Mechanism of mitochondrial glutathione-dependent hepatocellular susceptibility to TNF despite NF-kappaB activation.

Background & Aims: Nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) is the master regulator of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) susceptibility. Although mitochondrial glutathione (mGSH) depletion was shown to sensitize hepatocytes to TNF despite NF-kappaB activation, the mechanisms involved, particularly the role of Bax oligomerization and mitochondrial outer membrane (MOM) permeabilization, 2 critical steps in cell death, remained unexplored.

Methods: TNF signaling at the premitochondrial and mitochondrial levels was analyzed in primary mouse hepatocytes with or without mGSH depletion.

Sensitive chiral analysis by CE: an update.

A general view of the different strategies used in the last years to enhance the detection sensitivity in chiral analysis by CE is provided in this article. With this purpose and in order to update the previous review by García-Ruiz et al., the articles appeared on this subject from January 2005 to March 2007 are considered.

CE methods for the determination of non-protein amino acids in foods.

In addition to the 20 amino acids universally distributed as protein constituents in living organisms, there are other amino acids of non-protein origin that can be found in foods. The determination of these non-protein amino acids is interesting since they can be indicative of the quality and safety of foods. This work presents for the first time an updated and comprehensive review devoted to show the possibilities of capillary electrophoresis for the determination of non-protein amino acids in food samples.

Redox regulation of hepatocyte apoptosis.

Cell death can be regulated by the sensitivity of proteins with a functional role in death pathways to redox environment. The antioxidant glutathione (GSH) regulates cell death pathways by modulating the redox state of specific thiol residues of target proteins including transcription factors, stress kinases and caspases, which participate in tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-induced apoptosis. The TNF signals, upon its binding to its type 1 receptor, two simultaneous pathways with opposing functions, promoting cell survival through NF-kappaB activation or cell death through mitochondria.

Characterization and differentiation of diverse transgenic and nontransgenic soybean varieties from CE protein profiles.

Nowadays, soybeans are commercialized in a wide variety of colors and tones. Moreover, some pigmented seeds are being commercialized as soybeans while, on other occasions, these seeds are labeled as mung beans, azuki beans or soybean frijoles generating confusion on their identity. In this work, CE has been applied for the first time for the characterization and differentiation of different pigmented beans commercialized as soybeans.

Enantioselective separation of azole compounds by EKC. Reversal of migration order of enantiomers with CD concentration.

The enantioselective separation of a group of six weak base azole compounds was achieved in this work using EKC with three neutral beta-CDs as chiral selectors. The native beta-CD and two other beta-CD derivatives with different types and positions of the substituents on the CD rim ((2-hydroxy)propyl-beta-CD (HP-beta-CD) and heptakis-2,3,6-tri-O-methyl-beta-CD (TM-beta-CD)) were employed. Apparent binding constants for each pair compound-CD were determined in order to study analyte-CD interactions.

Neutral sphingomyelinase-induced ceramide triggers germinal vesicle breakdown and oxidant-dependent apoptosis in Xenopus laevis oocytes.

Ceramide regulates many cellular processes, including cell growth, differentiation, and apoptosis. Although the effects of exogenous bacterial neutral sphingomyelinase (SMase) in Xenopus laevis oocytes have been investigated, its microinjection into oocytes has not been reported previously. Thus, we compared the incubation versus microinjection of the neutral Bacillus cereus sphingomyelinase (bSMase) to examine whether the topology of ceramide generation determines its effects on the fate of oocytes.

Mitochondrial glutathione: hepatocellular survival-death switch.

Steatohepatitis represents an advanced stage of fatty liver disease that encompasses alcoholic (ASH) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The progression from steatosis to steatohepatitis is poorly understood. One of the clues to this progression is the sensitization of hepatocytes to oxidative stress and cytokine-induced cell death.

Mitochondrial free cholesterol loading sensitizes to TNF- and Fas-mediated steatohepatitis.

The etiology of progression from steatosis to steatohepatitis (SH) remains unknown. Using nutritional and genetic models of hepatic steatosis, we show that free cholesterol (FC) loading, but not free fatty acids or triglycerides, sensitizes to TNF- and Fas-induced SH. FC distribution in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and plasma membrane did not cause ER stress or alter TNF signaling.

Critical role of acidic sphingomyelinase in murine hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury.

The molecular mechanisms of hepatic ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) damage are incompletely understood. We investigated the role of ceramide in a murine model of warm hepatic I/R injury. This sphingolipid induces cell death and participates in tumor necrosis factor (TNF) signaling.

Pharmacological inhibition or small interfering RNA targeting acid ceramidase sensitizes hepatoma cells to chemotherapy and reduces tumor growth in vivo.

Ceramidases (CDases) play a key role in cancer therapy through enhanced conversion of ceramide into sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P), but their involvement in hepatocarcinogenesis is unknown. Here, we report that daunorubicin (DNR) activated acid CDase post-transcriptionally in established human (HepG2 cells) or mouse (Hepa1c1c7) hepatoma cell lines as well as in primary cells from murine liver tumors, but not in cultured mouse hepatocytes. Acid CDase silencing by small interfering RNA (siRNA) or pharmacological inhibition with N-oleoylethanolamine (NOE) enhanced the ceramide to S1P balance compared to DNR alone, sensitizing hepatoma cells (HepG2, Hep-3B, SK-Hep and Hepa1c1c7) to DNR-induced cell death.

Identification and quantitation of cis-ketoconazole impurity by capillary zone electrophoresis-mass spectrometry.

trans-Ketoconazole was identified and quantified as impurity of cis-ketoconazole, an antifungal compound, by capillary zone electrophoresis-electrospray-mass spectrometry (CZE-ESI-MS). The chirality of this impurity was demonstrated separating their enantiomers by adding heptakis-(2,3,6-tri-O-methyl)-beta-cyclodextrin to the separation buffer in capillary electrophoresis (CE) with UV detection. However, MS detection was hyphenated to the CE instrument for its identification.

Recent advances in the analysis of antibiotics by capillary electrophoresis.

In this review, the main aspects related to the separation of different groups of antibiotics by CE as well as the different applications reported in the literature from the beginning 2003 till May 2005 will be provided to the readers. Firstly, the experimental conditions employed to achieve the analysis of antibiotics by CE are given. Then, the main applications performed in the pharmaceutical, clinical, food, and environmental fields have been reviewed making emphasis on sample preparation requirements needed in each case.

Sensitive chiral analysis by capillary electrophoresis.

In this review, an updated view of the different strategies used up to now to enhance the sensitivity of detection in chiral analysis by CE will be provided to the readers. With this aim, it will include a brief description of the fundamentals and most of the recent applications performed in sensitive chiral analysis by CE using offline and online sample treatment techniques (SPE, liquid-liquid extraction, microdialysis, etc.), on-column preconcentration techniques based on electrophoretic principles (ITP, stacking, and sweeping), and alternative detection systems (spectroscopic, spectrometric, and electrochemical) to the widely used UV-Vis absorption detection.

Ceramide, tumor necrosis factor and alcohol-induced liver disease.

Background: The pathogenesis of alcohol-induced liver disease (ALD) is incompletely known. One of the key processes mediating the progression of ALD involved the overproduction of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and the susceptibility of hepatocytes to TNF-induced apoptosis by alcohol intake.

Methods: Analyze the apoptotic signaling of TNF resulting in the targeting and subsequent recruitment of mitochondria to death pathways.

Development of a capillary electrophoresis method for the determination of soybean proteins in soybean-rice gluten-free dietary products.

CE has been applied for the first time to the simultaneous separation of soybean and rice proteins. Treated and untreated capillaries with different effective lengths as well as separation media at different pHs were tested. For that purpose, samples and standard solutions were prepared in 25:75 ACN-water media containing 0.

Separation and online preconcentration by multistep stacking with large-volume injection of anabolic steroids by capillary electrokinetic chromatography using charged cyclodextrins and UV-absorption detection.

The separation of three common anabolic steroids (methyltestosterone, methandrostenolone and testosterone) was performed for the first time by capillary EKC. Different charged CD derivatives and bile salts were tested as dispersed phases in order to achieve the separation. A mixture of 10 mmol/L succinylated-beta-CD with 1 mmol/L beta-CD in a 50 mmol/L borate buffer (pH 9) enabled the separation of the three anabolic steroids in less than 9 min.

Enantioselective separation of the sunscreen agent 3-(4-methylbenzylidene)-camphor by electrokinetic chromatography: Quantitative analysis in cosmetic formulations.

3-(4-Methylbenzylidene)-camphor (MBC) is a chiral sunscreen agent used in cosmetic products. In this work, the enantioseparation of MBC has been performed by EKC and applied to the analysis of the MBC enantiomers in cosmetic creams. Different experimental conditions (type and concentration of the chiral selector, temperature, and sample solvent) have been optimized.

Detection and quantitation of additions of soybean proteins in cured-meat products by perfusion reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography.

Perfusion liquid chromatography has been applied in this work to the determination of soybean proteins in commercially available cured meat products, enabling the detection of additions of soybean proteins in cured meat products to which the addition of these vegetable proteins is forbidden and the quantitation of soybean proteins in cured meat products to which the addition of these proteins is allowed up to a certain limit. The analytical methodology is based on a sample treatment (fat extraction and soybean protein solubilization) prior to chromatographic analysis. Fat extraction with acetone and soybean protein solubilization with a buffer solution at basic pH (pH 10 or 9) were necessary to obtain selective and sensitive conditions.

Separation of etodolac enantiomers by capillary electrophoresis. Validation and application of the chiral method to the analysis of commercial formulations.

Separation of etodolac enantiomers, which exhibit different biological activity and pharmacokinetic profiles, has been achieved using the randomly substituted (2-hydroxy)propyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HP-beta-CD) as chiral selector in capillary electrophoresis. The selection of this CD was made after screening of different CD derivatives of neutral and anionic nature. The effect on the enantioresolution of the buffer concentration and of the degree of substitution (DS) and concentration of the CD as well as of instrumental parameters, such as the capillary temperature and the separation voltage, were studied.

Differential modulation of interleukin 8 by interleukin 4 and interleukin 10 in HepG2 cells treated with acetaldehyde.

Background/aim: Pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, such as interleukin (IL) 8, are important mediators of hepatic injury and repair following an insult. The purpose of this work was to study the regulation of IL-8 by IL-10 and IL-4 in HepG2 cells treated with acetaldehyde (Ac).

Methods: HepG2 cells were pretreated with IL-10 or IL-4 before exposure to Ac, examining IL-8 expression by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and Western blot.

Critical role of mitochondrial glutathione in the survival of hepatocytes during hypoxia.

Hypoxia is known to stimulate reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Because reduced glutathione (GSH) is compartmentalized in cytosol and mitochondria, we examined the specific role of mitochondrial GSH (mGSH) in the survival of hepatocytes during hypoxia (5% O2). 5% O2 stimulated ROS in HepG2 cells and cultured rat hepatocytes.

Glycosphingolipids and mitochondria: role in apoptosis and disease.

Glycosphingolipids (GSLs) comprise a class of lipids with important structural and signaling functions. Synthesized from ceramide in the Golgi, they are subsequently distributed to different compartments, most predominantly in the plasma membrane where they integrate signaling platforms. A recently characterized trafficking of ganglioside GD3 (GD3), a GSLs with two sialic-acid residues, to mitochondria has revealed a novel function of this lipid as a death effector.

Low risk of contrast nephropathy in high-risk patients undergoing spiral computed tomography angiography with the contrast medium iopromide and prophylactic oral hydratation.

Background: Spiral computed tomography angiography (CTA) is a sensitive and specific technique for visualizing renal arteries and diagnosing renal artery stenosis (RAS). Whether spiral CTA is associated with increased risk of contrast nephropathy (CN) in patients with impaired renal function is unknown.

Methods: We prospectively studied 50 patients with chronic renal insufficiency (serum creatinine concentration greater than 1.

Acidic sphingomyelinase downregulates the liver-specific methionine adenosyltransferase 1A, contributing to tumor necrosis factor-induced lethal hepatitis.

S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM) is synthesized by methionine adenosyltransferases (MATs). Ablation of the liver-specific MAT1A gene results in liver neoplasia and sensitivity to oxidant injury. Here we show that acidic sphingomyelinase (ASMase) mediates the downregulation of MAT1A by TNF-alpha.