Dr. Yehia Mechref

 

Principal Research Interests

• Analytical
• Bioanalytical
• Chemical Separation
• Glycomics
• Glycoproeomics/Proteomics

The current advances in bioanalytical methods and instrumentation have greatly facilitated the understanding of biological processes at the molecular level. Every living organism in its environment represents a biochemically unique system whose biological functions can be better understood through analytical measurements. Isolated analytical measurements, which may help assessing the state of health within the organisms under study, are now routinely being made. Distinguishing between the “apparently healthy” and “diseased” individuals in clinical chemistry assays is often complicated by the biochemical individuality which has been recognized as an experimental complication of acquiring data from human subjects. Moreover, this aspect commonly results in considerable ranges for both often exist.

The rapidly developing fields of genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, glycomics, and metabolomics are generating a vast body of biochemical information which is only sorted out through Systems Biology. Systems Biology, here, is referring to the strategy of pursuing integration of complex data about the interactions in biological systems from diverse bioanalytical techniques using multidisciplinary tools and personnel. Many research laboratories have been focusing their efforts on the overwhelming task of characterizing proteins and their voluminous posttranslation modifications following the Human Genome Project and the subsequent efforts to characterize the genomes of model animals. Inquiries into the glycomes and metabolomes of physiological fluids and tissues have been prompted by the unprecedented advances in biomolecular characterization and quantification of proteins. The ability to address these inquiries have been mainly attributed to the methodological/technological advances in biomolecular mass spectrometry and microscale separation science, as well as to the greatly improved computational capabilities (bioinformatics) which is facilitating fast data visualization and interpretation. The overarching activities in my research group are focused on the utility of molecular mass spectrometry to understand biomolecular changes attributing to disease development and progression.

Glycomics and glycoproteomics continue to be highly dynamic and interesting research areas due to the needs to comprehensively understand the biological attributes of glycosylation in many important biological functions such as immune response, cell development, cellular differentiation/adhesion and host-pathogen interactions. Moreover, aberrant glycosylation for decades has been recognized as the attribute of many mammalian diseases, including osteoarthritis, cystic fibrosis and cancer. This being said, glycomic and glycoproteomic analyses remain to be analytically very challenging mainly due to the high complexity and microheterogeneity of glycosylation processes and machineries. Therefore, more cutting-edge-analytical approaches are needed to allow more comprehensive characterization of glycosylation and subsequently better understanding of its biological roles. The ultimate goal of the research activities of my group is the comprehensive characterization of glycoprotein glycosylation sites and microheterogeneity of such sites. Accordingly, we are developing several glycomic and glycoproteomic approaches facilitating the achievement of this ultimate goal. Since interpretation and processing of glycomic and glycoproteomic data is laborious and time consuming, we are also collaborating with bioinformatics experts to develop different bioinformatic tools aiding rapid and automated data interpretation and processing. These research activities are intended to facilitate the analysis of large numbers of biological samples, thus facilitating a better understanding of disease development and progression at a molecular level.

Representative Publications

Book Chapter (5 out of 16)

• B. Gwan Cho, A. Banazadeh, W. Peng, J. Zhao, M. Goli, S. Gautam, A. Hussein, Y. Mechref "Determination of Isomeric Glycan Structures by Permethylation and Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS)" in A. Delolbel (ed.) Mass Spectrometry of Glycoproteins: Methods and Protocols, Methods in Molecular Biology book series, published by Humana Press, USA, 2271 (2021) 281-301.
• R. Zhu, E. Song, A. Hussein, F. Kobeissy, Y. Mechref "Glycoproteins Enrichment and LC-MS/MS Glycoproteomics in Central Nervous System Applications" in S. Stevens and F. Kobeissy (eds.), Neuroproteomics,Methods in Molecular Biology book series, published by Humana Press, USA, 1598 (2017) 213-227.
• K.M. Wooding, R. Zhu, L. Zacharias Y. Mechref "Chapter 21: Glycoprotein enrichment analytical techniques: advantages and disadvantages" in A. Shukla (ed.) Proteomics in Biology Methods in Enzymology, published by Elsevier, USA, 585 (2017) 397-429.
• L. Veillon, S. Zhou, Y. Mechref "Chapter 22: Quantitative Glycomics: a combined analytical and bioinformatics approach" in A. Shukla (ed.) Proteomics in Biology Methods in Enzymology, published by Elsevier, USA, 585 (2017) 431-477.
• S. Zhou, K. M. Wooding, Y. Mechref "Analysis of Permethylated Glycan by Liquid Chromatography (LC) and Mass Spectrometry (MS)" in M. Wuhrer and G. Lauc (eds.), High-throughput glycomics and glycoproteomics, Methods in Molecular Biology book series, published by Humana Press, USA, 1503 (2017) 83-96.

Review Articles (12 out of 34)

• W. Peng, C. D. Gutierrez Reyes, S. Gautam, A. Yu, B. G. Cho, M. Goli, K. Donohoo, F. Kobeissy, Y. Mechref "MS-Based Glycomics and Glycoproteomics Methods Enabling Isomeric Characterization," Mass Spectrom Rev., (2021) 0-0 https://doi.org/10.1002/mas.21713.
• H. Jourdi, Z. Haj Hassan, O. Ashekyan, M. Fardoun, Z. Wehbe, D. Maaliki, M. Wehbe, S. Mondello, S. Abdelhady, S. Shahjouei, M. Bizri, Y. Mechref, M. S Gold, K. K Wang, G, Dbaibo, H. Zaraket, A. H. Eid, F. Kobeissy "Characterization of Neurological and Neuropsychological changes associated with SARS-CoV-2 Infection" Neuroscientist, (2021) DOI: 10.1177/1073858420984106.
• C. D. Gutierrez Reyes, P. Jiang, K. Donohoo, M. Atashi, Y. Mechref "Glycomics & Glycoproteomics: Approaches to Address Isomeric Separation of Glycans and Glycopeptides" J. Sep Sci, 44 (2021) 403-425.
• Y Mechref, W. Peng, Y. Huang "Recent Advances in Isomeric N- and O-Glycomics" LC-GC: Current Trends in Mass Spectrometry, July 2019, 23-31.
• Y. Mechref, W. Peng, A. Banazadeh, Y. Huang, Y. Hu, S. Zhou, and H. Tang, "Quantitative Glycomics by Mass Spectrometry and Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry." Encyclopedia of Analytical Chemistry. (2019) First published: 24 December 2018 https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470027318.a9400.pub2.
• A. Yu, J. Zhao, W. Peng, A. Banazadeh, S. D. Williamson, M. Goli, Y. Huang, Y. Mechref "Advances in Mass Spectrometry-based Glycoproteomics" Electrophoresis, 39 (2018) 3104-3122. The journal's top 20 most downloaded recent papers.
• X. Dong, Y. Huang, B. G. Cho, J. Zhong, S. Gautam, W. Peng, S. D. Williamson, A. Banazadeh, K. Y. Torres-Ulloa and Y. Mechref "Advances in Mass Spectrometry-Based Glycomics," Electrophoresis, 39 (2018) 3063-3081. The journal's top 20 most downloaded recent papers.
• W. Peng, J. Zhao, X. Dong, A. Banazadeh, Y. Huang, A. Hussien, Y. Mechref "Clinical Application of Quantitative Glycomics," Exp. Rev. Proteomics, 15 (2018) 1007-1031.
• A. Nokkari, Y. Mechref, S. Mondello, M. S. Kindy, A. Jaffa, F. Kobeissy, "Implication of the Kallikrein-Kinin System on Neurological Disorders: Quest for Potential Biomarkers and Mechanisms", Prog. Neurobiol., 165-167 (2018) 26-50.
• L. Veillon, C. Fakih, H. A. Hassan, F. Kobeissy, Y. Mechref "Glycosylation Changes in Brain Cancer", ACS Chem. Neurosci., 9 (2018) 51-72.
• L. Veillon, Y. Huang, W. Peng, X. Dong, B.G. Cho, Y. Mechref "Characterization of Isomeric Glycan Structures by LC-MS/MS" Electrophoresis, 38 (2017) 2100-2114. The journal's top 20 most downloaded recent papers.
• A. Banazadeh, L. Veillon, K.M. Wooding, M. Zabet-Moghaddam, Y. Mechref "Recent Advances in Mass Spectrometric Analysis of Glycoproteins", Electrophoresis, 38 (2017) 162-189. The journal's top 20 most downloaded recent papers.

Research Papers (25 out of 202)

• B. G. Cho, P. Jiang, M. Goli, S. Gautam, Y. Mechref "Using Micro Pillar Array Columns (µPAC) for the Analysis of Permethylated Glycans," Analyst, 146 (2021) 4374-4383. https://doi.org/10.1039/D1AN00643F.
• S Gautam, Y Geldiyev, A Ibrabuimov, Y. Mechref, JL Padgett, W Peng, "Object classification in analytical chemistry via data-driven discovery of partial differential equations" Comp and Math Methods., 3 (2021) e1164, doi: 10.1002/cmm4.1164.
• S. Mondello, F. Kobeissy, Y. Mechref, J. Zhao, S. El-Hayek, K. Zibara, E. Antelmi, M. Moresco, G. Plazzi, F. I. I. Cosentino, R. Ferri, "Searching for Novel Candidate Biomarkers of RLS in Blood by Proteomic Analysis," Nat. Sci. Sleep, 13 (2021) 873-883.
• R. Zhang, W. Peng, S. Gautam, Y. Huang, Y. Mechref, H. Tang "GlycanGUI: Automated Glycan Annotation and Quantification Using Glucose Unit Index (GUI)," Front. Chem., 9:707382, https://doi.org/10.3389/fchem.2021.707382.
• R. Zhang, J. Zhu, D. Lubman, Y. Mechref, H. Tang, "GlycoHybridSeq: Automated Identification of N-linked Glycopeptides Using Electron Transfer/High-energy Collision Dissociation (EThcD)," J. Proteome Res., 20 (2021) 3345-3352.
• Y. Zu, L. Zhao, L. Hao, Y. Mechref, M. Zabet-Moghaddam, P. Keyel, M. Abbasi, D. Wu, J. Dawson, R. Zhang, S. Nie, N. Moustaid-Moussa, M. Kolonin, A. Daquinag, L. Brandi, I. Warraich, S. San Francisco, X. Sun, Z. Fan, S. Wang "Browning white adipose tissue using adipose stromal cell-targeted resveratrol-loaded nanoparticles for combating obesity," J. Control. Release., 333 (2021) 339-351, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jconrel.2021.03.022.
• J. Zhong, Y. Huang, Y. Mechref "Derivatization of Sialylated Glycopeptides (DOSG) Enabling Site-Specific Isomeric Profiling using LC-MS/MS," Anal. Chem., 93 (2021) 5763-5772.
• S. Gautam, A. Banazadeh, B. G. Cho, M. Goli, J. Zhong, Y. Mechref "Mesoporous Graphitized Carbon (MGC) Column for Efficient Isomeric Separation of Permethylated Glycans", Anal. Chem., 93 (2021) 5061–5070.
• B. G. Cho, C. D. Gutierrez-Reyes, Y. Mechref "N-glycomics of Cerebrospinal Fluid: Method Comparison," Molecules, 26 (2021) 1712.
• H. Dakik, S. Mantash, A. Nehme, F. Kobeissy, M. Zabet-Moghaddam, P. Mirzaei, Y. Mechref, A. Gaillard, L. Prestoz, K. Zibara, "Analysis of the neuro-proteome associated with cell therapy in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease," Front. Neurosci., 15 (2021) 621121 https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2021.621121.
• S. P. Yadav, R. Sandoval, J. Zhao, Y. Huang, E. Wang, S. Kumar, S. Campos-Bilderback, G. Rhodes, Y. Mechref, B. Molitoris, and M. Wagner "Mechanism of How Carbamylation Reduces Albumin Binding to FcRn contributing to increased vascular clearance." Am J Physiol-Renal, 320 (2021) F114-F129, https://doi.org/10.1152/ajprenal.00428.2020.
• R. Dhakal, R. Nieman, D. C. A. Valente, T. M. Cardozo, B. Jayee, A. Aqdas, W. Peng, A. A. J. Aquino, Y. Mechref, H. Lischka, H. Mouss, "A General New Method for Calculating the Nonpolar Surface of a Molecule and Applications", Inter. J. Mass Spectrom., 461 (2021) 116495, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijms.2020.116495.
• J. Zhao, W. Peng, X. Dong, Y. Mechref "Characterization of the Glycosylation of NIST Monoclonal Antibody Reference Material by LC-MS/MS-Based Glycoproteomics Approach," J. Proteom. Res., 20 (2021) 818-830.
• M. Hariri, M. Jaffa, R. Saoud, J. Zhao, R. Zhu, F. Kobeissy, A. Hasan, F. N. Ziyadeh, Y. Mechref, A. Jaffa "Vascular Cells Proteome Associated with Bradykinin and Leptin Inflammation and Oxidative Stress Signals" Antioxidants, 9(12) (2020) 1251; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox9121251.
• B. Gwan Cho, W. Peng, Y. Mechref "Separation of Permethylated O-Glycans, Free Oligosaccharides, and Glycosphingolipid-Glycans using Porous Graphitized Carbon (PGC) Column", Metabolites, 10 (2020) 433, https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo10110433.
• A. Fahs, F. Ramadan, F. Ghamloush, A. J Ayoub, F. A. Ahmad, F. H Kobeissy, Y. Mechref, J. Zhao, R. Zhu, N. Hussein, R. Saab, S. E. Ghayad "Effects of the oncoprotein PAX3-FOXO1 on modulation of exosomes function and protein content: Implications on oxidative stress protection and enhanced plasticity," Front. Oncol., 10 (1784) (2020) 1-16, doi: 10.3389/fonc.2020.01784.
• H. Bahmad, W. Peng, R. Zhu, F. Ballou, A. Monzer, M. Elajami, F. Kobeissy*,W. Abou-Kheir*, Y. Mechref* "Protein Expression Analysis of an In Vitro Murine Model of Prostate Cancer Progression: Towards Identification of High-Potential Therapeutic Targets," J. Pers. Med., 10 (2020) 1-19.
• S. Gautam, W. Peng, B. G. Cho, Y. Huang, A. Banazadeh, A. Yu, X. Dong, Y. Mechref "Glucose Unit Index (GUI) of Permethylated Glycans for Effective Identification of Glycans and Glycan Isomers," Analyst, 145 (2020) 6656 – 6667. https://doi.org/10.1039/D0AN00314J.
• X. Dong, S. Mondello, F. Kobeissy, F. Talih, R. Ferri, Y. Mechref "LC-MS/MS Glycomics of Idiopathic Rapid Eye Movement (REM) Patients with Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS)", J. Proteome Res., 19 (2020) 2933–2941.
• R. Zhu, Y. Huang, J. Zhao, J. Zhong and Y. Mechref "Isomeric Separation of Glycopeptides Derived from Glycoproteins by Porous Graphitic Carbon (PGC) LC-MS/MS," Anal. Chem., 92 (2020) 9556-9565.
• R. Saoud, M. A. Jaffa, A. A. Habib, P. Khoueiry, J. Zhao, M. Al Hariri, R. Zhu, A. Hassan, F. N. Ziyadeh, F. Kobeissy, Y. Mechref and A. A. Jaffa "Proteomic Analysis of Bradykinin Signaling in Podocytes" J. Adv. Res., 24 (2020) 409-422.
• T. R. Tivey, J. E. Parkinson, P. E. Mandelare, D. A. Adpressa, W. Peng, X. Dong, Y. Mechref, V. M. Weis, S. Loesgen "N-linked surface glycan biosynthesis, composition, inhibition, and function in cnidarian-dinoflagellate symbiosis", Microb. Ecol., 80 (2020) 223-236.
• S. Mondello, V. A. Guedes, C. Lai, E. Czeiter, K. Amrein, F. Kobeissy, Y. Mechref, A. Jeromin, S. Mithani, C. Martin, C. L. Wagner, A. Czigler, L. Tóth, B. Fazekas, A. Buki, and J. Gill "Circulating Brain Injury Exosomal Proteins following Moderate-to-Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: Temporal Profile, Outcome Prediction and Therapy Implications", Cells, 9 (2020) 977. doi: 10.3390/cells9040977.
• P. Mirzaei, Wenjing Peng, R. Zhu, S. Zhou, Y. Mechref "Comparative Membrane N-Glycomics of Different Breast Cancer Cell Lines to Understand Breast Cancer Brain Metastasis," J. Proteome Res., 19 (2020) 854-863.
• M. De Leoz et al. "NIST Interlaboratory Study on Glycosylation Analysis of Monoclonal Antibodies: Comparison of Results from Diverse Analytical Methods," Mol. Cell. Proteomics, 19 (2020) 11-30.