Catherine Claparols

Tryptophan oxidation photosensitized by pterin

Pterins are normal components of cells and they have been previously identified as good photosensitizers under UV-A irradiation, inducing DNA damage and oxidation of nucleotides. In this work, we have investigated the ability of pterin (Ptr), the parent compound of oxidized pterins, to photosensitize the oxidation of another class of biomolecules, amino acids, using tryptophan (Trp) as a model compound. Irradiation of Ptr in the UV-A spectral range (350 nm) in aerated aqueous solutions containing Trp led to the consumption of the latter, whereas the Ptr concentration remained unchanged. Concomitantly, hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) was produced. Although Ptr is a singlet oxygen ((1)O₂) sensitizer, the degradation of Trp was inhibited in O₂-saturated solutions, indicating that a (1)O₂-mediated process (type II oxidation) was not an important pathway leading to Trp oxidation. By combining different analytical techniques, we could establish that a type I photooxidation was the prevailing mechanism, initiated by an electron transfer from the Trp molecule to the Ptr triplet excited state, yielding the corresponding radical ions (Trp(·+)/Trp(-H)· and Ptr(·-)). The Trp reaction products that could be identified by UPLC-mass spectrometry are in agreement with this conclusion.

The Antimalarial Trioxaquine DU1301 Alkylates Heme in Malaria-Infected Mice

ABSTRACT The in vivo alkylation of heme by the antimalarial trioxaquine DU1301 afforded covalent heme-drug adducts that were detected in the spleens of Plasmodium sp.-infected mice. This result indicates that the alkylation capacities of trioxaquines in mammals infected with Plasmodium strains are similar to that of artemisinin, a natural antimalarial trioxane-containing drug.

Development of an extraction method based on new porous organogel materials coupled with liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry for the rapid quantification of bisphenol A in urine

A new method based on the use of porous organogel materials in combination with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS) was assessed for the quantification of trace contaminants in complex matrices. As a demonstration of the use of these new materials, the contaminant chosen as a model was bisphenol A (BPA) and its extraction was investigated in urine. Organogel materials consist of an organic solvent immobilized by an organogelator. The composition of the organogel materials was optimized in terms of extraction efficiency and compatibility with LC-MS-MS. Porosity was introduced into the organogel by means of the particulate leaching method using sugar crystals. This new absorbing material is simple to use; the extraction method is reduced to a few steps. The originality of the method lies in the complete dissolution of the material for analysis by LC-MS-MS. The matrix effect of the organogel components was studied and was found to be minimal in atmospheric-pressure chemical ionization (APCI) compared to electrospray ionization (ESI) in negative mode. The influence of matrix components on the extraction was investigated by working with different media (acidified water, synthetic urine, horse urine and human urine). The partition coefficient was not affected within the margin of error (±0.1). After optimization, bisphenol A recoveries from urine samples reached 80%. The actual concentration factor was 10. The relative standard deviation (RSD, n=6) for the extraction and determination of BPA in horse urine spiked at 10ngmL(-1) was 9%. Tests with spiked human urine showed that the extraction performances were the same as with the solutions tested previously. The use of porous organogel allowed a fast, simple, sensitive, robust, green method to be developed for the determination of trace contaminants in complex matrices.

Degradation of 2,4-dihydroxibenzoic acid by vacuum UV process in aqueous solution: Kinetic, identification of intermediates and reaction pathway

2,4-Dihydroxybenzoic acid (2,4-DHBA) is found frequently as a pollutant in natural waters and represents a threat to water quality because it is a precursor to the formation of quinones which are highly toxic. The degradation of 2,4-DHBA using the vacuum UV photolysis of water has been investigated. Irradiation was carried out in an annular photoreactor equipped with a Xe-excimer lamp situated in the centre and emitting at 172 nm. The degradation kinetic followed a pseudo first order and the reaction has been found to be very heterogeneous, especially at low concentration. Impacts of oxygen or temperature have also been investigated but no effect has been shown. LC-MS and HPLC-UV combined with other analytical techniques allowed the identification of the formation of trihydroxybenzoïc acids and trihydroxybenzenes which underwent a ring opening, conducting to the formation of aliphatic products named α, β, δ and γ. These products were in turn degraded successively into maleïc acid, malic and succinic acid, malonic acid, glyoxalic acid and oxalic acid before reaching the complete mineralization in about 180 min. The proposed reaction pathway has shown to be very different from the one observed for the TiO(2) photocatalysis which involves only holes (h(+)) without any formation of aromatic intermediates. The different behaviours of 2,4-DHBA towards the h(+) and HO make it a good probe to identify involved entities.

Correlation between Plasmodium yoelii nigeriensis Susceptibility to Artemisinin and Alkylation of Heme by the Drug

ABSTRACT Evidence of artemisinin (ART) resistance in all of the Greater Mekong Region is currently of major concern. Understanding of the mechanisms of resistance developed by Plasmodium against artemisinin and its derivatives is urgently needed. We here demonstrated that ART was able to alkylate heme in mice infected by the ART-susceptible strain of Plasmodium yoelii nigeriensis, Y-control. After long-term drug pressure, the parasite strain (Y-ART3) was 5-fold less susceptible to ART than Y-control. In the blood of mice infected by Y-ART3, no heme-artemisinin adducts could be detected. After release of ART drug pressure, the parasite strain obtained (Y-REL) regained both drug susceptibility to ART and increased ability to produce covalent heme-artemisinin adducts. The correlation between parasite ART susceptibility and alkylation of heme by the drug confirms that heme or hemozoin metabolism is a key target for efficacy of ART as an antimalarial.

Development and Validation of Liquid Chromatography Combined with Tandem Mass Spectrometry Methods for the Quantitation of Simalikalactone E in Extracts of Quassia amara L. and in Mouse Blood

INTRODUCTION Simalikalactone E (SkE) from Quassia amara, has been proved to be a valuable anti-malarial and anti-cancer compound. As SkE is very scarce, methods of quantitation are needed in order to optimise its isolation process and to determine pharmacokinetic data. OBJECTIVE To validate methods using liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry for the quantitation of SkE in plant extracts and in biological fluids. METHODS High- and ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) coupled to ion trap mass spectrometry (MS) with single ion monitoring detection and to triple quadrupole-linear ion trap tandem mass spectrometry with multiple reaction monitoring detection methods were developed. Validation procedure was realised according to the International Conference on Harmonisation guideline. Methanol extracts of dried Quassia amara leaves, and mouse-blood samples obtained after various routes of administration, were analysed for SkE. RESULTS Methods were validated and gave similar results regarding the content of SkE expressed per kilogram of dry leaves in the traditional decoction (160 ± 12 mg/kg) and in the methanol extract (93 ± 2 mg/kg). The recovery of the analyte from mouse blood ranged from 80.7 to 119.8%. Simalikalactone E was only detected using UHPLC-MS/MS (0.2 ± 0.03 mg/L) in mouse blood after intravenous injection: none was detected following intraperitoneal or oral gavage administration of SkE. CONCLUSION The LC-MS methods were used for the quantitation of SkE in plant extracts and in mouse blood. These methods open the way for further protocol optimisation of SkE extraction and the determination of its pharmacokinetic data.