Huiyan Zhang

Development of a highly sensitive and specific immunoassay for enrofloxacin based on heterologous coating haptens

In the paper, an enzyme-linked immunosorbent immunoassay (ELISA) for detection of enrofloxacin was described using one new derivative of enrofloxacin as coating hapten, resulting in surprisingly high sensitivity and specificity. Incorporation of aminobutyric acid (AA) in the new derivative of enrofloxacin had decreased the IC50 of the ELISA for enrofloxacin from 1.3 μg L(-1) to as low as 0.07 μg L(-1). The assay showed neglect cross-reactivity for other fluoroquinolones but ofloxacin (8.23%), marbofloxacin (8.97%) and pefloxacin (7.29%). Analysis of enrofloxacin fortified chicken muscle showed average recoveries from 81 to 115%. The high sensitivity and specificity of the assay makes it a suitable screening method for the determination of low levels of enrofloxacin in chicken muscle without clean-up step.

A universal multi-wavelength fluorescence polarization immunoassay for multiplexed detection of mycotoxins in maize

Multi-analyte immunoassays have attracted increasing attention due to their short assay times, low sample consumption, and reduced detection costs per assay. In this work, we describe a homologous and high-throughput multi-wavelength fluorescence polarization immunoassay (MWFPIA) for the multiplexed detection of mycotoxins. Three typical Fusarium mycotoxins, deoxynivalenol (DON), T-2 toxin and fumonisin B1 (FB1), were labeled with different dyes. Tracers and specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were employed in the MWFPIA to simultaneously detect the three mycotoxins. Under optimal conditions, the limits of detection using MWFPIA were 242.0 μg kg(-1) for DON, 17.8 μg kg(-1) for T-2 toxin and 331.5 μg kg(-1) for FB1, providing sufficient sensitivity to meet the action levels of these three contaminants in maize as set by the European Union. The use of a methanol/water (2:3, v/v) mixture for sample pretreatment allowed recoveries ranging from 76.5-106.3%, with coefficients of variation less than 21.7%. The total time of analysis, including sample preparation, was less than 30 min. Twenty naturally contaminated maize samples were tested using MWFPIA and HPLC-MS/MS, with correlation coefficients (R(2)) of 0.97 for DON and 0.99 for FB1. By changing the targets of interest, homologous MWFPIA, a method with high sensitivity, a simple procedure and a short analysis time, can easily be extended to other chemical contaminants. Thus, MWFPIA represents a versatile strategy for food safety analysis.

Hapten synthesis, monoclonal antibody production and development of a competitive indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for erythromycin in milk

Erythromycin is an antibiotic used extensively in veterinary practice worldwide for treatment, prevention and growth promotion. In this work, monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) against erythromycin were produced and used to develop a competitive indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ciELISA) for the determination of erythromycin in milk. A novel carboxyphenyl derivative of erythromycin (ERO-CMO) was synthesized and conjugated with bovine serum (BSA) for use as the immunogen or ovalbumin (OVA) as the coating antigen. Four hybridoma cell lines were isolated, which produced Mabs that competed with erythromycin. The 6C1 and 5B2 Mabs had IC50 values for erythromycin of 14.40 and 0.94 μg L(-)(1), respectively. These Mabs demonstrated high cross-reactivity to the macrolides containing 14-membered rings, but not to oleandomycin. No cross-reactivity was observed for 12 macrolides that contained 15 or 16-membered lactone rings or for 2 pleuromutilins. The ciELISA developed using the 5B2 Mab afforded recovery values that ranged from 76.9% to 85.7% with only a 10-fold sample dilution prior to analysis.

In vitro and in vivo metabolite profiling of valnemulin using ultraperformance liquid chromatography-quadrupole/time-of-flight hybrid mass spectrometry.

Valnemulin, a semisynthetic pleuromutilin derivative related to tiamulin, is broadly used to treat bacterial diseases of animals. Despite its widespread use, metabolism in animals has not yet been fully investigated. To better understand valnemulin biotransformation, in this study, metabolites of valnemulinin in in vitro and in vivo rats, chickens, swines, goats, and cows were identified and elucidated using ultraperformance liquid chromatography–quadrupole/time-of-flight hybrid mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q/TOF-MS). As a result, there were totally 7 metabolites of valnemulin identified in vitro and 75, 61, and 74 metabolites detected in in vivo rats, chickens, and swines, respectively, and the majority of metabolites were reported for the first time. The main metabolic pathways of valnemulin were found to be hydroxylation in the mutilin part (the ring system) and the side chain, oxidization on the sulfur of the side chain to form S-oxides, hydrolysis of the amido bond, and acetylization in the amido of the side chain. In addition, hydroxylation in the mutilin part was proposed to be the primary metabolic route. Furthermore, the results revealed that 2β-hydroxyvalnemulin (V1) and 8α-hydroxyvalnemulin (V2) were the major metabolites for rats and swines and S-oxides (V6) in chickens.

In vitro and in vivo metabolism of ochratoxin A: a comparative study using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole/time-of-flight hybrid mass spectrometry

AbstractOchratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin that frequently contaminates a wide variety of food and feedstuffs. The metabolism of OTA greatly affects fate and toxicity in humans and animals, because of its possible carcinogenic character (International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), group 2B). To completely characterize the metabolites of OTA, the metabolism of OTA in liver microsomes of rats, chickens, swine, goats, cows, and humans was investigated using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole/time-of-flight hybrid mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q/TOF-MS). In addition, an in vivo comparative metabolism study of OTA was performed among rats and chickens after oral administration of OTA. As a result, a clear metabolic profile of OTA in different species was proposed, and a total of eight metabolites were identified, of which three hydroxylated metabolites at the phenylalanine moiety were discovered for the first time (preliminarily identified as 9′-OH-OTA, 7′-OH-OTA, and 5′-OH-OTA). Considerable amounts of 7′-OH-OTA were detected in different species’ liver microsomes, especially in chickens and humans. Moreover, the metabolism of OTA in chickens was elucidated for the first time in the present study. The 7′-OH-OTA proved to be the main metabolite in vitro and in vivo in chickens. Furthermore, the 4(S)-OH-OTA isomer was the major one, and 4(R)-OH-OTA the minor metabolite in chickens, which was different from others where 4R was the major. OTA undergoes metabolism via three different pathways, namely hydroxylation, dechlorination, and conjugation. The proposed metabolic pathways of OTA in various species provide the scientific community useful data for the toxicological safety evaluation of OTA among different species, and will further facilitate the food safety evaluation of OTA. Graphical abstractIn Vitro and in Vivo Metabolism of Ochratoxin A: A Comparative Study Using Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Quadrupole/Time-of-Flight Hybrid Mass Spectrometry

Monoclonal antibody production and the development of an indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for screening spiramycin in milk.

To monitor spiramycin (SP) residue in milk, a monoclonal antibody (mAb)-based indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (icELISA) was developed. This study described the preparation of three immunogens and the production of a high-affinity mAb. After optimization, the 50% inhibition concentration (IC50) for the developed icELISA was estimated as 0.97 ng/mL in the assay buffer, and the limit of detection and limit of quantitation were 2.51 and 4.40 μg/L in the milk matrix. The newly developed assay demonstrated negligible cross-reactivity with 15 other macrolide antibiotics, but not with kitasamycin (23.4%). The mean recoveries ranged from 81 to 103% for the spiked samples (5, 10, and 50 μg/L), and the coefficient of variation ranged from 5.4 to 9.6%. The icELISA was validated by LC-MS/MS method, and all results demonstrated that it was a suitable screening method for detecting SP residue in milk without requiring a cleanup process.

Production of antibodies and development of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for valnemulin in porcine liver

Polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies against valnemulin, a new semi-synthetic antibiotic derivative of pleuromutilin administered to treat swine dysentery and pneumonia, were generated. To achieve high enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay sensitivity for valnemulin, several heterologous coating antigens were prepared and evaluated, differing in the length of the spacer arm and the conjugation site between valnemulin and carrier protein. After the optimisation of immuno-reagents dilution, the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, based on polyclonal antibody number 2 and one heterologous coating antigen, showed the highest sensitivity with an IC50 value for valnemulin of 0.96 ng/mL in buffer. For spiked porcine liver, an extraction procedure with a mixture of acetonitrile and 0.01 M hydrochloric acid (40:60 v/v) was proposed and no further sample pre-treatment other than 10 times dilution of the extract was necessary prior to analysis, which gave recovery values ranging from 75.7% to 89.4%. The dynamic assay range and the limit of detection of the assay were 2.4−49.9 and 1.67 µg/kg for porcine liver, respectively. The assay was compared with a confirmation method based on LC-MS/MS by using valnemulin-treated samples, and a satisfactory correlation between both methods was observed.

Unraveling the in vitro and in vivo metabolism of diacetoxyscirpenol in various animal species and human using ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole/time-of-flight hybrid mass spectrometry.

AbstractDiacetoxyscirpenol (DAS), a Fusarium mycotoxin belonging to the trichothecene type A mycotoxins, is able to contaminate food and feed worldwide. Only limited information is available regarding the metabolism of DAS. The present study used ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole/time-of-flight hybrid mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q/TOF) to investigate the in vitro phase I and II metabolism of DAS by rat, chicken, swine, goat, cow, and human liver microsomes. An extensive metabolization profile of DAS has been observed. A total of seven phase I and three phase II metabolites of DAS were detected. Among the identified molecules, four phase I metabolites (8β-hydroxy-DAS, neosolaniol, 7-hydroxy-DAS, and its epimer) and two phase II metabolites (4-deacetyl-DAS-3-glucuronic acid and 4-deacetyl-DAS-4-glucuronic acid) were identified for the first time. These results indicate that the major metabolic pathways of DAS in vitro were hydrolyzation (M1–M3), hydroxylation (M4–M7), and conjugation (M8–M10). Qualitative differences in phase I and II metabolic profiles of DAS between the five animal species and human were observed. 4-Deacetyl-DAS was the primary metabolite from liver microsomes of all species, especially human. The in vivo metabolism of DAS in rats and chickens after oral administration of DAS was also investigated and compared. The major metabolites for rats and chickens were 4-deacetyl-DAS and 7-hydroxy-DAS. These results will help to gain a more detailed insight into the metabolism and toxicity of DAS among different animal species and human. Graphical AbstractThe metabolism of diacetoxyscirpenol in farm animals and human

Comprehensive Analysis of Tiamulin Metabolites in Various Species of Farm Animals Using Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Coupled to Quadrupole/Time-of-Flight

Tiamulin is an antimicrobial widely used in veterinary practice to treat dysentery and pneumonia in pigs and poultry. However, knowledge about the metabolism of tiamulin is very limited in farm animals. To better understand the biotransformation of tiamulin, in the present study, in vitro and in vivo metabolites of tiamulin in rats, chickens, swine, goats, and cows were identified and elucidated using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole/time-of-flight. As a result, a total of 26 metabolites of tiamulin, identified in vitro and in vivo, and majority of metabolites were revealed for the first time. In all farm animals, tiamulin undergoes phase I metabolic routes of hydroxylation in the mutilin part (the ring system), S-oxidation and N-deethylation on side chain, and no phase II metabolite was detected. Among these, 2β- and 8α-hydroxylation and N-deethylation were the main metabolic pathways of tiamulin in farm animals. In addition, we have put forward that 8a-hydroxy-tiamulin and 8a-hydroxy-N-deethyl-tiamulin could be hydroxylated into 8a-hydroxy-mutilin, the marker residue of tiamulin in swine. Furthermore, a significant interspecies difference was observed on the metabolism of tiamulin among various farm animals. The possible marker residues for tiamulin in swine were 8α-hydroxy-tiamulin, N-deethyl-tiamulin, and 8α-hydroxy-N-deethyl-tiamulin, which were consistent with the hypothesis proposed by the European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products. However, results in present study indicated that three metabolites (2β-hydroxy-tiamulin, N-deethyl-tiamulin, and 2β-hydroxy-N-deethyl-tiamulin) of tiamulin in chickens had larger yields, which implied that 2β-hydroxy-mutilin or N-deethyl-tiamulin was more likely to be regarded as the potential marker residue of tiamulin in chickens.

Metabolic Profile of Zearalenone in Liver Microsomes from Different Species and Its in Vivo Metabolism in Rats and Chickens Using Ultra High-Pressure Liquid Chromatography-Quadrupole/Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry

To explore differences of zearalenone (ZEN) metabolism between various species, phase I and II metabolism by liver microsomes of animals and human were investigated using ultra high-pressure liquid chromatography-quadrupole/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q/TOF MS). A total of 24 metabolites were identified, among which 12 were reported for the first time. Reduction, hydroxylation, and glucuronidation were the major metabolic pathways of ZEN, and significant differences in various species were also observed. Reduction was the main reaction in swine and human, whereas hydroxylation was predominant in rats, chickens, goats, and cows in in vitro systems. Furthemore, in vivo metabolism of ZEN in rats and chickens was investigated, and 23 and 6 metabolites were identified in each species, respectively. Reduction, hydroxylation, and glucuronidation were the major metabolic pathways in rats, while reduction and sulfation predominated in chickens. These results further enrich the biotransformation profile of ZEN, providing a helpful reference for assessing the risks to animals and humans.