Eicosanoids mass spectrometry

Leukotrienes (LTs) are lipid mediators derived enzymatically from arachidonic acid. Structurally, these eicosanoids contain a conjugated triene functionality. LTB4 and LTC4 are the two important leukotrienes. Mass spectrometry has played... 

J. M. Hevko and R. C. Murphy, Electrospray ionization and tandem mass spectrometry of cysteinyl eicosanoids leukotriene C4 and FOG7, J. Am. Soc. Mass Spectrom. 12, 763-771 (2001). 

Mesaros C, Lee SH, Blair I A. Targeted quantitative analysis of eicosanoid lipids in biological samples using liquid chromatography—tandem mass spectrometry. J Chromatogr B 2009 877 2736-2745. 

Margalit, A., Duffin, K. L. and Isakson, P. C. (1996) Rapid quantitation of a large scope of eicosanoids in two models of inflammation development of an electrospray and tandem mass spectrometry method and application to biological studies. Analyt. Biochem., 235, 73-81. 

Murphy, R. C. and Zirrolli, J. A. (1994) Lipid mediators, eicosanoids and fatty acids, in Biological Mass Spectrometry Present and Future (eds T. Matsuo, R. M. Caprioli, M. L. Gross and Y. Seyama) John Wiley, Chichester, Sussex, pp. 463-79. 

Figure 9.5 Positive ion spectrum of a purslane extract containing monogalactosyldiglycerides. Reprinted from / Chromatogr., 394 (1), Kim, H. Y., Yergey, J. A. and Salem, N. J., Determination of eicosanoids, phospholipids and related compounds by thermospray liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, pp. 155-70, 1987, with kind permission of Elsevier Science - NL, Sara Burgerhartstraat 25, 1055 KV Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Deems, R., Buczynski, M.W., Bowers-Gentry, R., Harkewicz, R. and Dennis, E.A. (2007) Detection and quantitation of eicosanoids via high performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry. Methods Enzymol. 432, 59-82. 

Murphy, R.C., Barkley, R.M., Zemski Berry, K., Hankin, J., Harrison, K., Johnson, C., Krank, J., McAnoy, A., Uhlson, C. and Zarini, S. (2005) Electrospray ionization and tandem mass spectrometry of eicosanoids. Anal. Biochem. 346, 1-42. 

Mai, M., Koh, P.K., Cheah, RY. and Chan, E.C. (2011) Ultra-pressure liquid chromatog-raphy/tandem mass spectrometry targeted profiling of arachidonic acid and eicosanoids in human colorectal cancer. Rapid Commun. Mass Spectrom. 25, 755-764. 

Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) has played a pivotal role in the purification and structural characterization of the eicosanoids. For example, it was by using TLC coupled to analysis by gas chro-matography/mass spectrometry that Mats Hamberg, Bengt Samuelsson and their collaborators at the Karolinska Institute first identified and isolated the thromboxanes. TLC is still very useful, particularly when a positive identification of the analytes is not immediately required, as in sample work-up or in quantification of radioactively-labeled eicosanoids present in well-characterized biological samples. 

Not all arachidonate metabolites have favorable absorbance properties, however. When this is the case, two additional techniques of high sensitivity may be used. The eicosanoids eluting from the HPLC column may be measured with the aid of an immunochemical assay (e.g., radioimmunoassay or enzyme-linked immunoassay).Alternatively, these compounds may be chemically coupled to a chromophore before HPLC purification, and measured by ultraviolet or by fluorescence spectroscopy. Direct analysis of the HPLC eluant by mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS) is also feasible, but its use has been hampered so far by high costs... 

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