Analysis of intracellular nucleotides by capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry

A pilot study using capillary electrophoresis with mass spectrometry for the analysis of nucleotides in human erythrocytes is presented. Erythrocytes were incubated with 5-amino-4-imidazolecarboxamide riboside in order to mimic situation in defect of purine metabolism--AICA-ribosiduria. Characteristic AICA-ribotides together with normal nucleotides were separated by capillary electrophoresis in acetate buffer (20 mmol/L, pH 4.4) and identified on line by mass spectrometry.