Mass Spectrometry in Pharmacokinetic Studies of a Synthetic Compound for Spinal Cord Injury Treatment

The studies of drugs that could constitute a palliative to spinal cord injury (SCI) are a continuous and increasing demand in biomedicine field from developed societies. Recently we described the chemical synthesis and antiglioma activity of synthetic glycosides. A synthetic sulfated glycolipid (here IG20) has shown chemical stability, solubility in polar solvents, and high inhibitory capacity over glioma growth. We have used mass spectrometry (MS) to monitor IG20m/z=550.3in cells and tissues of the central nervous system (CNS) that are involved in SCI recovery. IG20 was detected by MS in serum and homogenates from CNS tissue of rats, though in the latter a previous deproteinization step was required. The pharmacokinetic parameters of serum clearance at 24 h and half-life at 4 h were determined for synthetic glycoside in the adult rat using MS. A local administration of the drug near of spinal lesion site is proposed.

Halopiger salifodinae sp. nov., an extremely halophilic archaeon isolated from a salt mine

A novel extremely halophilic archaeon KCY07-B2T was isolated from a salt mine in Kuche county, Xinjiang province, China. Colonies were cream-pigmented and cells were pleomorphic rod-shaped. Strain KCY07-B2T was able to grow at 25–50 °C (optimum 37–45 °C) and pH 6.0–8.0 (optimum 7.0). The strain required at least 1.9 M NaCl for growth. MgCl2 was not required. Cells lysed in distilled water. Polar lipid analysis revealed the presence of phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylglycerol phosphate methyl ester, derived from both C20C20 and C20C25 glycerol diethers, together with five glyolipids. The bis-sulfated glycolipid S2-DGD-1 was present. The DNA G+C content was 62.5 mol%. Analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that strain KCY07-B2T was closely related to Halopiger xanaduensis SH-6T and Halopiger aswanensis 56T (95.8 % and 95.5 % similarity, respectively). On the basis of its phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and genotypic characteristics, strain KCY07-B2T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Halopiger , for which the name Halopiger salifodinae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is KCY07-B2T ( = JCM 18547T = CGMCC 1.12284T).

Halopiger aswanensis sp. nov., a polymer-producing and extremely halophilic archaeon isolated from hypersaline soil

Strain 56T was isolated from a hypersaline soil in Aswan (Egypt). Cells were pleomorphic rods. The organism was neutrophilic, motile and required at least 1.7 M (10 % w/v) NaCl, but not MgCl2, for growth; optimal growth occurred at ≥3.8 M (≥22.5 %) NaCl. The strain was thermotolerant with an optimum temperature for growth of 40 °C, although growth was possible up to 55 °C. The G+C content of the DNA of the novel strain was 67.1 mol%.16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that strain 56T was a member of the phyletic group defined by the family Halobacteriaceae, showing the highest similarity to Halopiger xanaduensis SH-6T (99 %) and the next highest similarity of 94 % to other members of the family Halobacteriaceae. DNA–DNA hybridization revealed 27 % relatedness between strain 56T and Hpg. xanaduensis SH-6T. Polar lipid analysis revealed the presence of the bis-sulfated glycolipid S2-DGD-1 as the sole glycolipid and the absence of the glycerol diether analogue phosphatidylglycerosulfate. Both C20 . 20 and C20 . 25 core lipids were present. Strain 56T accumulated large amounts of polyhydroxybutyrate and also secreted an exopolymer. Physiological and biochemical differences suggested that Hpg. xanaduanesis and strain 56T were sufficiently different to be separated into two distinct species. It is suggested that strain 56T represents a novel species of the genus Halopiger, for which the name Halopiger aswanensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is strain 56T (=DSM 13151T=JCM 11628T).

Halococcus thailandensis sp. nov., from fish sauce in Thailand

Fifteen strains of red-pigmented, strictly aerobic, coccoid, extremely halophilic archaea were isolated from fish sauce (nam-pla) produced in Thailand. They grew optimally at 37 °C, pH 6–8 and in the presence of 20–30 % (w/v) NaCl. The DNA G+C contents of the isolates were 60.0–61.8 mol%. They had MK-8(H2) as a major menaquinone component and C20C20 and C20C25 derivatives of phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol methylphosphate and a sulfated glycolipid, S-DGA-1, as major polar lipid components. 16S rRNA gene sequence comparisons revealed that a representative strain, HDB5-2T, was affiliated with Halococcus dombrowskii JCM 12289T, Halococcus qingdaonensis JCM 13587T and Halococcus morrhuae JCM 8876T (levels of similarity of 98.2–98.7 %). Based on data from DNA–DNA hybridization experiments, the 15 strains represented a single species, showing hybridization values of >78.9 % to representative strain HDB5-2T, but were unrelated to either Halococcus dombrowskii JCM 12289T or Halococcus morrhuae JCM 8876T, with levels of relatedness of <50 %. Moreover, a comparison of phenotypic properties discriminated these new isolates from recognized species of the genus Halococcus. The 15 strains are thus considered to represent a novel species of the genus Halococcus, for which the name Halococcus thailandensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is HDB5-2T (=BCC 20213T =JCM 13552T =PCU 278T).