Pyrethroids are synthetic derivatives of natural pyrethrins extracted from Chrysanthemum cinerariaefolium. They are 2250 times more toxic to insects than to vertebrates due to insects’ smaller size, lower body temperature and more sensitive sodium channels. In particular, three pyrethroid compounds, namely deltamethrin, permethrin, and alpha-cypermethrin, are commonly used as insecticides and are recommended for in-home insect control because they are considered to be relatively non-toxic to humans in all stages of life. However, recent data show that they are not completely harmless to human health as they may enter the body through skin contact, by inhalation and food or water, and absorption level depending on the type of food. Permethrin seems to have an adverse effect on fertility, the immune system, cardiovascular and hepatic metabolism as well as enzymatic activity. Deltamethrin induces inflammation, nephro- and hepatotoxicity and influences the activity of antioxidant enzymes in tissues. Alpha-cypermethrin may impair immunity and act to increase glucose and lipid levels in blood. The aim of the review is to provide comprehensive information on potential hazards associated to human exposure to deltamethrin, permethrin and alpha-cypermethrin. The results of presented studies prove that the insecticides must be used with great caution.

The limiting factor in conventional quality assessments of transplanted organs, namely the invasiveness of tissue sample collection, has prompted much research on the field of transplantology to focus on the development of alternative evaluation methods of organ quality. In the present project, we undertake the challenge to address the need for a new analytical solution for graft quality assessments by using a novel metabolomic diagnostic protocol based on low-invasive solid-phase microextraction. Solid-phase microextraction probes of ca. 0.2 mm coated with 4 mm long mixed-mode extraction phase were inserted into rabbit kidneys immediately following euthanasia and after 2, 4, 6, and 21 h of preservation. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of the extracts was performed with the use of a reversed phase column and a Q-Exactive Focus mass spectrometer operated in positive ionization mode. Statistical analysis of significantly changing compounds revealed metabolic profile changes in kidneys induced by ischemia and oxidative stress as a function of the duration of cold storage.The most pronounced alterations were reflected in levels of essential amino acids and purine nucleosides. Our findings demonstrate that the proposed approach may be successfully used to monitor changes in the metabolic profile of organs over time of preservation.

It is extremely challenging to perform chemical analyses of the brain, particularly in humans, due to the restricted access to this organ. Imaging techniques are the primary approach used in clinical practice, but they only provide limited information about brain chemistry. Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) has been presented recently as a chemical biopsy tool for the study of animal brains. The current work demonstrates for the first time the use of SPME for the spatially resolved sampling of the human brain in vivo. Specially designed multi-probe sampling device was used to simultaneously extract metabolites from the white and grey matter of patients undergoing brain tumor biopsies. Samples were collected by inserting the probes along the planned trajectory of the biopsy needle prior to the procedure, which was followed by metabolomic and lipidomic analyses. The results revealed that studied brain structures were predominantly composed of lipids, while the concentration and diversity of detected metabolites was higher in white than in grey matter. Although the small number of participants in this research precluded conclusions of a biological nature, the results highlight the advantages of the proposed SPME approach, as well as disadvantages that should be addressed in future studies.

Alterations in the carnitine shuttle system may be an indication of the presence of cancer. As such, in-depth analyses of this pathway in different malignant tumors could be important for the detection and treatment of this disease. The current study aims to assess the profiles of carnitine and acylcarnitines in gliomas with respect to their grade, the presence of isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutations, and 1p/19q co-deletion. Brain tumors obtained from 19 patients were sampled on-site using solid-phase microextraction (SPME) immediately following excision. Analytes were desorbed and then analyzed via liquid chromatography–high-resolution mass spectrometry. The results showed that SPME enabled the extraction of carnitine and 22 acylcarnitines. An analysis of the correlation factor revealed the presence of two separate clusters: short-chain and long-chain carnitine esters. Slightly higher carnitine and acylcarnitine concentrations were observed in the higher-malignancy tumor samples (high vs. low grade) and in those samples with worse projected clinical outcomes (without vs. with IDH mutation; without vs. with 1p/19q co-deletion). Thus, the proposed chemical biopsy approach offers a simple solution for on-site sampling that enables sample preservation, thus supporting comprehensive multi-method analyses.

Bladder cancer (BC) is a common malignancy of the urinary system and a leading cause of death worldwide. In this work, untargeted metabolomic profiling of biological fluids is presented as a non-invasive tool for bladder cancer biomarker discovery as a first step towards developing superior methods for detection, treatment, and prevention well as to further our current understanding of this disease. In this study, urine samples from 24 healthy volunteers and 24 BC patients were subjected to metabolomic profiling using high throughput solid-phase microextraction (SPME) in thin-film format and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a Q Exactive Focus Orbitrap mass spectrometer. The chemometric analysis enabled the selection of metabolites contributing to the observed separation of BC patients from the control group. Relevant differences were demonstrated for phenylalanine metabolism compounds, i.e., benzoic acid, hippuric acid, and 4-hydroxycinnamic acid. Furthermore, compounds involved in the metabolism of histidine, beta-alanine, and glycerophospholipids were also identified. Thin-film SPME can be efficiently used as an alternative approach to other traditional urine sample preparation methods, demonstrating the SPME technique as a simple and efficient tool for urinary metabolomics research. Moreover, this study’s results may support a better understanding of bladder cancer development and progression mechanisms.

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Given that the extent to which genetics alters the metabolomic profile of tissues is still poorly understood, the current study aimed to characterize and investigate the metabolite profiles of brain, liver, kidney and skeletal muscle of two common mouse inbred strains (BALB/c, C57BL/6) and one outbred stock (CD1) for strain-specific differences. Male mice (n = 15) at the age of 12 weeks were used: BALB/c (n = 5), C57BL/6 (n = 5) and CD1 (n = 5). Solid phase microextraction (SPME) was applied for the extraction of analytes from the tissues. SPME fibers (approximately 0.2 mm in diameter) coated with a biocompatible sorbent (4 mm length of hydrophilic-lipophilic balanced particles) were inserted into each organ immediately after euthanasia. Samples were analyzed using liquid chromatography coupled to a Q-Exactive Focus Orbitrap mass spectrometer. Distinct interstrain differences in the metabolomic patterns of brain and liver tissue were revealed. The metabolome of kidney and muscle tissue in BALB/c mice differed greatly from C57BL/6 and CD1 strains. The main compounds differentiating all the targeted organs were alpha-amino acids, purine nucleotides and fatty acid esters. The results of the study indicate that the baseline metabolome of organs, as well as different metabolic pathways, vary widely among general-purpose models of laboratory mice commonly used in biomedical research.

Despite the variety of tools available for cancer diagnosis and classification, methods that enable fast and simple characterization of tumors are still in need. In recent years, mass spectrometry has become a method of choice for untargeted profiling of discriminatory compound as potential biomarkers of a disease. Biofluids are generally considered as preferable matrices given their accessibility and easier sample processing while direct tissue profiling provides more selective information about a given cancer. Preparation of tissues for the analysis via traditional methods is much more complex and time-consuming, and, therefore, not suitable for fast on-site analysis. The current work presents a protocol combining sample preparation and extraction of small molecules on-site, immediately after tumor resection. The sampling device, which is of the size of an acupuncture needle, can be inserted directly into the tissue and then transported to the nearby laboratory for instrumental analysis. The results of metabolomics and lipidomics analyses demonstrate the capability of the approach for the establishment of phenotypes of tumors related to the histological origin of the tumor, malignancy, and genetic mutations, as well as for the selection of discriminating compounds or potential biomarkers. The non-destructive nature of the technique permits subsequent performance of routinely used tests e.g., histological tests, on the same samples used for SPME analysis, thus enabling attainment of more comprehensive information to support personalized diagnostics.