Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Acetaminophen Covalent Binding to Glutathione S-Transferases

Acetaminophen (APAP)-induced hepatotoxicity is the most common cause of acute liver failure in the Western world. APAP is bioactivated to N-acetyl p-benzoquinone imine (NAPQI), a reactive metabolite, which can subsequently covalently bind to glutathione and protein thiols. In this study, we have use...

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Main Authors: Timon Geib, Cristina Lento, Derek J. Wilson, Lekha Sleno
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2019-08-01
Series:Frontiers in Chemistry
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fchem.2019.00558/full
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author Timon Geib
Cristina Lento
Derek J. Wilson
Lekha Sleno
author_facet Timon Geib
Cristina Lento
Derek J. Wilson
Lekha Sleno
author_sort Timon Geib
collection DOAJ
description Acetaminophen (APAP)-induced hepatotoxicity is the most common cause of acute liver failure in the Western world. APAP is bioactivated to N-acetyl p-benzoquinone imine (NAPQI), a reactive metabolite, which can subsequently covalently bind to glutathione and protein thiols. In this study, we have used liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to characterize NAPQI binding to human glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) in vitro. GSTs play a crucial role in the detoxification of reactive metabolites and therefore are interesting target proteins to study in the context of APAP covalent binding. Recombinantly-expressed and purified GSTs were used to assess NAPQI binding in vitro. APAP biotransformation to NAPQI was achieved using rat liver microsomes or human cytochrome P450 Supersomes in the presence of GSTA1, M1, M2, or P1. Resulting adducts were analyzed using bottom-up proteomics, with or without LC fractionation prior to LC-MS/MS analysis on a quadrupole-time-of-flight instrument with data-dependent acquisition (DDA). Targeted methods using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) on a triple quadrupole platform were also developed by quantitatively labeling all available cysteine residues with a labeling reagent yielding isomerically-modified peptides following enzymatic digestion. Seven modified cysteine sites were confirmed, including Cys112 in GSTA1, Cys78 in GSTM1, Cys115 and 174 in GSTM2, as well as Cys15, 48, and 170 in GSTP1. Most modified peptides could be detected using both untargeted (DDA) and targeted (MRM) approaches, however the latter yielded better detection sensitivity with higher signal-to-noise and two sites were uniquely found by MRM.
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spelling doaj.art-dc3964aa6e7c41cfaab652753cffc5872022-12-21T23:55:32ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Chemistry2296-26462019-08-01710.3389/fchem.2019.00558475906Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Acetaminophen Covalent Binding to Glutathione S-TransferasesTimon Geib0Cristina Lento1Derek J. Wilson2Lekha Sleno3Chemistry Department, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, CanadaDepartment of Chemistry, The Centre for Research in Mass Spectrometry, York University, Toronto, ON, CanadaDepartment of Chemistry, The Centre for Research in Mass Spectrometry, York University, Toronto, ON, CanadaChemistry Department, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, CanadaAcetaminophen (APAP)-induced hepatotoxicity is the most common cause of acute liver failure in the Western world. APAP is bioactivated to N-acetyl p-benzoquinone imine (NAPQI), a reactive metabolite, which can subsequently covalently bind to glutathione and protein thiols. In this study, we have used liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to characterize NAPQI binding to human glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) in vitro. GSTs play a crucial role in the detoxification of reactive metabolites and therefore are interesting target proteins to study in the context of APAP covalent binding. Recombinantly-expressed and purified GSTs were used to assess NAPQI binding in vitro. APAP biotransformation to NAPQI was achieved using rat liver microsomes or human cytochrome P450 Supersomes in the presence of GSTA1, M1, M2, or P1. Resulting adducts were analyzed using bottom-up proteomics, with or without LC fractionation prior to LC-MS/MS analysis on a quadrupole-time-of-flight instrument with data-dependent acquisition (DDA). Targeted methods using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) on a triple quadrupole platform were also developed by quantitatively labeling all available cysteine residues with a labeling reagent yielding isomerically-modified peptides following enzymatic digestion. Seven modified cysteine sites were confirmed, including Cys112 in GSTA1, Cys78 in GSTM1, Cys115 and 174 in GSTM2, as well as Cys15, 48, and 170 in GSTP1. Most modified peptides could be detected using both untargeted (DDA) and targeted (MRM) approaches, however the latter yielded better detection sensitivity with higher signal-to-noise and two sites were uniquely found by MRM.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fchem.2019.00558/fullacetaminophenreactive metabolitecovalent bindingglutathione S-transferasebottom-up proteomicsdata-dependent acquisition
spellingShingle Timon Geib
Cristina Lento
Derek J. Wilson
Lekha Sleno
Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Acetaminophen Covalent Binding to Glutathione S-Transferases
Frontiers in Chemistry
acetaminophen
reactive metabolite
covalent binding
glutathione S-transferase
bottom-up proteomics
data-dependent acquisition
title Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Acetaminophen Covalent Binding to Glutathione S-Transferases
title_full Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Acetaminophen Covalent Binding to Glutathione S-Transferases
title_fullStr Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Acetaminophen Covalent Binding to Glutathione S-Transferases
title_full_unstemmed Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Acetaminophen Covalent Binding to Glutathione S-Transferases
title_short Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Acetaminophen Covalent Binding to Glutathione S-Transferases
title_sort liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry analysis of acetaminophen covalent binding to glutathione s transferases
topic acetaminophen
reactive metabolite
covalent binding
glutathione S-transferase
bottom-up proteomics
data-dependent acquisition
url https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fchem.2019.00558/full
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