2. Separation and identification of the DL-forms of short-chain peptides using a new chiral resolution labeling reagent
Makoto Ozaki, Tomomi Kuwayama, Tsunehisa Hirose, Motoshi Shimotsuma, Akira Hashimoto, Takefumi Kuranaga, Hideaki Kakeya Anal Bioanal Chem. 2022 Jun;414(14):4039-4046. doi: 10.1007/s00216-022-04048-w. Epub 2022 Apr 6.
There are several reports of D-amino acids being the causative molecules of serious diseases, resulting in the formation of, for example, prion protein and amyloid β. D-Amino acids in peptides and proteins are typically identified by sequencing each residue by Edman degradation or by hydrolysis with hydrochloric acid for amino acid analysis. However, these approaches can result in racemization of the L-form to the D-form by hydrolysis and long pre-treatment for hydrolysis. To address these problems, we aimed to identify the DL-forms of amino acids in peptides without hydrolysis. Here, we showed that the DL-forms in peptides which are difficult to separate on a chiral column can be precisely separated by labeling with 1-fluoro-2,4-dinitrophenyl-5-D-leucine-N,N-dimethylethylenediamine-amide (D-FDLDA). Additionally, the peptides could be quantitatively analyzed using the same labeling method as for amino acids. Furthermore, the detection sensitivity of a sample labeled with D-FDLDA was higher than that of the conventional reagents Nα-(5-fluoro-2,4-dinitrophenyl)-L-alaninamide (L-FDAA) and Nα-(5-fluoro-2,4-dinitrophenyl)-L-leucinamide (L-FDLA) used in Marfey's method. The proposed method for identifying DL-forms of amino acids in peptides is a powerful tool for use in organic chemistry, biochemistry, and medical science.
3. Assessment of the metabolic chiral inversion of D-leucine in rat by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry combined with a stable isotope dilution analysis
H Hasegawa, T Matsukawa, Y Shinohara, T Hashimoto Drug Metab Dispos. 2000 Aug;28(8):920-4.
The stereoselective pharmacokinetics of leucine enantiomers in rats has been investigated to evaluate the inversion of D-leucine to L-enantiomer. After a bolus i.v. administration of D- or L-[2H7]leucine to rats, blood samples were obtained over 6 h after administration and analyzed by a stereoselective gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method. Racemic [2H3]leucine was used as an internal standard. The method involved methyl esterification and subsequent chiral derivatization with (+)-alpha-methoxy-alpha-trifluoromethylphenylacetyl chloride to form the diastereomeric amide. The derivatization made possible the separation of leucine enantiomers with good gas chromatographic behavior. Plasma concentration of both D- and L-[2H7]leucine declined biexponentially, with elimination half-lives of 60 and 14 min, respectively. In contrast to the L-enantiomer, the D-enantiomer had a lower systemic clearance. When D-[2H7]leucine was administered, the L-enantiomer was found to rapidly appear in plasma. About 30% of an administered dose of the D-isomer was stereospecifically inverted to the L-enantiomer. There was no measurable inversion of the L- to D-enantiomer. This methodology has made it possible to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of each enantiomer of amino acids and estimate of chiral inversion after administration of D-amino acids.
