Glycomic analysis of high density lipoprotein shows a highly sialylated particle.

Many of the functional proteins and lipids in high density lipoprotein (HDL) particles are potentially glycosylated, yet very little is known about the glycoconjugates of HDL. In this study, HDL was isolated from plasma by sequential micro-ultracentrifugation, followed by glycoprotein and glycolipid analysis. N-Glycans, glycopeptides, and gangliosides were extracted and purified followed by analysis with nano-HPLC Chip quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry and MS/MS. HDL particles were found to be highly sialylated. Most of the N-glycans (∼90%) from HDL glycoproteins were sialylated with one or two neuraminic acids (Neu5Ac). The most abundant N-glycan was a biantennary complex type glycan with two sialic acids (Hexose5HexNAc4Neu5Ac2) and was found in multiple glycoproteins using site-specific glycosylation analysis. The observed O-glycans were all sialylated, and most contained a core 1 structure with two Neu5Acs, including those that were associated with apolipoprotein CIII (ApoC-III) and fetuin A. GM3 (monosialoganglioside, NeuAc2-3Gal1-4Glc-Cer) and GD3 (disialoganglioside, NeuAc2-8NeuAc2-3Gal1-4Glc-Cer) were the major gangliosides in HDL. A 60% GM3 and 40% GD3 distribution was observed. Both GM3 and GD3 were composed of heterogeneous ceramide lipid tails, including d18:1/16:0 and d18:1/23:0. This report describes for the first time a glycomic approach for analyzing HDL, highlighting that HDL are highly sialylated particles

Variation Among Populations in the Immune Protein Composition of Mother\u27s Milk Reflects Subsistence Pattern

Lay Summary: Adaptive immune proteins in mothers’ milk are more variable than innate immune proteins across populations and subsistence strategies. These results suggest that the immune defenses in milk are shaped by a mother’s environment throughout her life. Background and objectives: Mother’s milk contains immune proteins that play critical roles in protecting the infant from infection and priming the infant’s developing immune system during early life. The composition of these molecules in milk, particularly the acquired immune proteins, is thought to reflect a mother’s immunological exposures throughout her life. In this study, we examine the composition of innate and acquired immune proteins in milk across seven populations with diverse disease and cultural ecologies. Methodology: Milk samples (n = 164) were collected in Argentina, Bolivia, Nepal, Namibia, Philippines, Poland and the USA. Populations were classified as having one of four subsistence patterns: urban-industrialism, rural-shop, horticulturalist-forager or agro-pastoralism. Milk innate (lactalbumin, lactoferrin and lysozyme) and acquired (Secretory IgA, IgG and IgM) protein concentrations were determined using triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry. Results: Both innate and acquired immune protein composition in milk varied among populations, though the acquired immune protein composition of milk differed more among populations. Populations living in closer geographic proximity or having similar subsistence strategies (e.g. agropastoralists from Nepal and Namibia) had more similar milk immune protein compositions. Agropastoralists had different milk innate immune protein composition from horticulturalist-foragers and urban-industrialists. Acquired immune protein composition differed among all subsistence strategies except horticulturist-foragers and rural-shop. Conclusions and implications: Our results reveal fundamental variation in milk composition that has not been previously explored in human milk research. Further study is needed to understand what specific aspects of the local environment influence milk composition and the effects this variation may have on infant health outcomes

Variation among populations in the immune protein composition of mother's milk reflects subsistence pattern

Lay summaryAdaptive immune proteins in mothers' milk are more variable than innate immune proteins across populations and subsistence strategies. These results suggest that the immune defenses in milk are shaped by a mother's environment throughout her life.Background and objectivesMother's milk contains immune proteins that play critical roles in protecting the infant from infection and priming the infant's developing immune system during early life. The composition of these molecules in milk, particularly the acquired immune proteins, is thought to reflect a mother's immunological exposures throughout her life. In this study, we examine the composition of innate and acquired immune proteins in milk across seven populations with diverse disease and cultural ecologies.MethodologyMilk samples (n = 164) were collected in Argentina, Bolivia, Nepal, Namibia, Philippines, Poland and the USA. Populations were classified as having one of four subsistence patterns: urban-industrialism, rural-shop, horticulturalist-forager or agro-pastoralism. Milk innate (lactalbumin, lactoferrin and lysozyme) and acquired (Secretory IgA, IgG and IgM) protein concentrations were determined using triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry.ResultsBoth innate and acquired immune protein composition in milk varied among populations, though the acquired immune protein composition of milk differed more among populations. Populations living in closer geographic proximity or having similar subsistence strategies (e.g. agro-pastoralists from Nepal and Namibia) had more similar milk immune protein compositions. Agro-pastoralists had different milk innate immune protein composition from horticulturalist-foragers and urban-industrialists. Acquired immune protein composition differed among all subsistence strategies except horticulturist-foragers and rural-shop.Conclusions and implicationsOur results reveal fundamental variation in milk composition that has not been previously explored in human milk research. Further study is needed to understand what specific aspects of the local environment influence milk composition and the effects this variation may have on infant health outcomes

Controlled functionalization of carbon nanotubes as superhydrophobic material for adjustable oil/water separation

A robust strategy for fabricating superhydrophobic carbon nanotube (CNT)-based hybrid materials as a separation membrane through the covalent attachment of the fluorine-bearing organosilane 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecyltriethoxysilane (PFDTS) onto -OH functionalized CNTs is proposed. This method resulted in PFDTS/CNT superhydrophobic materials with controlled functionalization that could be used to effectively separate various surfactant-stabilized water-in-oil emulsions with high separation efficiency and high flux. It maintains stable superhydrophobicity and high separation efficiency under extreme conditions, including high or low temperature and strongly acidic or alkaline solutions, and shows fire-retardant properties

Aggregation-induced emission of tetraphenylethylene-modified polyethyleneimine for highly selective CO2 detection

A polymer-based visible and quantitative fluorometric assay for CO2 gas is constructed using branched polyethyleneimine (PEI) covalently modified with tetraphenylethylene (TPE). The sensing mechanism relies on the reaction of CO2 with alkylamines of PEI to induce the "solution-to-precipitation" phase transition of the sensory polymer (TPE-PEI), thus resulting in strong aggregation-induced fluorescent emission of TPE-PEI. It works in a relatively environmental benign ethanol medium and avoids the use of toxic amine compounds with unpleasant odor. More importantly, this system is proved to be highly tolerant to possibly coexisting water, carbon monoxide, acid SO2 and H2S gases as well as many common volatile organic compounds. These characteristics make the presently developed fluorescent chemosensor hold great potential for many real-world applications. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Janus Polymer/Carbon Nanotube Hybrid Membranes for Oil/Water Separation

A robust and simple method is provided to fabricate Janus polymer/carbon nanotube (CNT) hybrid membranes for oil/water separation. Starting from CNT membranes formed by dispensing, hydrophobic poly(styrene) (PS) and hydrophilic poly(N,N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) (PDMAEMA) were grated from different sides of the photoactive CNT membranes via self-initiated photografting and photopolymerization (SIPGP) to achieve Janus polymer/CNTs hybrid membranes. The obtained membranes have excellent oil/water selectivity in the removal of oil from water. Moreover, they can effectively separate both surfactant-stabilized oil-in-water and water-in-oil emulsions because of the anisotropic wettability of the membranes

Underwater superoleophobic carbon nanotubes/core-shell polystyrene@Au nanoparticles composite membrane for flow-through catalytic decomposition and oil/water separation

A hierarchical composite membrane, consisting of an underwater superoleophobic carbon nanotube film and core-shell polystyrene@Au nanoparticle-assembled membrane, is fabricated to achieve simultaneous flow-through degradation of water-miscible toxic organic molecules and effective separation of oil/water emulsion. This multifunctional composite membrane allows continuous treatment of polluted oily wastewater, making it a promising candidate for water purification