Discovery of pulmonary fibrosis inhibitor targeting TGF-b RI in Polygonum cuspidatum by high resolution mass spectrometry with in silico strategy

Pulmonary fibrosis(PF)is an irreversible lung disease that is characterized by excessive scar tissue with a poor median survival rate of 2-3 years.The inhibition of transforming growth factor-β receptor type-I(TGF-β RI)by an appropriate drug may provide a promising strategy for the treatment of this disease.Polygonum cuspidatum(PC)is a well-known traditional Chinese herbal medicine which has an anti-PF effect.Accordingly,a combination of high resolution mass spectrometry with an in silico strategy was developed as a new method to search for potential chemical ingredients of PC that target the TGF-β RI.Based on this strategy,a total of 24 ingredients were identified.Then,absorption,distribution,metabolism,and excretion(ADME)-related properties were subsequently predicted to exclude compounds with potentially undesirable pharmacokinetics behaviour.Molecular docking studies on TGF-β RI were adopted to discover new PF inhibitors.Eventually,a compound that exists in PC known as resveratrol was proven to have excellent biological activity on TGF-β RI,with an IC_(50) of 2.211 μM in vitro.Furthermore,the complex formed through molecular docking was tested via molecular dynamics simulations,which revealed that resveratrol had strong interactions with residues of TGF-β RI.This study revealed that resveratrol has significant potential as a treatment for PF due to its ability to target TGF-β RI.In addition,this research demonstrated the exploration of natural products with excellent biological activities toward specific targets via high resolution mass spectrometry in combination with in silico technology is a promising strategy for the discovery of novel drugs.

Software-aided detection and structural characterization of cyclic peptide metabolites in biological matrix by high-resolution mass spectrometry

Compared to their linear counterparts,cyclic peptides show better biological activities,such as antibacterial,immunosuppressive,and anti-tumor activities,and pharmaceutical properties due to their conformational rigidity.However,cyclic peptides could form numerous putative metabolites from potential hydrolytic cleavages and their fragments are very difficult to interpret.These characteristics pose a great challenge when analyzing metabolites of cyclic peptides by mass spectrometry.This study was to assess and apply a software-aided analytical workflow for the detection and structural characterization of cyclic peptide metabolites.Insulin and atrial natriuretic peptide(ANP)as model cyclic peptides were incubated with trypsin/chymotrypsin and/or rat liver S9,followed by data acquisition using TripleTOF?5600.Resultant full-scan MS and MS/MS datasets were automatically processed through a combination of targeted and untargeted peak finding strategies.MS/MS spectra of predicted metabolites were interrogated against putative metabolite sequences,in light of a,b,y and internal fragment series.The resulting fragment assignments led to the confirmation and ranking of the metabolite sequences and identification of metabolic modification.As a result,29 metabolites with linear or cyclic structures were detected in the insulin incubation with the hydrolytic enzymes.Sequences of twenty insulin metabolites were further determined,which were consistent with the hydrolytic sites of these enzymes.In the same manner,multiple metabolites of insulin and ANP formed in rat liver S9 incubation were detected and structurally characterized,some of which have not been previously reported.The results demonstrated the utility of software-aided data processing tool in detection and identification of cyclic peptide metabolites.

Determination of trace elements in high purity nickel by high resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

The contents ofMg, Al, Si, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Ga, As, Se, Cd, Sb, Pb and Bi in high purity nickel were determined by high resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry （HR-ICP-MS）. The sample was dissolved in HNO3 and HCI by microwave digestion. Most of the spectral interferences could be avoided by measuring in the high resolution mode. The matrix effects because of the presence of excess HC1 and nickel were evaluated. Correction for matrix effects was made using Sc, Rh and T1 as internal standards. The optimum conditions for the determination were tested and discussed. The detection limits range from 0.012 to 1.76 ~tg/g depending on the type of elements. The applicability of the proposed method is also validated by the analysis of high purity nickel reference material （NIST SRM 671）. The relative standard deviation （RSD） is less than 3.3%. Results for determination of trace elements in high purity nickel were presented.

Quantification of trace amounts of impurities in high purity cobalt by high resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

A An analytical method using high resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry （HR-ICP-MS） for rapid simultaneous determination of 24 elements （Be, Mg, A1, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Ge, As, Se, Mo, Ag, Cd, Sn Sb, Ba, Pt, Au, and Pb） in high purity cobalt was described. Sample digestions were performed in closed microwave vessels using HNO3 and HCI. The matrix effects because of the presence of excess HCI and Co were evaluated. The usefulness of high mass resolution for overcoming some spectral interference was demonstrated. The optimum conditions for the determination were tested and discussed. The standard addition method was employed for quantitative analysis. The detection limits were 0.016-1.50 ].tg·g^-1, the recovery ratios were 92.2%-111.2%, and the RSD was less than 3.6%. The method was accurate, quick, and convenient. It was applied to the determination of trace impurities in high purity cobalt with satisfactory results.

Quantification of Trace Amounts of Impurities in High Purity Cobalt by High Resolution Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry

An analytical method using high resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry （HR-ICP-MS） for rapid simultaneous determination of Be, Mg, Al, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Ge, As, Se, Mo, Ag, Cd, Sn, Sb, Ba, Pt, Au and Pb in high purity cobalt was described. Sample digestions were performed in closed microwave vessels using HNO3 and HCl. The matrix effects due to the presence of excess HCl and Co were evaluated. The usefulness of high mass resolution for overcoming some spectral interference was demonstrated. The optimum conditions for the determination was tested and discussed. Correction for matrix effects, Sc, Rh and Bi were used as internal standards. The detection limits is 0.003-0.57 μg/g, the recovery ratio is 92.2%-111.2%, and the RSD is less than 3.6%. The method is accurate, quick and convenient. It has been applied to the determination of trace impurities in high purity cobalt with satisfactory results.

Direct Determination of Trace Impurities in High Purity Zinc Oxide by High Resolution Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry

The determination of trace impurities in high purity zinc oxide by high resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry （ HR-ICP-MS ） was investigated. To overcome some poteutially problematic spectral iuterference, measurements were acquired in both middle and high resolution modes. The matrix effects due to the presence of excess HCl and zinc were evaluated. The optimum conditions for the determination were tested and discussed. The standard addition method was employed for quantitative analysis. The detection limits ranged from 0.02μg/ g to 6 μg/ g depending on the elements. The experimental resalts for the determination of Na, Mg, Ca, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Mo, Cd, Sb and Pb in several high purity zinc oxide powders were presented.

Determination of Trace Elements in High Purity Gold by High Resolution Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry

Trace elements were determined in high purity gold by high resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry （HR-ICP-MS）. Sample were decomposed by aqua regia. To overcome some potentially problematic spectra/ interference, measurements were acquired in both medium and high resolution modes. The matrix effects due to the presence of excessive HCl and Au were evaluated. The optimum conditions for the determination was tested and discussed. The standard addition method was employed for quantitative analysis. The detection limits range from 0.01ug/g to 0.28ug/g depending on the elements. The method is accurate, quick and convenient. It has been applied to the determination of trace elements in high purity gold with satisfactory results.

Application of Liquid Chromatography-High Resolution Time-of-flight Mass Spectrometry in the Detection of Raw Milk and Dairy Products

Milk and dairy products are more and more popular with consumers due to their various nutrients, and their quality and safety issues have always been concerned. Therefore, the development of rapid, accurate and simple screening techniques is of great significance. Liquid chromatography-high resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry has high-resolution and high-throughput detection functions, and has gradually begun to be applied in the detection of milk and dairy products. This paper summarized the application of milk and dairy products in liquid chromatography-high resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry, laying a foundation for the development of new methods.

Development of an automatic measurement system using atmospheric pressure photoionization ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry and application for on-line analysis of particulate matter

On-line chemical characterization of atmospheric particulate matter(PM)with soft ionization technique and ultrahigh-resolution Mass Spectrometry(UHRMS)provides molecular information of organic constituents in real time.Here we describe the development and application of an automatic measurement system that incorporates PM_(2.5)sampling,thermal desorption,atmospheric pressure photoionization,and UHRMS analysis.Molecular formulas of detected organic compounds were deducted from the accurate(±10 ppm)molecular weights obtained at a mass resolution of 100,000,allowing the identification of small organic compounds in PM_(2.5).Detection efficiencies of 28 standard compounds were determined and we found a high sensitivity and selectivity towards organic amines with limits of detection below 10 pg.As a proof of principle,PM_(2.5)samples collected off-line in winter in the urban area of Beijing were analyzed using the Ionization Module and HRMS of the system.The automatic system was then applied to conduct on-line measurements during the summer time at a time resolution of 2 hr.The detected organic compounds comprised mainly CHON and CHN compounds below 350 m/z.Pronounced seasonal variations in elemental composition were observed with shorter carbon backbones and higher O/C ratios in summer than that in winter.This result is consistent with stronger photochemical reactions and thus a higher oxidation state of organics in summer.Diurnal variation in signal intensity of each formula provides crucial information to reveal its source and formation pathway.In summary,the automatic measurement system serves as an important tool for the on-line characterization and identification of organic species in PM_(2.5).

负离子电喷雾-傅里叶变换离子回旋共振质谱分析辽河原油中的环烷酸

Naphthenic acids (NAs) are complex mixtures of carboxylic acids that are responsible for the corrosivity of the crude oil with high total acid number(TAN).NAs are difficult to analyze due to their complexity and the lack of commercially available NA standards.This paper describes the use of negative-ion electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (ESI FT-ICR MS) for the analysis of NAs in Liaohe heavy crude oil.FT-ICR MS resolves thousands of species in a single mass spectrum allowing for unambiguous determination of elemental composition.O2 classes (with two O heteroatoms in one molecule) and their carbon number (revealing the extent of alkylation) distribution were detailedly investigated.We find that 2-5 rings NAs is the dominate component of acidic compounds in Liaohe crude oil,espasically with a high abundance of steroid acids and hopanoic acids.Neg-ESI-FTMS is very well suited to the characterization of naphthenic acids within a crude oil sample.Determination of the nature of the naphthenic acids present provides vital information,such as the acids’ sizes and composition.

二噁英提取方法的比较

Labeled polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans(PCDD/Fs)were extracted by three different methods,i.e.,soxhlet extraction,hot extraction and accelerated solvent extraction(ASE).The PCDD/Fs were detected by high resolution gas chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry.Comparisons of the three methods were carried out by recovery of PCDD/Fs,solvent consumption and extraction time.The results showed that all of the method could extract labeled PCDD/Fs efficiently.ASE was a time saving procedure with lowest consumption of solvents compared with the other two methods.

土壤中二噁英的快速预处理及HRGC-HRMS分析

A rapid pretreatment method of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) in soil and analysis by high resolution gas chromatograph-high resolution mass spectrometry was present.The extraction and alumina clean up of PCDD/Fs in soil was achieved by accelerated solvent extractor.Then the multi-layer silica-gel column was used for further clean up.The whole method has been evaluated on certified reference soil and farm soil.Accuracy and precision of this method was tested with satisfactory results.

Emerging frontier technologies for food safety analysis and risk assessment

Access to security and safe food is a basic human necessity and essential for a sustainable world. To perform hi-end rood safety analysis and risk assessment with state of the art technologies is of utmost importance thereof. With applications as exemplified by microfiuidic immunoassay, aptasensor, direct analysis in real time, high resolution mass spectrometry, benchmark dose and chemical specific adjustment factor, this review presents frontier food safety analysis and risk assessment technologies, from which both food quality and public health will benefit undoubtedly in a foreseeable future.

Application of Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry in molecular characterization of dissolved organic matter

Dissolved organic matter(DOM)plays an important role in the global carbon cycle,and an in-depth analysis of its chemical composition is fundamental to the study of its environmental and biogeochemical behavior and significance.DOM is a complex mixture of organic substances,and determining its molecular composition is a long-standing challenge in the field of analytical chemistry.The development and application of Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry(FT-ICR MS)has enabled the identification of the chemical composition of DOM at the molecular level.This paper summarizes progress made in the molecular characterization of DOM based on the FT-ICR MS technique,including DOM sample pretreatment methods,mass spectrometry ionization techniques,data acquisition,data processing and presentation,and molecular structure characterization.Focusing on the work done by the instrument at the State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing in the China University of Petroleum,Beijing,we introduce applications of FT-ICR MS in the fields of earth science,environmental science and engineering,and look ahead to further research directions in the future.

LCT和GCT联合鉴别未知水样中N,N-二烷基氨基乙基磺酸及其类似物

N,N-dialkylaminoethane-2-sulfonic acids are environmental marker compounds of V type nerve agents,hence analysis of them is very important for verification of the chemical weapons convention(CWC).In this article,liquid chromatography-high resolution time of flight mass spectrometry coupled with accurate mass measurement were used to discriminate N,N-disopropyl aminoethane-2-sulfonic acid and a CWC non-related compound 3-(N-Morpholino)propanesulfonic acid in Water.The method was fast,simple and accurate,proving that high resolution mass spectrometry is a good technique for the analysis of unknown toxicant.

Analytical Case Study on a Dedicated Pigment in Recycling Processes of Polyethylene

The ability to track & trace materials is a key feature in the entire chain, and it ensures circularity principles. Examples from plastic recycling show the enormous added value that analytical technology can have for the circular economy. During polymer production and recycling processes, pigments can be added for different purposes;e.g. as colouring agent of the polymeric product but also as tracer for tracking process development and control in the final recycle products versus possible by-products. An analytical method for tracking the pigment Solvent Blue 15 in input materials, in intermediates as well as in recyclates was developed by tracing and quantifying an indicator metal which is copper (Cu). Therefore, suitable digestion procedures and a quantification method by high resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HR-ICP-MS) were developed and used for measuring the polymeric digests. The method was tested on relevant samples from chemical recycling processes. The background concentrations in base/raw material are in the range of 0.05 - 0.1 mg·kg-1 Cu. The processing concentrations are in the range of 4.2 to 28 mg·kg-1 Cu, while the pigment starting material (polyethylene, PE) has a concentration of around 50 mg·kg-1 Cu.

Rapid discovery and identification of 68 compounds in the active fraction from Xiao-Xu-Ming decoction(XXMD) by HPLC-HRMS and MTSF technique

Xiao-Xu-Ming decoction（XXMD） was a traditional Chinese prescription and first recorded in ＂Bei Ji Qian Jin Yao Fang＂.It has been widely used to treat theoplegia and the sequel of theoplegia in China.In the present work,high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with high resolution mass spectrometry（HPLC-HRMS） combined with the mass spectral tree similarity filter technique（MTSF）was used to rapidly discover and identify the compounds of the active fraction of XXMD.A total of 3362 compounds were automatically detected by HPLC-HRMS,and final 68 compounds were identified in the active fraction of XXMD.including 14 templated compounds（reference compounds）,50 related compounds fished by MTSF technique,and 4 unrelated compounds identified by manual method.This study successfully applied MTSF technology for the first time to discover and identify the components of Chinese prescription.The results demonstrated that MTSF technique should be useful to the discovery and identification of compounds in Chinese prescription.This study also proved that MTSF can be applied to the targeted phytochemical separation.

Degradation of duloxetine: Identification of transformation products by UHPLC-ESI(+)-HRMS/MS,in silico toxicity and wastewater analysis

Duloxetine(DUL), an antidepressant drug, has been detected in surface water and wastewater effluents, however, there is little information on the formation of its transformation products(TPs). In this work, hydrolysis, photodegradation(UV irradiation) and chlorination experiments were performed on spiked distillated water, under controlled experimental conditions to simulate abiotic processes that can occur in the environment and wastewater treatment plants(WWTPs). Eleven TPs, nine from reaction with UV light and two from chlorine contact, were formed and detected by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry, and nine of them had their chemical structures elucidated upon analyses of their fragmentation patterns in MS/MS spectra. The formation and degradation of the TPs were observed. The parent compound was completely degraded after30 min in photodegradation and after 24 hr in chlorination. Almost all TPs were completely degraded in the experiments. The ecotoxicity and mutagenicity of the TPs were predicted based on several in silico models and it was found that a few of these products presented more ecotoxicity than DUL itself and six TPs showed positive mutagenicity. Finally, wastewater samples were analyzed and DUL and one TP, possibly formed by chlorination process, were detected in the effluent, which showed that WWTP not only did not remove DUL, but also formed a TP.

Occurrence of pharmaceutical and personal care products(PPCPs)in wastewater and receiving waters in South Africa using LC-Orbitrap™MS

There is continued interest in the occurrence and monitoring of emerging contaminants(ECs)in wastewater treatment plants(WWTPs)to assess their potential impact when released into the environment.The objective of this study was to determine the occurrence of pharmaceutical and personal care products(PPCPs)in WWTP influents and effluents and receiving river waters in Pretoria,South Africa.Targeted screening and identification of PPCPs in the samples was done using liquid chromatography(LC)coupled with high resolution mass spectrometry(HRMS)Orbitrap™HRMS,after clean-up and preconcentration with Waters Oasis®hydrophilic-lipophilic-balanced(HLB)solid phase extraction(SPE)cartridges.Of the 156 target analytes screened in the study,120 could be satisfactorily determined under the study conditions,with 71 and 73 compounds being detected and quantified in the influent and effluent samples,respectively.Concentrations in the influents ranged from<ILOQ-14.2 mgL^-1and those in the effluent from<ILOQ-2.45 mgL^-1.It was found that 84%of the quantified compounds belonged to various classes of pharmaceuticals.Ibuprofen,caffeine,paracetamol and estradiol were the major individual contaminants in influent samples with average concentrations of 14.2,8.68,4.79 and 1.02 mgL^-1,respectively.In the effluent samples,the highest concentrations were recorded for estradiol(2.45 mgL^-1),ibuprofen(1.03 mgL^-1)and efavirenz(0.58 mgL^-1).The highest mean concentrations(above 0.5 mgL^-1)recorded in the river water samples were for ibuprofen,(4.14 mgL^-1downstream;3.19 mgL^-1upstream),caffeine(2.98 mgL^-1downstream;1.42 mgL^-1upstream),paraxanthine(1.22 mgL^-1downstream;0.798 mgL^-1upstream).Analysis of river water samples also revealed that PPCP contamination in the river system cannot be solely attributed to the WWTP effluents.Twenty-four compounds presented in this study are reported for the first time in South African surface waters.

Evaluation and optimization of analytical procedure and sample preparation for polar Streptomyces albus J1074 metabolome profiling

Metabolomics is an essential discipline in omics technology that promotes research on the biology of microbial systems.Streptomyces albus J1074 is a model organism used in fundamental research and industrial microbiology.Nevertheless,a comprehensive and standardized method for analyzing the metabolome of S.albus J1074 is yet to be developed.Thus,we comprehensively evaluated and optimized the analytical procedure and sample preparation for profiling polar metabolites using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography(HILIC)coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry(HRMS).We systematically examined the HILIC columns,quenching solutions,sample-to-quenching ratios,and extraction methods.Then,the optimal protocol was used to investigate the dynamic intracellular polar metabolite profile of the engineered S.albus J1074 strains during spinosad(spinosyn A and spinosyn D)fermentation.A total of 3648 compounds were detected,and 83 metabolites were matched to the standards.The intracellular metabolomic profiles of engineered S.albus J1074 strains(ADE-AP and OE3)were detected;furthermore,their metabolomes in different stages were analyzed to reveal the reasons for their differences in their spinosad production,as well as the current metabolic limitation of heterologous spinosad production in S.albus J1074.The HILIC-HRMS method is a valuable tool for investigating polar metabolomes,and provides a reference methodology to study other Streptomyces metabolomes.