Marie E. Migaud

Nicotinamide riboside is uniquely and orally bioavailable in mice and humans

Nicotinamide riboside (NR) is in wide use as an NAD+ precursor vitamin. Here we determine the time and dose-dependent effects of NR on blood NAD+ metabolism in humans. We report that human blood NAD+ can rise as much as 2.7-fold with a single oral dose of NR in a pilot study of one individual, and that oral NR elevates mouse hepatic NAD+ with distinct and superior pharmacokinetics to those of nicotinic acid and nicotinamide. We further show that single doses of 100, 300 and 1,000 mg of NR produce dose-dependent increases in the blood NAD+ metabolome in the first clinical trial of NR pharmacokinetics in humans. We also report that nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide (NAAD), which was not thought to be en route for the conversion of NR to NAD+, is formed from NR and discover that the rise in NAAD is a highly sensitive biomarker of effective NAD+ repletion.

Loss of NAD Homeostasis Leads to Progressive and Reversible Degeneration of Skeletal Muscle

NAD is an obligate co-factor for the catabolism of metabolic fuels in all cell types. However, the availability of NAD in several tissues can become limited during genotoxic stress and the course of natural aging. The point at which NAD restriction imposes functional limitations on tissue physiology remains unknown. We examined this question in murine skeletal muscle by specifically depleting Nampt, an essential enzyme in the NAD salvage pathway. Knockout mice exhibited a dramatic 85% decline in intramuscular NAD content, accompanied by fiber degeneration and progressive loss of both muscle strength and treadmill endurance. Administration of the NAD precursor nicotinamide riboside rapidly ameliorated functional deficits and restored muscle mass despite having only a modest effect on the intramuscular NAD pool. Additionally, lifelong overexpression of Nampt preserved muscle NAD levels and exercise capacity in aged mice, supporting a critical role for tissue-autonomous NAD homeostasis in maintaining muscle mass and function.

NRK1 controls nicotinamide mononucleotide and nicotinamide riboside metabolism in mammalian cells

NAD+ is a vital redox cofactor and a substrate required for activity of various enzyme families, including sirtuins and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases. Supplementation with NAD+ precursors, such as nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) or nicotinamide riboside (NR), protects against metabolic disease, neurodegenerative disorders and age-related physiological decline in mammals. Here we show that nicotinamide riboside kinase 1 (NRK1) is necessary and rate-limiting for the use of exogenous NR and NMN for NAD+ synthesis. Using genetic gain- and loss-of-function models, we further demonstrate that the role of NRK1 in driving NAD+ synthesis from other NAD+ precursors, such as nicotinamide or nicotinic acid, is dispensable. Using stable isotope-labelled compounds, we confirm NMN is metabolized extracellularly to NR that is then taken up by the cell and converted into NAD+. Our results indicate that mammalian cells require conversion of extracellular NMN to NR for cellular uptake and NAD+ synthesis, explaining the overlapping metabolic effects observed with the two compounds.

Application of NMR based metabolomics for mapping metabolite variation in European wheat

In this study, we report on the use of NMR-based metabolomics to access variation in low molecular weight polar metabolites between the European wheat cultivars Apache, Charger, Claire and Orvantis. Previous unassigned resonances in the published NMR spectra of wheat extracts were identified using 13C NMR and two dimensional proton-carbon NMR. These included a peak for trans-aconitate (δ3.43) and resonances corresponding to fructose in the crowded carbohydrate region of the spectra. Large metabolite differences were observed between two different growth stages, namely the coleoptile and two week old leaf tissue extracts which were consistent across cultivars. Two week old leaf tissue extracts had higher abundances of glutamine, glutamate, sucrose and trans-aconitate and less glucose and fructose than were observed in the coleoptile extracts. Across both growth stages the cultivars Apache and Charger showed the greatest differences in metabolite profiles. Charger had higher abundances of betaine, the single most influential metabolite in the principal component analysis, in addition to fructose and sucrose. However, Charger had lower levels of aspartate, choline and glucose than Apache. These findings demonstrate the potential for a biochemical mapping approach using NMR, across European wheat germplasm, for metabolites of known importance to functional characteristics.

Generation, Release, and Uptake of the NAD Precursor Nicotinic Acid Riboside by Human Cells.

Background: Nicotinamide riboside (NR) and nicotinic acid riboside (NAR) can serve as precursors of NAD in human cells. Results: Human cells generate and release NR and NAR. Conclusion: NR and NAR are authentic intermediates of human NAD metabolism. Significance: Different cell populations might support each others NAD pools by providing ribosides as NAD precursors. NAD is essential for cellular metabolism and has a key role in various signaling pathways in human cells. To ensure proper control of vital reactions, NAD must be permanently resynthesized. Nicotinamide and nicotinic acid as well as nicotinamide riboside (NR) and nicotinic acid riboside (NAR) are the major precursors for NAD biosynthesis in humans. In this study, we explored whether the ribosides NR and NAR can be generated in human cells. We demonstrate that purified, recombinant human cytosolic 5′-nucleotidases (5′-NTs) CN-II and CN-III, but not CN-IA, can dephosphorylate the mononucleotides nicotinamide mononucleotide and nicotinic acid mononucleotide (NAMN) and thus catalyze NR and NAR formation in vitro. Similar to their counterpart from yeast, Sdt1, the human 5′-NTs require high (millimolar) concentrations of nicotinamide mononucleotide or NAMN for efficient catalysis. Overexpression of FLAG-tagged CN-II and CN-III in HEK293 and HepG2 cells resulted in the formation and release of NAR. However, NAR accumulation in the culture medium of these cells was only detectable under conditions that led to increased NAMN production from nicotinic acid. The amount of NAR released from cells engineered for increased NAMN production was sufficient to maintain viability of surrounding cells unable to use any other NAD precursor. Moreover, we found that untransfected HeLa cells produce and release sufficient amounts of NAR and NR under normal culture conditions. Collectively, our results indicate that cytosolic 5′-NTs participate in the conversion of NAD precursors and establish NR and NAR as integral constituents of human NAD metabolism. In addition, they point to the possibility that different cell types might facilitate each others NAD supply by providing alternative precursors.

Overcoming hydrolytic sensitivity and low solubility of phosphitylation reagents by combining ionic liquids with mechanochemistry

Ionic liquids have been used in combination with ball milling on a range of chlorophosphoramidite reagents to phosphitylate nucleosides and 2-deoxynucleosides. The enhanced stability offered by the ionic liquid mediated processes combined with efficient mass transfer induced by ball milling has enabled excellent yields to be obtained even when using small dialkyl amino groups as well as the more commonly used diisopropylamino protection.

Nicotinamide Riboside Is a Major NAD+ Precursor Vitamin in Cow Milk

BACKGROUND Nicotinamide riboside (NR) is a recently discovered NAD(+) precursor vitamin with a unique biosynthetic pathway. Although the presence of NR in cow milk has been known for more than a decade, the concentration of NR with respect to the other NAD(+) precursors was unknown. OBJECTIVE We aimed to determine NAD(+) precursor vitamin concentration in raw samples of milk from individual cows and from commercially available cow milk. METHODS LC tandem mass spectrometry and isotope dilution technologies were used to quantify NAD(+) precursor vitamin concentration and to measure NR stability in raw and commercial milk. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy was used to test for NR binding to substances in milk. RESULTS Cow milk typically contained ∼12 μmol NAD(+) precursor vitamins/L, of which 60% was present as nicotinamide and 40% was present as NR. Nicotinic acid and other NAD(+) metabolites were below the limits of detection. Milk from samples testing positive for Staphylococcus aureus contained lower concentrations of NR (Spearman ρ = -0.58, P = 0.014), and NR was degraded by S. aureus Conventional milk contained more NR than milk sold as organic. Nonetheless, NR was stable in organic milk and exhibited an NMR spectrum consistent with association with a protein fraction in skim milk. CONCLUSIONS NR is a major NAD(+) precursor vitamin in cow milk. Control of S. aureus may be important to preserve the NAD(+) precursor vitamin concentration of milk.

Analysis of Betaine and Choline Contents of Aleurone, Bran, and Flour Fractions of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Using 1H Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectroscopy

In conventional milling, the aleurone layer is combined with the bran fraction. Studies indicate that the bran fraction of wheat contains the majority of the phytonutrients betaine and choline, with relatively minor concentrations in the refined flour. This present study suggests that the wheat aleurone layer ( Triticum aestivum L. cv. Tiger) contains the greatest concentration of both betaine and choline (1553.44 and 209.80 mg/100 g of sample, respectively). The bran fraction contained 866.94 and 101.95 mg/100 g of sample of betaine and choline, respectively, while the flour fraction contained 23.30 mg/100 g of sample (betaine) and 28.0 mg/100 g of sample (choline). The betaine content for the bran was lower, and the choline content was higher compared to previous studies, although it is known that there is large variation in betaine and choline contents between wheat cultivars. The ratio of betaine/choline in the aleurone fraction was approximately 7:1; in the bran, the ratio was approximately 8:1; and in the flour fraction, the ratio was approximately 1:1. The study further emphasizes the superior phytonutrient composition of the aleurone layer.

ADP ribose is an endogenous ligand for the purinergic P2Y1 receptor

The mechanism by which extracellular ADP ribose (ADPr) increases intracellular free Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)) remains unknown. We measured [Ca(2+)](i) changes in fura-2 loaded rat insulinoma INS-1E cells, and in primary β-cells from rat and human. A phosphonate analogue of ADPr (PADPr) and 8-Bromo-ADPr (8Br-ADPr) were synthesized. ADPr increased [Ca(2+)](i) in the form of a peak followed by a plateau dependent on extracellular Ca(2+). NAD(+), cADPr, PADPr, 8Br-ADPr or breakdown products of ADPr did not increase [Ca(2+)](i). The ADPr-induced [Ca(2+)](i) increase was not affected by inhibitors of TRPM2, but was abolished by thapsigargin and inhibited when phospholipase C and IP(3) receptors were inhibited. MRS 2179 and MRS 2279, specific inhibitors of the purinergic receptor P2Y1, completely blocked the ADPr-induced [Ca(2+)](i) increase. ADPr increased [Ca(2+)](i) in transfected human astrocytoma cells (1321N1) that express human P2Y1 receptors, but not in untransfected astrocytoma cells. We conclude that ADPr is a specific agonist of P2Y1 receptors.

Solvent-modulated reactivity of PCl3 with amines

The reactivity of phosphorus trichloride towards amines in ionic liquids has been investigated and compared with that in conventional organic solvents. In addition to easing the synthetic procedures thus far required for the preparation of aminochlorophosphines in molecular solvents, for example the ability to operate at 20 °C, under non-anhydrous and high concentration conditions with short reaction times and rapid addition of reagents, bis{(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl}imide-based ionic liquids offer a tight control over the selectivity during the reaction and offer access to monoamination and bisamination products in high yields and chemoselectively. Furthermore, these ionic liquids offer a unique storage medium for these highly moisture sensitive aminochlorophosphines.