This review deals with two-dimensional liquid chromatography (2D-LC) separations encompassing target heart-cut (LC-LC), multiple heart-cut (mLC-LC), non-targeted comprehensive (LC × LC), and selective comprehensive (sLC × LC) analysis. It presents an overview of basic concepts and emphasizes the versatility of the applications gained by going from one-(1D) to two-dimensional (2D) separations. This review also discusses target analysis of achiral and chiral drugs for different applications and the use of 2D-LC in zonal bioaffinity chromatography. Advances in instrumental and column technologies have widened the application of LC × LC and sLC × LC separations, and we will discuss some of them.

O desenvolvimento de métodos rápidos e eficazes para a identificação de novas moléculas bioativas é fundamental para o processo de descoberta e planejamento de fármacos. A integração de um sistema de cromatografia liquida de alta eficiência (CLAE), com biorreatores como fase estacionária (IMER) é uma estratégia atrativa e versátil para a triagem de coleções de compostos visando à identificação de novos agentes terapêuticos. Os parâmetros cinéticos da enzima imobilizada gliceraldeído-3-fosfato desidrogenase (GAPDH) de Trypanosoma cruzi e humana foram determinados (T. cruzi: K M G3P = 0.50 mmol L-1; K M NAD+ = 0.67 mmol L-1; humana: K M G3P = 3.7 mmol L-1; K M NAD+ = 0.75 mmol L-1) e comparados com aqueles observados em solução (T. cruzi: K M G3P = 0.42 mmol L-1; K M NAD+ = 0.26 mmol L-1; humana: K M G3P = 0.16 mmol L-1; K M NAD+ = 0.18 mmol L-1). Os resultados indicaram uma diminuição na afinidade das enzimas imobilizadas, entretanto, os elementos estruturais necessários para o processo de reconhecimento molecular e atividade biológica permaneceram inalterados, aumentando a estabilidade das enzimas. Além disso, a análise estrutural forneceu dados moleculares importantes envolvidos nos efeitos da imobilização sobre as interações entre ligante e receptor e, consequentemente, sobre a atividade enzimática e parâmetros cinéticos.

The development of fast and reliable methods for the identification of new bioactive compounds is of utmost importance to boost the process of drug discovery and development. Immobilized enzyme reactors (IMERs), integrated with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), are attractive and versatile tools for screening collections consisting of natural products and synthetic small molecules. Standard kinetic parameters of the immobilized enzyme glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) from both Trypanosoma cruzi de and human have been determined (T. cruzi: K M G3P = 0.50 mmol L-1; K M NAD+ = 0.67 mmol L-1; humana: K M G3P = 3.7 mmol L-1; K M NAD+ = 0.75 mmol L-1), and comparisons of these values with those of the parasite and human free enzymes indicate a decrease in the affinity for the immobilized system (T. cruzi: K M G3P = 0.42 mmol L-1; K M NAD+ = 0.26 mmol L-1; humana: K M G3P = 0.16 mmol L-1; K M NAD+ = 0.18 mmol L-1). Interestingly, despite the kinetic differences between the two systems, the immobilized GAPDHs retained the required structural requirements for molecular recognition and biological activity, increasing the stability the enzyme. In the present work, we described an integrated structural analysis which has provided important insights into the molecular basis underlying the effects of immobilization on the ligand-receptor interactions and consequent enzymatic activity and kinetics parameters.

The development and characterization of bioreactors or IMER (immobilized enzyme reactors) as research tools are important in the scope of medicinal chemistry and constitute an alternative for the rational development of drugs. This approach does not require highly purified enzymes or a great amount of protein, but increase the enzymatic stability against heat, organic solvents and pH, without too much loss of catalyst activity. Immobilized enzyme reactors (IMER) can be used for the accomplishment of high efficiency screening on-line and, thus inhibitors can be quickly identified. Here, we emphasize the development of IMER by use of different methods of immobilization and chromatographic supports. Their applications, in different areas of research, are also fully discussed.