Prediction of the Adult T-Cell Leukemia Inhibitory Activity of Blueberry Leaves/Stems Using Direct-Injection Electron Ionization-Mass Spectrometry Metabolomics

Hisahiro Kai; Yoshihito Okada; Yo Goto; Takayuki Nakayama; Kazuhiro Sugamoto; Kenjirou Ogawa; Masao Yamasaki; Kazuhiro Morishita; Koji Matsuno; Hisato Kunitake

doi:10.3390/plants11101343

Prediction of the Adult T-Cell Leukemia Inhibitory Activity of Blueberry Leaves/Stems Using Direct-Injection Electron Ionization-Mass Spectrometry Metabolomics

Plants (Basel). 2022 May 19;11(10):1343. doi: 10.3390/plants11101343.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pharmaceutical Health Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyushu University of Health and Welfare, 1714-1 Yoshino-Machi, Nobeoka, Miyazaki 882-8508, Japan.
² Department of Natural Medicine and Phytochemistry, Meiji Pharmaceutical University, 2-522-1 Noshio, Kiyose, Tokyo 204-8588, Japan.
³ Biolabo Co., Ltd., 7-2-6 Minatojimaminamimachi Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0047, Japan.
⁴ Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, University of Miyazaki, 1-1 Gakuen Kibanadai-nishi, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan.
⁵ Organization for Promotion of Tenure Track, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan.
⁶ Department of Biochemistry and Applied Biosciences, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, 1-1 Gakuen Kibanadai-nishi, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan.
⁷ Department of Medical Sciences, Division of Tumor and Cellular Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki, 5200 Kihara, Kiyotake, Miyazaki 889-1692, Japan.
⁸ Department of Hygiene, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyushu University of Health and Welfare, 1714-1 Yoshino-machi, Nobeoka, Miyazaki 882-8508, Japan.

Abstract

Although Vaccinium virgatum Aiton leaves and stems inhibit adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) cells, leaves and stems can differ between individual plants and by time and location. In this study, leaf and stem components were profiled in the same individual plant using direct-injection electron ionization-mass spectrometry (DI-EI-MS) metabolomics, with the aims of analyzing the anti-ATL activity, and quantifying proanthocyanidins (PACs). Leaves, stems, and leaf/stem mixtures showed distinct and characteristic spectra. Anti-ATL activity was stronger in stems than leaves, and the PAC content was higher in stems than leaves. These data were subjected to bivariate analysis to identify the factor (m/z) responsible for the inhibitory effect of ATL based on the highest coefficient of determination (R²). The results of this DI-EI-MS metabolomics analysis suggest that among PACs contained in V. virgatum stems and leaves, the fragment ion at m/z 149 contributes significantly to anti-ATL activity.

Keywords: Vaccinium virgatum; adult T-cell leukemia (ATL); direct-injection electron ionization-mass spectrometry (DI-EI-MS); metabolomics.

Grants and funding

This research received no external funding.