Analytical Performance Evaluation of New DESI Enhancements for Targeted Drug Quantification in Tissue Sections

Desorption/ionization (DI)-mass spectrometric (MS) methods offer considerable advantages of rapidity and low-sample input for the analysis of solid biological matrices such as tissue sections. The concept of desorption electrospray ionization (DESI) offers the possibility to ionize compounds from solid surfaces at atmospheric pressure, without the addition of organic compounds to initiate desorption. However, severe drawbacks from former DESI hardware stability made the development of assays for drug quantification difficult. In the present study, the potential of new prototype source setups (High Performance DESI Sprayer and Heated Transfer Line) for the development of drug quantification assays in tissue sections was evaluated. It was demonstrated that following dedicated optimization, new DESI XS enhancements present promising options regarding targeted quantitative analyses. As a model compound for these developments, ulixertinib, an inhibitor of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1 and 2 was used

Ceritinib-induced regression of an insulin-like growth factor-driven neuroepithelial brain tumor

The insulin-like growth factor (IGF) pathway plays an important role in several brain tumor entities. However, the lack of inhibitors crossing the blood–brain barrier remains a significant obstacle for clinical translation. Here, we targeted the IGF pathway using ceritinib, an off-target inhibitor of the IGF1 receptor (IGF1R) and insulin receptor (INSR), in a pediatric patient with an unclassified brain tumor and a notch receptor 1 (NOTCH1) germline mutation. Pathway analysis of the tumor revealed activation of the sonic hedgehog (SHH), the wingless and integrated-1 (WNT), the IGF, and the Notch pathway. The proliferation of the patient tumor cells (225ZL) was inhibited by arsenic trioxide (ATO), which is an inhibitor of the SHH pathway, by linsitinib, which is an inhibitor of IGF1R and INSR, and by ceritinib. 225ZL expressed INSR but not IGF1R at the protein level, and ceritinib blocked the phosphorylation of INSR. Our first personalized treatment included ATO, but because of side effects, we switched to ceritinib. After 46 days, we achieved a concentration of 1.70 µM of ceritinib in the plasma, and after 58 days, MRI confirmed that there was a response to the treatment. Ceritinib accumulated in the tumor at a concentration of 2.72 µM. Our data suggest ceritinib as a promising drug for the treatment of IGF-driven brain tumors

Nouvelles approches par spectrométrie de masse pour la caractérisation de systèmes archéologiques et biologiques : application à l'étude de cheveux de momies préhispaniques de la côte andine

Hair is an ideal material for the archaeometric study of past civilizations. Although it is rarely described, molecular study of hair and its proteome can provide precious clues on the ancient hair composition, its preservation state, as well as its environment. Here, we describe the implementation of a bottom-up proteomic approach for the mass spectrometry analysis of proteins from mummy hair. Through this approach, it was possible to identify the ancient hair proteins from a minimal initial amount of sample, and to characterize their molecular conservation state. This study was associated to an interdisciplinary project that also integrates structural analyses by FTIR and elemental analyses by SEM-EDS, XRF and PIXE. Finally, TLC-MALDI-MS hyphenation was implemented for the characterization of biological and archaeological systems, which are also complex and precious.Les cheveux constituent un matériau de choix en archéométrie pour l’étude des civilisations anciennes. L’étude moléculaire de cheveux de momies et de leur protéome peut apporter de précieuses informations sur la composition, la préservation et l’environnement de la fibre. Une approche protéomique bottom-up dédiée à l’analyse en MS des protéines de cheveux de momies a été donc implémentée. Celle-ci a permis l’identification des protéines capillaires de cheveux anciens à partir de quantités minimales, ainsi que la caractérisation de leur état de conservation. Cette approche a été associée à une stratégie interdisciplinaire, intégrant également des analyses structurelles par FTIR, et élémentaires par SEM-EDS, XRF et PIXE. Enfin, le couplage direct TLC-MALDI-MS a été mis en place pour la caractérisation de systèmes biologiques et archéologiques, complexes et précieux

New approaches by mass spectrometry for the characterization of archaeological and biological systems : application to the study of hair of prehispanic mummies from the Andean coast

Les cheveux constituent un matériau de choix en archéométrie pour l’étude des civilisations anciennes. L’étude moléculaire de cheveux de momies et de leur protéome peut apporter de précieuses informations sur la composition, la préservation et l’environnement de la fibre. Une approche protéomique bottom-up dédiée à l’analyse en MS des protéines de cheveux de momies a été donc implémentée. Celle-ci a permis l’identification des protéines capillaires de cheveux anciens à partir de quantités minimales, ainsi que la caractérisation de leur état de conservation. Cette approche a été associée à une stratégie interdisciplinaire, intégrant également des analyses structurelles par FTIR, et élémentaires par SEM-EDS, XRF et PIXE. Enfin, le couplage direct TLC-MALDI-MS a été mis en place pour la caractérisation de systèmes biologiques et archéologiques, complexes et précieux.Hair is an ideal material for the archaeometric study of past civilizations. Although it is rarely described, molecular study of hair and its proteome can provide precious clues on the ancient hair composition, its preservation state, as well as its environment. Here, we describe the implementation of a bottom-up proteomic approach for the mass spectrometry analysis of proteins from mummy hair. Through this approach, it was possible to identify the ancient hair proteins from a minimal initial amount of sample, and to characterize their molecular conservation state. This study was associated to an interdisciplinary project that also integrates structural analyses by FTIR and elemental analyses by SEM-EDS, XRF and PIXE. Finally, TLC-MALDI-MS hyphenation was implemented for the characterization of biological and archaeological systems, which are also complex and precious

Omics for Precious Rare Biosamples: Characterization of Ancient Human Hair by a Proteomic Approach

International audienceOmics technologies have far-reaching applications beyond clinical medicine. A case in point is the analysis of ancient hair samples. Indeed, hair is an important biological indicator that has become a material of choice in archeometry to study the ancient civilizations and their environment. Current characterization of ancient hair is based on elemental and structural analyses, but only few studies have focused on the molecular aspects of ancient hair proteins–keratins–and their conservation state. In such cases, applied extraction protocols require large amounts of raw hair, from 30 to 100 mg. In the present study, we report an optimized new proteomic approach to accurately identify archeological hair proteins, and assess their preservation state, while using a minimum of raw material. Testing and adaptation of three protocols and of nano liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (nanoLC-MS/MS) parameters were performed on modern hair. On the basis of mass spectrometry data quality, and of the required initial sample amount, the most promising workflow was selected and applied to an ancient archeological sample, dated to about 3880 years before present. Finally, and importantly, we were able to identify 11 ancient hair proteins and to visualize the preservation state of mummy's hair from only 500 μg of raw material. The results presented here pave the way for new insights into the understanding of hair protein alteration processes such as those due to aging and ecological exposures. This work could enable omics scientists to apply a proteomic approach to precious and rare samples, not only in the context of archeometrical studies but also for future applications that would require the use of very small amounts of sample

Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors in Cancer: Breakthrough and Challenges of Targeted Therapy

Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are key regulatory signaling proteins governing cancer cell growth and metastasis. During the last two decades, several molecules targeting RTKs were used in oncology as a first or second line therapy in different types of cancer. However, their effectiveness is limited by the appearance of resistance or adverse effects. In this review, we summarize the main features of RTKs and their inhibitors (RTKIs), their current use in oncology, and mechanisms of resistance. We also describe the technological advances of artificial intelligence, chemoproteomics, and microfluidics in elaborating powerful strategies that could be used in providing more efficient and selective small molecules inhibitors of RTKs. Finally, we discuss the interest of therapeutic combination of different RTKIs or with other molecules for personalized treatments, and the challenge for effective combination with less toxic and off-target effects

Study of the impact of ion beam analysis on the molecular preservation of mummy hair by a proteomic approach

International audienc

Important Requirements for Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectrometric Measurements of Temozolomide-Induced 2′-Deoxyguanosine Methylations in DNA

In clinical pharmacology, drug quantification is mainly performed from the circulation for pharmacokinetic purposes. Finely monitoring the chemical effect of drugs at their chemical sites of action for pharmacodynamics would have a major impact in several contexts of personalized medicine. Monitoring appropriate drug exposure is particularly challenging for alkylating drugs such as temozolomide (TMZ) because there is no flow equilibrium that would allow reliable conclusions to be drawn about the alkylation of the target site from plasma concentrations. During the treatment of glioblastoma, it appears, therefore, promising to directly monitor the alkylating effect of TMZ rather than plasma exposure, ideally at the site of action. Mass spectrometry (MS) is a method of choice for the quantification of methylated guanines and, more specifically, of O6-methylguanines as a marker of TMZ exposure at the site of action. Depending on the chosen strategy to analyze modified purines and 2′-deoxynucleosides, the analysis of methylated guanines and 2′-deoxyguanosines is prone to important artefacts due to the overlap between masses of (i) guanines from DNA and RNA, and (ii) different methylated species of guanines. Therefore, the specific analysis of O6-methyl-2′deoxyguanosine, which is the product of the TMZ effect, is highly challenging. In this work, we report observations from matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI), and desorption electrospray ionization (DESI) MS analyses. These allow for the construction of a decision tree to initiate studies using desorption/ionization MS for the analysis of 2′-deoxyguanosine methylations induced by TMZ