's Hospital Research and Development Funds
文摘Background:We investigated possible biomarkers for endometriosis (EM) using the ClinProt technique and proteomics methods.Methods:We enrolled 50 patients with EM,34 with benign ovarian neoplasms and 40 healthy volunteers in this study.Serum proteomic spectra were generated by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MS) combined with weak cationic exchange (WCX) magnetic beads.Possible biomarkers were analyzed by a random and repeat pattern model-validation method that we designed,and ClinProtools software,results were refined using online liquid chromatography-tandem MS.Results:We found a cluster of 5 peptides (4210,5264,2660,5635,and 5904 Da),using 3 peptides (4210,5904,2660 Da) to discriminate EM patients from healthy volunteers,with 96.67% sensitivity and 100% specificity.We selected 4210 and 5904 m/z,which differed most between patients with EM and controls,and identified them as fragments of ATP1B4,and the fibrinogen alpha (FGA) isoform 1/2 of the FGA chain precursor,respectively.Conclusions:ClinProt can identify EM biomarkers,which-most notably-distinguish even early-stage or minimal disease.We found 5 stable peaks at 4210,5264,2660,5635,and 5904 Da as potential EM biomarkers,the strongest of which were associated with ATP1B4 (4210 Da) and FGA (5904 Da); this indicates that ATP1B4 and FGA are associated with EM pathogenesis.