Investigation of the in vitro biotransformation of R-(+)-thalidomide by HPLC, nano-HPLC, CEC and HPLC–APCI-MS

High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), nano-HPLC, capillary electrochromatography (CEC) and on-line HPLC–atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry (APCI-MS) techniques were used for the identification and detailed characterization of two new metabolites of the former sedative drug thalidomide (TD). The advantages of nano-HPLC and CEC are higher peak efficiency and a drastic decrease in the analysis time, which, together with lower sample dilution during the analyses, allowed to obtain a detection sensitivity that was comparable to HPLC with common-sized columns. Both, nano-HPLC and CEC could be realized in the commercially available capillary electrophoresis system HP^3D. On-line HPLC–APCI-MS coupling is a very useful technique for the rapid identification of metabolites without any need for reference compounds.     

Gas chromatographic determination of meprobamate in human plasma

A simplified and rapid gas chromatographic method has been developed for the determination of meprobamate in human plasma. The procedure includes a single-step extraction of alkalinized sample with chloroform, and chromatography on a non-polar fused-silica capillary column with flame ionization detection. The method is accurate (97.7 ± 5.7% at 20 mg/l) and precise (maximum coefficient of variation of 9.5%). It provides an alternative to existing methods and is particularly suitable for toxicological studies.     

Rapid assay of cocaine, opiates and metabolites by gas chromatography—mass spectrometry

The simultaneous assay of cocaine, opiates and metabolites in small biological samples continues to be a difficult task. This report focuses upon tabulation of important techniques (extraction, derivatization, chromatographic conditions, detection mode, data acquisition) reported over the last decade that were used in the development of assays for these analytes. The most prevalent procedures for extraction of cocaine, opiates and metabolites were liquid—liquid and solid-phase extraction isolation methods. Following extraction analytes were derivatized and analyzed by gas chromatography—mass spectrometry. The technique most often used for chromatographic separation was fused-silica capillary column gas chromatography. Detection generally was performed by selected ion monitoring in the positive-ion electron-impact ionization mode, although full-scan acquisition and positive- and negative-ion chemical ionization methods have been used. It was apparent from the review that there is a continuing need for greater sensitivity and selectivity in the assay of highly potent opiates and for cocaine and metabolites.     

A micromethod for the analysis of free amino acids by gas chromatography and its application to biological systems.

A gas chromatographic procedure was developed for determination of minute amounts of free amino acids in natural waters and laboratory models simulating biological systems. Sample pretreatment included removal of interfering organic substances by chloroform extraction and isolation of amino acids by cation exchange. Amino acids were converted to their N-heptafluorobutyryl isobutyl ester derivatives in glass capillary tubes, permitting considerable concentration of the sample prior to gc injection. The derivatives of 19 amino acids were successfully separated on either a glass column packed with a mixture of OV-101 and OV-17 on Chromosorb W, a glass capillary column coated with OV-101, or a support-coated capillary column supported with SE-30. One to five nanograms of individual amino acids were detected using flame ionization detector. The detection limit was reduced more than 100-fold using the electron capture detector and more than 1000-fold by mass fragmentography. The procedure allowed determination of less than 1 ppb of individual amino acids in lake and river water samples and was used to estimate the exeretion of free amino acids from microbial populations.     

Measurement of 5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine serum levels by gas chromatography chemical ionization mass spectrometry

Serum levels of 5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine in cancer treated patients were measured by gas chromatography mass spectrometry under chemical ionization conditions; 1-(2-deoxy-beta-D-lyxofuranosyl)-5-fluorouracil (3'-epi-5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine) was used as an internal standard. The drug and internal standard were quantitatively isolated from the serum sample by a mini-column anion exchange method and the extract permethylated using potassium-tert-butoxide in dimethylsulphoxide and methyl iodide. The derivatized nucleosides were then re-extracted from the reaction mixture and analysed on a glass capillary column coated with Superox-4. The column was coupled directly to the chemical ionization source of the mass spectrometer; NH3 was used as the reagent gas. The gas chromatographic effluent was monitored at m/z 289, the [MH]+ ion of the N,O-permethyl derivatives of 5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine and the internal standard. Recovery of 5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine from serum in the 0-1 microgram ml-1 concentration range averaged 93 +/- 2% (SD); a linear detector response was observed up to 50 ng 5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine ml-1. At the 10 ng ml-1 level, a within-run assay precision of 10% (CV) (n = 5) was found, while a detection limit of about 1 ng 5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine ml-1 of serum was attained. The method was applied to the measurement of disappearance curves of 5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine in the serum of treated patients.     

Monolithic capillary columns for liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry in proteomic and genomic research

Peptides, proteins, single-stranded oligonucleotides, and double-stranded DNA fragments were separated with high resolution in micropellicular, monolithic capillary columns prepared by in situ radical copolymerization of styrene and divinylbenzene. Miniaturized chromatography both in the reversed-phase and the ion-pair reversed-phase mode could be realized in the same capillary column because of the nonpolar character of the poly-(styrene/divinylbenzene) stationary phase. The high chromatographic performance of the monolithic stationary phase facilitated the generation of peak capacities for the biopolymers in the range of 50-140 within 10 min under gradient elution conditions. Employing volatile mobile phase components, separations in the two chromatographic separation modes were on-line hyphenated to electrospray ionization (tandem) mass spectrometry, which yielded intact accurate molecular masses as well as sequence information derived from collision-induced fragmentation. The inaccuracy of mass determination in a quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer was in the range of 0.01-0.02% for proteins up to a molecular mass of 20000, and 0.02-0.12% for DNA fragments up to a molecular mass of 310000. High-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry utilizing monolithic capillary columns was applied to the identification of proteins by peptide mass fingerprinting, tandem mass spectrometric sequencing, or intact molecular mass determination, as well as to the accurate sizing of double-stranded DNA fragments ranging in size from 50 to 500 base pairs, and to the detection of sequence variations in DNA fragments amplified by the polymerase chain reaction.     

Gas chromatographic determination of eugenol in ethanol extract of cloves

An ethanolic extract of cloves was analyzed by gas chromatography directly to identify eugenol and other major phenolic compounds without previous separation of other components. Separation was performed on a fused-silica capillary column of 30 mx0.53 mm I.D., 0.53 μm film thickness. The detector was a flame ionization detector. Helium gas at a flow-rate of 3 ml/min was used as a carrier gas. The analysis were performed with linear temperature programming. Nine components were detected and special attention was given to the major phenolic compound, eugenol.     

Determination of proteins in infant formula by high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry

To determine the protein content of formula, gel electrophoresis was performed on the infant formula samples and the entire protein patterns were analyzed by nano-high performance liquid chromatography-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (nano-HPLC/ESI/MS/MS). From the commercial infant formula profiled in this study, a total of 154 peptides, corresponding to 31 unique proteins were identified by nano-HPLC/ESI/MS/MS. Each of the identified peptides was reconfirmed by a strict integrated approach using tandem mass spectra. This protein profiling method using gel electrophoresis coupled with nano-HPLC/ESI/MS/MS and manual evaluation is a sensitive and accurate method for protein identification as well as a powerful tool for monitoring various types of food products.     

Increased throughput and reduced carryover of mass spectrometry-based proteomics using a high-efficiency nonsplit nanoflow parallel dual-column capillary HPLC system

We report a new design of a fully automated, high-efficiency parallel nonsplit nanoflow capillary HPLC system, coupled on-line with linear ion trap (LTQ) and high performance nanoelectrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (nanoESI LTQ-FTICR MS). The system, intended for high-throughput proteome analysis of complex protein mixtures, notably serum and plasma, consists of two reversed-phase trap columns for large volume sample injection with high speed sample loading and desalting and two reversed-phase analytical capillary columns. Through a nanoscale two-position, 10-port switching valve, the whole system is terminated by a 10 microm i.d. of nanoemitter mounted on the nanoelectrospray source in front of the sampling cone of the LTQ-FTICR MS. Gradient elution to both nanoflow-rate capillary columns is simultaneously delivered by a single HPLC system via two independent binary gradient pump systems. The parallel capillary column approach eliminates the time delays for column regeneration/equilibration since one capillary column is used for separating the sample mixtures and delivering the separated fractions to the MS, while the other capillary column is being regenerated and equilibrated. The reproducibility of retention time and peak intensity of the present automated parallel nanoflow-rate capillary HPLC system is comparable to that obtained using a single column configuration. Replicate injections of tryptic digests indicated that this system provided good reproducibility of retention time and peak area on both columns with average CV values of less than 1.08% and 7.04%, respectively. Throughput was increased to 100% for 2-h LC-MS analysis compared to the single capillary column LC-MS pipeline. Application of this system is demonstrated in a plasma proteomic study. A total of 312 868 MSMS events were acquired and 1564 proteins identified with high confidence (Protein Prophet > or = 0.9, and peptides matched > or = 2). Comparison of a series of plasma fractions run using the single-column LC-MS versus the parallel-column LC-MS demonstrated that parallel-column LC-MS system significantly reduced the sample carryover, improved MS data quality and increased the number of MS/MS sequence scan events.     

Determination of ziprasidone in human plasma by liquid chromatography-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry and its application to plasma level determination in schizophrenia patients

An accurate, rapid and simple liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS) assay method was developed for the determination of ziprasidone (ZIP) in the plasma of schizophrenia patients. A simple one step liquid-liquid extraction with 20% methylene dichloride in pentane was used to isolate ZIP and the internal standard from the plasma matrix. The compounds were separated on a C-18 column by an isocratic elution and the eluted compounds were analyzed by a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer with a TurboIon spray interface using the positive ion atmospheric pressure electrospray ionization method and detected using multiple reaction monitoring mode. The ZIP standard calibration curve was linear over the range of 0.25-500ng/ml when 0.5ml of plasma was used for the analysis (r(2)>0.998). The intra-assay (within-day) and inter-assay (between-day) variations were less than 12% for the spiked standard curve and quality control samples. The absolute extraction efficiency was 82% for ZIP and 68% for INS-RSP. The analysis time for each sample was less than 3min and useful for high turnaround plasma level determinations. This LC-MS-MS assay method for ZIP is highly specific, sensitive, accurate and rapid and is currently being used for the plasma level determination of ZIP in schizophrenia patients treated with various daily oral doses of ZIP. The data showed large inter-individual variations.     

Gas chromatography column as an ambient‐temperature volatile trap

Open‐tube volatile traps have largely been shunned in favor of solid adsorbent containing traps for the collection of volatile pheromones and attractants. Solid adsorbents require large solvent rinses and glass capillaries can be difficult to maneuver for the collection of volatiles from small or hard‐to‐reach odor sources. A gas chromatograph (GC) column (DB‐1), an open‐tube glass capillary, and a SuperQ^®‐containing capillary were compared for their collection efficiencies from rubber septa and live calling insects. All three traps captured similar ratios of test compounds from septa at airflows >10 ml per min. Eluting analytes from a packed adsorbent, SuperQ, required at least 30× more solvent than was required to collect all the pheromone from the open‐tube glass capillaries, and the GC column enjoyed an additional three‐fold reduced solvent volume compared to the glass capillary. Thus, analytes could be eluted from the GC‐column trap and directly analyzed on GC without solvent evaporation. We placed glass wool ‘plugs’ in both GC columns and glass capillaries and found no volatiles in these plugs, indicating that breakthrough did not occur during 1‐h collections at 25 ml per min. We demonstrate here that at ambient laboratory temperatures, a DB‐1 GC column effectively collects Oriental fruit moth sex pheromone volatiles from a rubber septum and live pheromone‐releasing moths. Release ratios of pheromone from rubber septa are consistent with earlier reports from static air systems, whereas the release ratio of the (Z)‐8‐dodecenyl alcohol (Z8‐12:OH) from female Grapholita molesta Busck (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) differed from published results and is likely due to different collection methods or moth‐strain origin.     

Glass capillary or fused-silica gas chromatography—mass spectrometry of several monosaccharides and related sugars: Improved resolution

The gas chromatographic separation of several monosaccharides and related sugars derivatized by methoxylation and trimethylsilylation reactions was optimized with glass capillary (SP-2250) and fused silica (SP-2100) columns. Individual sugars included aldoses, ketoses, polyols, acidic forms and N-acetylated amino sugars. Peaks were detected by selected ion monitoring (SIM). The fused silica column gave complete resolution of all peaks (two per hexose and one per hexitol) arising from glucose, galactose, mannose, fructose, sorbitol, mannitol and dulcitol. The resolution of these sugars with the glass capillary column was not as good, but full differentiation was possible on the basis of SIM. Because the fused silica column gave a better resolution of 33 sugars tested and was more easily installed than the glass capillary column, it was utilized for quantitative analysis. A deuterated algal sugar mixture used for quantitation by isotope dilution was found to contain glucose, galactose, mannose, xylose, arabinose, ribose and rhamnose. Full recoveries were obtained of various amounts of glucose, galactose, mannose, fructose and xylose added to human serum.     

Quantitation of tryptophan,kynurenine and kynurenic acid in human plasma by capillary liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry

Concentrations of tryptophan and its metabolites in plasma are of great interest in determining proper diagnosis and medication of several neurological diseases like, for example, Alzheimer's disease. A method of standard addition was developed to determine total level of tryptophan and two of its metabolites, kynurenine and kynurenic acid, in human plasma by capillary liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. Plasma samples were simply deproteinized by addition of diluted perchloric acid. Samples were then mixed with trichloroacetic acid and injected onto a capillary column. Analytes were separated by a fast gradient elution of the injected samples. Detection was performed by sheathless electrospray tandem mass spectrometry in the multiple reaction monitoring mode. Linear calibration curves were obtained for spiked plasma sample with up to 100% of the expected analytes concentrations. The determined concentrations were well within ranges previously reported (i.e., 6 nM-95 microM) and limit of detections were around 3 nM for each analyte.     

The quantification of erlotinib (OSI-774) and OSI-420 in human plasma by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

An accurate and precise method was developed using HPLC-MS/MS to quantify erlotinib (OSI-774) and its O-desmethyl metabolite, OSI-420, in plasma. The advantages of this method include the use of a small sample volume, liquid-liquid extraction with high extraction efficiency and short chromatographic run times. The analytes were extracted from 100 microL plasma volume using hexane:ethyl acetate after midazolam was added to the sample for internal standardization. The compounds were separated on a Phenomenex C-18 Luna analytical column with acetonitrile:5 mM ammonium acetate as the mobile phase. All compounds were monitored by tandem mass spectrometry with electrospray positive ionization. The intra-day accuracy and precision (% coefficient of variation, % CV) estimates for erlotinib at 10 ng/mL were 90% and 9%, respectively. The intra-day accuracy and precision estimates for OSI-420 at 5 ng/mL were 80% and 4%, respectively. This method was used to quantify erlotinib and OSI-420 in plasma of patients (n=21) administered 150 mg erlotinib per day for non-small cell lung cancer.     

Absolute myoglobin quantitation in serum by combining two-dimensional liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and novel data analysis algorithms

To measure myoglobin, a marker for myocardial infarction, directly in human serum, two-dimensional liquid chromatography in combination with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry was applied as an analytical method. High-abundant serum proteins were depleted by strong anion-exchange chromatography. The myoglobin fraction was digested and injected onto a 60 mm x 0.2 mm i.d. monolithic capillary column for quantitation of selected peptides upon mass spectrometric detection. The addition of known amounts of myoglobin to the serum sample was utilized for calibration, and horse myoglobin was added as an internal standard to improve reproducibility. Calibration graphs were linear and facilitated the reproducible and accurate determination of the myoglobin amount present in serum. Manual data evaluation using integrated peak areas and an automated multistage algorithm fitting two-dimensional models of peptide elution profiles and isotope patterns to the mass spectrometric raw data were compared. When the automated method was applied, a myoglobin concentration of 460 pg/microL serum was determined with a maximum relative deviation from the theoretical value of 10.1% and a maximum relative standard deviation of 13.4%.     

Separation of oligosaccharides by capillary supercritical fluid chromatography and analysis by direct coupling to high-resolution mass spectrometer: application to analysis of oligomannosidic N-glycans

Supercritical fluid chromatography separations and supercritical fluid chromatography chemical ionization mass spectrometry analysis of permethylated and pertrimethylsilylated oligosaccharides are reported. Supercritical fluid chromatography was carried out using a DB-5 coated capillary column with carbon dioxide as a mobile phase. Peralkylated oligosaccharides were detected by flame ionization and by chemical ionization mass spectrometry using the GC interface. Analysis of permethylated malto-oligosaccharides, as well as oligomannosides from mannosidosis, was achieved by chemical ionization mass spectrometry with ammonia and provided the pseudo-molecular ions (M+H)+ and (M+NH4)+, in addition to some other fragments which allow interpretations of the structure of different oligosaccharides. The good resolution and sensitivity obtained emphasize the potential of supercritical fluid chromatography mass spectrometry for rapid separations and analysis of complex glycan mixtures.     

Automated in-tube solid-phase microextraction–liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization mass spectrometry for the determination of ranitidine

The technique of automated in-tube solid-phase microextraction (SPME) coupled with liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC–ESI-MS) was evaluated for the determination of ranitidine. In-tube SPME is an extraction technique for organic compounds in aqueous samples, in which analytes are extracted from the sample directly into an open tubular capillary column by repeated aspirate/dispense steps. In order to optimize the extraction of ranitidine, several in-tube SPME parameters such as capillary column stationary phase, extraction pH and number and volume of aspirate/dispense steps were investigated. The optimum extraction conditions for ranitidine from aqueous samples were 10 aspirate/dispense steps of 30 μl of sample in 25 mM Tris–HCl (pH 8.5) with an Omegawax 250 capillary column (60 cm×0.25 mm I.D., 0.25 μm film thickness). The ranitidine extracted on the capillary column was easily desorbed with methanol, and then transported to the Supelcosil LC-CN column with the mobile phase methanol–2-propanol–5 M ammonium acetate (50:50:1). The ranitidine eluted from the column was determined by ESI-MS in selected ion monitoring mode. In-tube SPME followed by LC–ESI-MS was performed automatically using the HP 1100 autosampler. Each analysis required 16 min, and carryover of ranitidine in this system was below 1%. The calibration curve of ranitidine in the range of 5–1000 ng/ml was linear with a correlation coefficient of 0.9997 (n=24), and a detection limit at a signal-to-noise ratio of three was ca. 1.4 ng/ml. The within-day and between-day variations in ranitidine analysis were 2.5 and 6.2% (n=5), respectively. This method was also applied for the analyses of tablet and urine samples.     

Quantitative determination of rivastigmine and its major metabolite in human plasma by liquid chromatography with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization tandem mass spectrometry

A sensitive, specific, accurate and reproducible LC-MS-MS method was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of rivastigmine and its major metabolite NAP 226-90 in human plasma according to International Regulatory Requirements. After addition of their respective labelled internal standards, the compounds were extracted from plasma using methyl-tert.-butyl ether at basic pH with a simultaneous derivatization of NAP 226-90 with propionic anhydride, and backextracted into an acidic solution. After re-extraction the compounds were analyzed on a 3-micrometer Purospher Star RP-18 column interfaced with a MDS Sciex API 3000 triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. Positive atmospheric chemical ionization was employed as the ionization source. The analytes and their internal standards were detected by use of multiple reaction monitoring mode. Intra- and inter-day accuracy and precision were found suitable over the range of concentrations between 0.200 and 30.0 ng/ml. The LC-MS-MS method was crossvalidated with a previously developed in-house GC-MS method by the analysis of plasma samples obtained from patients after administration of Exelon((R)) capsules and showed excellent correlation between the methods.     

Application of capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to chemical characterization of radiation-induced base damage of DNA: implications for assessing DNA repair processes

The application of capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to the chemical characterization of radiation-induced base products of calf thymus DNA is presented. Samples of calf thymus DNA irradiated in N2O-saturated aqueous solution were hydrolyzed with HCOOH, trimethylsilylated, and subjected to GC-MS analysis using a fused-silica capillary column. Hydrolysis conditions suitable for the simultaneous analysis of the radiation-induced products of all four DNA bases in a single run were determined. The trimethylsilyl derivatives of these products had excellent GC properties and easily interpretable mass spectra; an intense molecular ion (M+.) and a characteristic (M-CH3)+ ion were observed. The complementary use of t-butyldimethylsilyl derivatives was also demonstrated. These derivatives provided an intense characteristic (M-57)+ ion, which appeared as either the base peak or the second most intense ion in the spectra. All mass spectra obtained are discussed. Because of the excellent resolving power of capillary GC and the accurate high-sensitivity identification by MS, the capillary GC-MS is suggested as a very suitable technique for identification of altered bases removed from DNA by base excision-repair enzymes such as DNA glycosylases and, thus, as very useful for an understanding of the base excision-repair of DNA.     

Detection and measurement of opium alkaloids and metabolites in urine of opium eaters by methane chemical ionization mass fragmentography

A gas chromatographic—mass spectrometric assay for eight opium alkaloids in human urine following opium ingestion is described. The compounds were extracted from urine with methylene chloride—isopropanol (7:3, v/v) at pH 9.5, evaporated, derivatized with Tri-Sil Z and analyzed by methane chemical ionization mass fragmentography. The method is sensitive to ca. 0.01 μg/ml for morphine and codeine and ca. 0.05 μg/ml for the other compounds. Adsorption problems on the gas chromatography column prevented obtaining reproducible results for the measurement of noscapine. Extraction efficiencies over the pH range of 8–11 for the eight compounds are reported. Retention times of the opium alkaloids were determined using five different liquid phases (3%) on Gas-Chrom Q (100–120 mesh) and two column lengths (36 cm and 183 cm). The 36-cm column packed with OV-210 was selected for use in the assay. Ions were selected for monitoring for each component from their methane chemical ionization spectrum to provide the needed sensitivity and specificity for analysis of a multi-component mixture. The assay was used for the analysis of an “opium eater's” urine. Morphine, codeine, nomorphine, norcodeine and noscapine were detected; however, no evidence was obtained for thebaine, papaverine or oripavine. Unconjugated morphine (0.64 μg/ml) was present at nearly twice the concentration of codeine (0.37 μg/ml) and normorphine and norcodeine were present in equal amounts (ca. 0.15 μg/ml).