In this work, 26 proteins of different structure, function and properties are investigated by Raman spectroscopy with 488, 532 and 1064 nm laser lines. The excitation lines were chosen in NIR and Vis range as the most common and to show the difference due to normal and resonance effect, sometimes accompanied by the fluorescence. The selected proteins were divided, according to the Structural Classification of Proteins, into four classes according to their secondary structure, i.e. α‐helical (α), β‐sheet (β), mixed structures (α/β, α + β, s) and others. For all compounds, FT‐Raman and two Vis spectra are presented along with the detailed band assignment. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first review showing the potential of Raman spectroscopy for the measurement and analysis of such a large collection of individual proteins. This work can serve as a comprehensive vibrational spectra library, based on our and previous Raman measurements. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

In this work, we describe a methodology to visualize the biochemical markers of atherosclerotic plaque in cross sections of brachiocephalic arteries (BCA) taken from ApoE/LDLR(-/-) mice. The approach of the visualization of the same area of atherosclerotic plaque with the use of Raman, IR and AFM imaging enables the parallel characterisation of various features of atherosclerotic plaques. This support to the histochemical staining is utilized mainly in studies on mice models of atherosclerotic plaques, where micro and sub-micro resolutions are required. This work presents the methodology of the measurement and visualization of plaque features important for atherosclerosis development and plaques vulnerability analysis. Label-free imaging of cholesterol, cholesteryl esters, remodeled media, heme, internal elastic lamina, fibrous cap and calcification provides additional knowledge to previously presented quantitative measurements of average plaque features. AFM imaging enhanced the results obtained with the use of vibrational microspectroscopies with additional topographical information of the sample. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work which demonstrates that co-localized measurement of atherosclerotic plaque with Raman, IR and AFM imaging provides a comprehensive insight into the biochemical markers of atherosclerotic plaques, and can be used as an integrated approach to assess vulnerability of the plaque.

Lipid rafts (LRs) are dynamic, sterol- and sphingolipid-enriched nanodomains involved in the regulation of cellular functions and signal transduction, that upon stimuli, via (e.g. association of raft proteins and lipids), may cluster into domains of submicron or micron scale. Up to date, however, lipid raft clusters were observed only under artificially promoted conditions and their formation in vivo has not been confirmed. Using non-destructive approach involving Raman and Atomic Force Microscopy imaging we demonstrated the presence of clustered lipid rafts in endothelium of the aorta of the db/db mice that represent a reliable murine model of type 2 diabetes. The raft clusters in the aorta of diabetic mice were shown to occupy a considerably larger (about 10-fold) area of endothelial cells surface as compared to the control. Observation of pathology-promoted LRs confirms that the cellular increase of lipid content results in clustering of LRs. Clustering of LRs leads to the formation of assemblies with diameters up to 3 micrometers and increased lipid character. This massive clustering of lipid rafts in diabetes may trigger a signaling cascade leading to vascular inflammation.

The tobacco alkaloids: nicotine, nornicotine, cotinine, anabasine, their protonated forms, and salts were analyzed by means of Raman spectroscopy supported by the density functional theory/B3LYP/aug‐cc‐pVDZ calculations. The analyses were performed based on Raman marker bands of neutral, monoprotonated, and diprotonated forms of tobacco alkaloids because in different surroundings various forms have been suggested to either dominate or to coexist. The form and distribution of nicotine directly in a plant and in phytopharmaceutical products were investigated by in situ Raman mapping. For the first time, the Raman optical activity spectrum of (−)‐nicotine in aqueous solution was measured and interpreted by means of the density functional theory calculations. The study provides a clear evidence that Raman spectroscopy techniques are powerful in efficient quality control and forensic and bioanalytical analyses of tobacco alkaloids. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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