1st Franco–Japanese Workshop on Metallomics, Pau, France

The field of metallomics has traditionally been strong in Japan, from the very beginning when the term “metallomics” was coined by Hiroki Haraguchi in 2004. It has been demonstrated by the on-going series of national “Metallomics Research Forum” meetings organized biannually since 2008 and the recent special issue of our journal on “Metallomics in Japan” (Metallomics, 2013, 5, 415–500, co-edited by Y. Ogra and S. Himeno). This July, the Japanese metallomics researchers traveled to France to participate in the first Franco–Japanese Workshop on Metallomics held in Pau, France, from 5th–8th July 2013. The meeting gathered almost 50 participants from both countries and was sponsored by Agilent Technologies and local French authorities (Region Aquitaine, CG-64 and municipality of Pau). The host was the Laboratoire de Chimie Analytique Bio-Inorganique et Environnement (LCABIE) headed by Ryszard Lobinski (National Research Council of France, CNRS) who, together with Yasumitsu Ogra (Showa Pharmaceutical University), co-chaired the meeting. The senior scientists invited to the Workshop included chairmen of the “Metallomics Research Forum” Suichi Enomoto† (RIKEN and Okayama University), Hiroyuki Yasui (Kyoto Pharmaceutical University) and Masahiro Kawahara (Musashino University) and prominent members of the Plasma Spectroscopy Discussion Group including Hiroki Haraguchi (Professor Emeritus, Nagoya University), Naoki Furuta (Chuo University) and Takafumi Hirata (Kyoto University). Among the French participants were members of the laboratories of the French Atomic Energy Agency, CEA, from Grenoble (Jacques Bourgignon) and Marcoule (Claude Vidaud), the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research, INSERM, (Christian Larroque), the Institute of Radioprotection and Nuclear Safety, IRSN, (Sandrine Frelon) and the French National Institute for Agricultural Research, INRA, (Stéphane Mari).

The meeting was inaugurated by Hiroki Haraguchi who outlined the historical aspects of metallomics from an “all present” theory of the elements to today's challenges. The presentations covered most of the hot topics in metallomics research. The role of zinc in the nervous system was discussed by Masahiro Kawahara, with particular emphasis on neurotoxicity and the pathogenesis of senile dementia, whereas Atsushi Takeda talked about modulation of learning and memory by zinc ion signal in the hippocampus. Another aspect of zinc in human health was examined by Hiroyuki Yasui, who focused on the imbalance of metal homeostasis in the diabetic state and the treatment of diabetes with zinc-containing drugs. The response of plants grown under uranium stress was explored by Jacques Bourguignon, whereas Stéphane Mari explained speciation aspects of iron transport in plants. The rapidly developing field of intracellular elemental imaging by X-ray fluorescence was presented by Mari Shimura (National Center for Global Health and Medicine) and followed by a lecture on mass spectrometry imaging as a tool for studying the penetration and the metabolism of metallo-drugs into human tumors, which was given by Christian Larroque. Uranyl biodistribution in biological fluids, with a focus on the identification of non-covalent protein–metal complexes, was discussed by Claude Vidaud. Seiichiro Himeno elucidated the role of selected metal transporters in cadmium incorporation into cells. Selenium-related research was represented by a lecture from Yong Nam Pak (Korea National University of Education) on quantitation of selenized proteins in yeast by species-unspecific isotope dilution, and Yasumitsu Ogra on alternative metabolic pathways of selenium in mammalian cell lines. This topic was further developed in a lecture by Katarzyna Bierla, presenting a joint CNRS–JSPS project on selenoproteomics and selenometabolomics of marine organisms by advanced hyphenated techniques.

Several presentations on analytical developments in ICP MS included lectures by Takafumi Hirata on LA-ICP MS approaches to isotope signatures for elemental metabolism of Fe from human blood cells, by Kazumi Inagaki (AIST) on highly sensitive elemental analysis of single microbial cells by time-resolved ICP MS and, by Naoki Furuta, on protein quantification by nanoHPLC-ICP MS using sulfur detection. Representatives of Agilent Technologies – Toshiaki Matsuda and Michiko Yamanaka – presented company solutions to metallomics analytical challenges; the audience was especially interested in principles and applications of the new ICP-triple quadrupole mass spectrometer.

Challenges to metalloprotein metrology were addressed by Paola Fisicaro (French Metrology Institute) who discussed a European project aimed at providing solutions for the quantification of the most relevant proteins in human serum by species specific isotope dilution mass spectrometry.

Ryszard Lobinski gave a brief summary of the metallomics research at LCABIE, presenting the current major projects and the project leaders. They include: selenoproteomics and selenoproteomics in nutrition (Joanna Szpunar), metalloproteomics with a focus on uranium (Sandra Mounicou), metals and their complexes with organic acids in plant physiology (Laurent Ouerdane), metabolism and interactions of metallodrugs (Brice Bouyssiere), imaging and speciation of trace elements at the submicron and nanoscale (Marie-Pierre Isaure). The evolution of research from analytical chemistry towards biochemistry has gained momentum with the arrival at LCABIE of two CNRS research scientists with their projects: selenoprotein synthesis and regulation in human health and disease (Laurent Chavatte) and iron accumulation in mitochondria (Anne-Laure Bulteau). The Japanese guests were invited to visit the mass spectrometry platform of the host laboratory, consisting of a number of elemental (quadrupole and sector field ICP), molecular (triple quad, TOF, Orbitrap) and isotope ratio (multicollector ICP MS) mass spectrometers coupled to various species separation systems. Newly set up biochemistry labs were also presented. An introduction was given to the extension of the platform by Mass Spectrometry Center for Reactivity and Speciation analysis (MARSS), recently founded with €8M for the equipment and another €20M for the construction of a new building.

The scientific topics were intensely discussed, not only during the scientific sessions but also during several social events. The latter included much appreciated local (Béarnaise) cuisine dinners where foie gras, magret de canard and Jurançon and Madiran wines were served, a guided visit to Pau castle – the birthplace of the first French Bourbon King Henry IV, Lourdes – the famous pilgrimage destination and, last but not least, the Medieval Beaucens castle, housing one of the most prestigious collections of birds of prey which could be admired flying at complete liberty.

The organizers do hope that this very successful workshop will be the beginning of many fruitful collaborations between French and Japanese laboratories, resulting in new ideas and joint research projects whose results will be presented at the upcoming bilateral and multinational meetings.

The co-chairmen of the meeting: Ryszard Lobinski and Yasumitsu Ogra.

The participants of the workshop.

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Footnote

† Could not attend.

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