scholarly journals Spectrofluorometric Analysis of Autofluorescing Components of Crude Serum from a Rat Liver Model of Ischemia and Reperfusion

Molecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (6) ◽  
pp. 1327 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna C. Croce ◽  
Andrea Ferrigno ◽  
Clarissa Berardo ◽  
Giovanni Bottiroli ◽  
Mariapia Vairetti ◽  
...  

Autofluorescence (AF) of crude serum was investigated with reference to the potential of its intrinsic AF biomarkers for the noninvasive diagnosis of liver injury. Spectral parameters of pure compounds representing retinol (vitamin A) and fluorescing free fatty acids were characterized by spectrofluorometry, to assess spectral parameters for the subsequent AF analysis of serum, collected from rats undergoing liver ischemia/reperfusion (I/R). Differences in AF spectral profiles detected between control and I/R were due to the increase in the AF components representing fatty acids in I/R serum samples. No significant changes occurred for retinol levels, consistently with the literature reporting that constant retinol levels are commonly observed in the blood, except for malnutrition or chronic severe liver disease. Conversely, fatty acids, in particular arachidonic and linoleic acid and their derivatives, act as modulating agents in inflammation, representing both a protective and damaging response to stress stimuli. The biometabolic and pathophysiological meaning of serum components and the possibility of their direct detection by AF spectrofluorometry open up interesting perspectives for the development of AF serum analysis, as a direct, cost effective, supportive tool to assess liver injury and related systemic metabolic alterations, for applications in experimental biomedicine and foreseen translation to the clinics.

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara López-Longarela ◽  
Emma E. Morrison ◽  
John D. Tranter ◽  
Lianne Chahman-Vos ◽  
Jean-François Léonard ◽  
...  

AbstractCirculating microRNAs are biomarkers reported to be stable and translational across species. miR-122 (miR-122-5p) is a hepatocyte-specific microRNA biomarker for drug-induced liver injury (DILI). Our objective was to develop an extraction-free and amplification-free detection method for measuring miR-122 that has translational utility in context of DILI. We developed a single molecule dynamic chemical labelling (DCL) assay based on miR-122 hybridization to an abasic peptide nucleic acid probe that contained a reactive amine instead of a nucleotide at a specific position in the sequence. The single molecule DCL assay specifically measured miR-122 directly from 10 µL of serum or plasma without any extraction steps, with a fit-for-purpose limit of detection of 1.32 pM. In 192 human serum samples, DCL accurately identified patients at risk of DILI (area under ROC curve 0.98 (95%CI 0.96-1), P<0.0001). The miR-122 assay also quantified liver injury in rats and dogs. When DCL beads were added to serum, the miR-122 signal was stabilised (no loss of signal after 14 days at room temperature). By contrast, there was substantial degradation of miR-122 in the absence of beads (≈60% lost in 1 day). RNA sequencing demonstrated the presence of multiple miR-122 isomiRs with DILI that were at low concentration or not present in healthy patient serum. Sample degradation over time produced more isomiRs, particularly rapidly with DILI. PCR was inaccurate when analysing miR-122 isomiRs, whereas the DCL assay demonstrated accurate quantification. In summary, the DCL assay can accurately measure miR-122 directly from serum and plasma to diagnose liver injury in humans and other species, and can overcome important microRNA biomarker analytical and biological challenges.


2001 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 110-117 ◽  
Author(s):  
Magnus Jonsson ◽  
Joyce Carlson ◽  
Jan-Olof Jeppsson ◽  
Per Simonsson

Abstract Background: Electrophoresis of serum samples allows detection of monoclonal gammopathies indicative of multiple myeloma, Waldenström macroglobulinemia, monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance, and amyloidosis. Present methods of high-resolution agarose gel electrophoresis (HRAGE) and immunofixation electrophoresis (IFE) are manual and labor-intensive. Capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) allows rapid automated protein separation and produces digital absorbance data, appropriate as input for a computerized decision support system. Methods: Using the Beckman Paragon CZE 2000 instrument, we analyzed 711 routine clinical samples, including 95 monoclonal components (MCs) and 9 cases of Bence Jones myeloma, in both the CZE and HRAGE systems. Mathematical algorithms developed for the detection of monoclonal immunoglobulins (MCs) in the γ- and β-regions of the electropherogram were tested on the entire material. Additional algorithms evaluating oligoclonality and polyclonal concentrations of immunoglobulins were also tested. Results: CZE electropherograms corresponded well with HRAGE. Only one IgG MC of 1 g/L, visible on HRAGE, was not visible after CZE. Algorithms detected 94 of 95 MCs (98.9%) and 100% of those visible after CZE. Of 607 samples lacking an MC on HRAGE, only 3 were identified by the algorithms (specificity, 99%). Algorithms evaluating total gammaglobulinemia and oligoclonality also identified several cases of Bence Jones myeloma. Conclusions: The use of capillary electrophoresis provides a modern, rapid, and cost-effective method of analyzing serum proteins. The additional option of computerized decision support, which provides rapid and standardized interpretations, should increase the clinical availability and usefulness of protein analyses in the future.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 682-682 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kayla Dillard ◽  
Morgan Coffin ◽  
Gabriella Hernandez ◽  
Victoria Smith ◽  
Catherine Johnson ◽  
...  

Abstract Objectives Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) represents the major cause of pediatric chronic liver pathology in the United States. The objective of this study was to compare the relative effect of inclusion of isocaloric amounts of saturated medium-chain fatty acids (hydrogenated coconut oil), saturated long-chain fatty acids (lard) and unsaturated long-chain fatty acids (olive oil) on endpoints of NAFLD and insulin resistance. Methods Thirty-eight 15-d-old Iberian pigs were fed 1 of 4 diets containing (g/kg body weight × d) 1) control (CON; n = 8): 0 g fructose, 10.5 g fat, and 187 kcal metabolizable energy (ME), 2) lard (LAR; n = 10): 21.6 g fructose, 17.1 g fat (100% lard) and 299 kcal ME, 3) hydrogenated coconut oil (COCO; n = 10): 21.6 g fructose, 16.9 g fat (42.5% lard and 57.5% coconut oil) and 299 kcal ME, and 4) olive oil (OLV, n = 10): 21.6 g fructose, 17.1 g fat (43.5% lard and 56.5% olive oil) and 299 kcal ME, for 9 consecutive weeks. Body weight was recorded every 3 d. Serum markers of liver injury and dyslipidemia were measured on d 60 at 2 h post feeding, with all other serum measures assessed on d 70. Liver tissue was collected on d 70 for histology, triacylglyceride (TG) quantification, and metabolomics analysis. Results Tissue histology indicated the presence of steatosis in LAR, COCO and OLV compared with CON (P ≤ 0.001), with a further increase in in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in OLV and COCO compared with LAR (P ≤ 0.01). Alanine and aspartate aminotransferases were higher in COCO and OLV (P ≤ 0.01) than CON. All treatment groups had lower liver concentrations of methyl donor's choline and betaine versus CON, while bile acids were differentially changed (P ≤ 0.05). COCO had higher levels of TGs with less carbons (Total carbons &lt; 52) than all other groups (P ≤ 0.05). Several long-chain acylcarnitines involved in fat oxidation were higher in OLV versus all other groups (P ≤ 0.05). Conclusions Inclusion of fats enriched in medium-chain saturated and long-chain unsaturated fatty acids in a high-fructose high-fat diet increased liver injury, compared with fats with a long-chain saturated fatty acid profile. Further research is required to investigate the mechanisms causing this difference in physiological response to these dietary fat sources. Funding Sources ARI, AcornSeekers.


2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (12) ◽  
pp. 1245-1256 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuting Jin ◽  
Changyong Li ◽  
Dongwei Xu ◽  
Jianjun Zhu ◽  
Song Wei ◽  
...  

AbstractNotch signaling plays important roles in the regulation of immune cell functioning during the inflammatory response. Activation of the innate immune signaling receptor NLRP3 promotes inflammation in injured tissue. However, it remains unknown whether Jagged1 (JAG1)-mediated myeloid Notch1 signaling regulates NLRP3 function in acute liver injury. Here, we report that myeloid Notch1 signaling regulates the NLRP3-driven inflammatory response in ischemia/reperfusion (IR)-induced liver injury. In a mouse model of liver IR injury, Notch1-proficient (Notch1FL/FL) mice receiving recombinant JAG1 showed a reduction in IR-induced liver injury and increased Notch intracellular domain (NICD) and heat shock transcription factor 1 (HSF1) expression, whereas myeloid-specific Notch1 knockout (Notch1M-KO) aggravated hepatocellular damage even with concomitant JAG1 treatment. Compared to JAG1-treated Notch1FL/FL controls, Notch1M-KO mice showed diminished HSF1 and Snail activity but augmented NLRP3/caspase-1 activity in ischemic liver. The disruption of HSF1 reduced Snail activation and enhanced NLRP3 activation, while the adoptive transfer of HSF1-expressing macrophages to Notch1M-KO mice augmented Snail activation and mitigated IR-triggered liver inflammation. Moreover, the knockdown of Snail in JAG1-treated Notch1FL/FL livers worsened hepatocellular functioning, reduced TRX1 expression and increased TXNIP/NLRP3 expression. Ablation of myeloid Notch1 or Snail increased ASK1 activation and hepatocellular apoptosis, whereas the activation of Snail increased TRX1 expression and reduced TXNIP, NLRP3/caspase-1, and ROS production. Our findings demonstrated that JAG1-mediated myeloid Notch1 signaling promotes HSF1 and Snail activation, which in turn inhibits NLRP3 function and hepatocellular apoptosis leading to the alleviation of IR-induced liver injury. Hence, the Notch1/HSF1/Snail signaling axis represents a novel regulator of and a potential therapeutic target for liver inflammatory injury.


2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Da Tang ◽  
Guang Fu ◽  
Wenbo Li ◽  
Ping Sun ◽  
Patricia A. Loughran ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Hepatic ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury can be a major complication following liver surgery contributing to post-operative liver dysfunction. Maresin 1 (MaR1), a pro-resolving lipid mediator, has been shown to suppress I/R injury. However, the mechanisms that account for the protective effects of MaR1 in I/R injury remain unknown. Methods WT (C57BL/6J) mice were subjected to partial hepatic warm ischemia for 60mins followed by reperfusion. Mice were treated with MaR1 (5-20 ng/mouse), Boc2 (Lipoxin A4 receptor antagonist), LY294002 (Akt inhibitor) or corresponding controls just prior to liver I/R or at the beginning of reperfusion. Blood and liver samples were collected at 6 h post-reperfusion. Serum aminotransferase, histopathologic changes, inflammatory cytokines, and oxidative stress were analyzed to evaluate liver injury. Signaling pathways were also investigated in vitro using primary mouse hepatocyte (HC) cultures to identify underlying mechanisms for MaR1 in liver I/R injury. Results MaR1 treatment significantly reduced ALT and AST levels, diminished necrotic areas, suppressed inflammatory responses, attenuated oxidative stress and decreased hepatocyte apoptosis in liver after I/R. Akt signaling was significantly increased in the MaR1-treated liver I/R group compared with controls. The protective effect of MaR1 was abrogated by pretreatment with Boc2, which together with MaR1-induced Akt activation. MaR1-mediated liver protection was reversed by inhibition of Akt. Conclusions MaR1 protects the liver against hepatic I/R injury via an ALXR/Akt signaling pathway. MaR1 may represent a novel therapeutic agent to mitigate the detrimental effects of I/R-induced liver injury.


Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 1192
Author(s):  
Hisham S. M. Abd-Rabboh ◽  
Abd El-Galil E. Amr ◽  
Abdulrahman A. Almehizia ◽  
Ayman H. Kamel

In recent times, the application of the use of ion-selective electrodes has expanded in the field of pharmaceutical analyses due to their distinction from other sensors in their high selectivity and low cost of measurement, in addition to their high measurement sensitivity. Cost-effective, reliable, and robust all-solid-state potentiometric selective electrodes were designed, characterized, and successfully used for pholcodine determination. The design of the sensor device was based on the use of a screen-printed electrode modified with multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as a solid-contact transducer. Tailored pholcodine (PHO) molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) were prepared, characterized, and used as sensory receptors in the presented potentiometric sensing devices. The sensors exhibited a sensitivity of 31.6 ± 0.5 mV/decade (n = 5, R2 = 0.9980) over the linear range of 5.5 × 10−6 M with a detection limit of 2.5 × 10−7 M. Real serum samples in addition to pharmaceutical formulations containing PHO were analyzed, and the results were compared with those obtained by the conventional standard liquid chromatographic approach. The presented analytical device showed an outstanding efficiency for fast, direct, and low-cost assessment of pholcodine levels in different matrices.


Antioxidants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 1243
Author(s):  
Eunus S. Ali ◽  
Grigori Y. Rychkov ◽  
Greg J. Barritt

TRPM2 channels admit Ca2+ and Na+ across the plasma membrane and release Ca2+ and Zn2+ from lysosomes. Channel activation is initiated by reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to a subsequent increase in ADP-ribose and the binding of ADP-ribose to an allosteric site in the cytosolic NUDT9 homology domain. In many animal cell types, Ca2+ entry via TRPM2 channels mediates ROS-initiated cell injury and death. The aim of this review is to summarise the current knowledge of the roles of TRPM2 and Ca2+ in the initiation and progression of chronic liver diseases and acute liver injury. Studies to date provide evidence that TRPM2-mediated Ca2+ entry contributes to drug-induced liver toxicity, ischemia–reperfusion injury, and the progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease to cirrhosis, fibrosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Of particular current interest are the steps involved in the activation of TRPM2 in hepatocytes following an increase in ROS, the downstream pathways activated by the resultant increase in intracellular Ca2+, and the chronology of these events. An apparent contradiction exists between these roles of TRPM2 and the role identified for ROS-activated TRPM2 in heart muscle and in some other cell types in promoting Ca2+-activated mitochondrial ATP synthesis and cell survival. Inhibition of TRPM2 by curcumin and other “natural” compounds offers an attractive strategy for inhibiting ROS-induced liver cell injury. In conclusion, while it has been established that ROS-initiated activation of TRPM2 contributes to both acute and chronic liver injury, considerable further research is needed to elucidate the mechanisms involved, and the conditions under which pharmacological inhibition of TRPM2 can be an effective clinical strategy to reduce ROS-initiated liver injury.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
pp. 2798
Author(s):  
Zoran Todorović ◽  
Siniša Đurašević ◽  
Maja Stojković ◽  
Ilijana Grigorov ◽  
Slađan Pavlović ◽  
...  

Lipids play an essential role in both tissue protection and damage. Tissue ischemia creates anaerobic conditions in which enzyme inactivation occurs, and reperfusion can initiate oxidative stress that leads to harmful changes in membrane lipids, the formation of aldehydes, and chain damage until cell death. The critical event in such a series of harmful events in the cell is the unwanted accumulation of fatty acids that leads to lipotoxicity. Lipid analysis provides additional insight into the pathogenesis of ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) disorders and reveals new targets for drug action. The profile of changes in the composition of fatty acids in the cell, as well as the time course of these changes, indicate both the mechanism of damage and new therapeutic possibilities. A therapeutic approach to reperfusion lipotoxicity involves attenuation of fatty acids overload, i.e., their transport to adipose tissue and/or inhibition of the adverse effects of fatty acids on cell damage and death. The latter option involves using PPAR agonists and drugs that modulate the transport of fatty acids via carnitine into the interior of the mitochondria or the redirection of long-chain fatty acids to peroxisomes.


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