Quantitative Analysis of Dietary Vitamin A Metabolites in Murine Ocular and Non-Ocular Tissues Using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography

Summary

Here, a normal-phase, high-performance liquid chromatography method is described to detect and quantify critical retinoids involved in the facilitation of visual function in both ocular and systemic tissue, in the context of the systemic vitamin A supply to generate the essential photosensitive rhodopsin chromophore 11-cis-retinal.

Abstract

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are a superfamily of transmembrane proteins that initiate signaling cascades through activation of its G protein upon association with its ligand. In all mammalian vision, rhodopsin is the GPCR responsible for the initiation of the phototransduction cascade. Within photoreceptors, rhodopsin is bound to its chromophore 11-cis-retinal and is activated through the light-sensitive isomerization of 11-cis-retinal to all-trans-retinal, which activates the transducin G protein, resulting in the phototransduction cascade.

While phototransduction is well understood, the processes that are involved in the supply of dietary vitamin A precursors for 11-cis-retinal generation in the eye, as well as diseases resulting in disruption of this supply, are not yet fully understood. Once vitamin A precursors are absorbed into the intestine, they are stored in the liver as retinyl esters and released into the bloodstream as all-trans-retinol bound to retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4). This circulatory RBP4-retinol will be absorbed by systemic organs, such as the liver, lungs, kidney, and eye. Hence, a method for the quantification of the various metabolites of dietary vitamin A in the eye and systemic organs is critical to the study of proper rhodopsin GPCR function.

In this method, we present a comprehensive extraction and analytical method for vitamin A analysis in murine tissue. Through normal-phase, high-performance liquid chromatography analysis, all relevant isomers of retinaldehydes, retinols, and retinyl esters can be detected simultaneously through a single run, which allows for the efficient use of experimental samples and increases internal reliability across different vitamin A metabolites within the same sample. With this comprehensive method, investigators will be able to better assess systemic vitamin A supply in rhodopsin GPCR function.

Introduction

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are one of the most studied and characterized superfamily of proteins known. In its most well-known function, GPCRs serve as a cell surface receptor in signal transduction, initializing intracellular responses upon binding with a specific ligand. GPCRs are characterized by seven transmembrane (TM) helical domains and six total loop domains. Of the six loops, three loops are oriented extracellularly to facilitate ligand binding, while the other three intracellular loops are coupled to a heterotrimeric G protein consisting of the Gα, Gβ, and Gγ subunits^1,2.

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Protocol

NOTE: All animal experiments were approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) of the University of Minnesota (protocol # 2312-41637A) and performed in compliance with the ARVO Statement for the Use of Animals in Ophthalmic and Vision Research. Perform all extractions in the dark, under a dim red light for illumination. Be aware of residual light emitted by instrument displays and accessory LEDs.

1. Spectrophotometric retinoid standard generation and external stand.......

Discussion

In this method, normal-phase HPLC is used to detect and quantify relevant retinoids, including retinyl esters, retinaldehydes, and retinols. Given the importance of 11-cis-retinal as the critical chromophore in the activation of the rhodopsin GPCR, a method that can detect the metabolites that is related to the production of 11-cis-retinal is critical to the study of overall visual function. The main advantage of this method is that all relevant isomers of both retinaldehydes and retinols can be simulta.......

Materials

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
Reagent
1-Octanol, suitable for HPLC, ≥99.5%	Sigma-Aldrich, Millipore Sigma	203-917-6
1,4-Dioxane, suitable for HPLC, ≥99.5%	Sigma-Aldrich, Millipore Sigma	204-661-8
11-cis-retinal	National Eye Institute	N/A
11-cis-Retinol	Toronto Research Chemicals	TRC-R252105
13-cis-retinal	Toronto Research Chemicals	TRC-R239900
13-cis-retinol	Toronto Research Chemicals	TRC-R252110
All-trans-Retinal	Toronto Research Chemicals	TRC-R240000
All-trans-Retinol	Toronto Research Chemicals	TRC-R252002
Ethyl Acetate, suitable for HPLC, ≥99.7%	Sigma-Aldrich, Millipore Sigma	205-500-4
Hexane, HPLC Grade	Fisher Scientific, Spectrum Chemical	18-610-808
Methanol (HPLC)	Fisher Scienctific	A452SK-4
Retinyl Palmitate	Toronto Research Chemicals	TRC-R275450
Sodium Chloride (Crystalline/Certified ACS)	Fisher Scientific	S271-500
Instruments
1260 Infinity II Analytical Fraction Collector	Agilent	G1364F
1260 Infinity II Binary Pump	Agilent	G7112B
1260 Infinity II Diode Array Detector	Agilent	G7115A
1260 Infinity II Multicolumn Thermostat	Agilent	G7116A
1260 Infinity II Vialsampler	Agilent	G7129A
ST40R Refrigerated Centrifuge	Thermo Scientific	TSST40R
Vacufuge Plus Centrifuge Concentrator	Eppendorf	22820168
Consumables
2 mL Amber Screw Top Vials	Agilent	5188-6535
Crimp Cap with PTFE/red rubber septa, 11 mm	Agilent	5183-4498
Disposable Glass Conical Centrifuge Tubes	Millipore Sigma	CLS9950215
Screw cap tube, 15 mL	Sarstedt	62.554.502
Vial insert, 150 µL, glass with polymer feet	Agilent	5183-2088