Brain tissue lipidomics: direct probing using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry

The sphingosine 1-phosphate analogue, FTY720, modulates the lipidomic signature of the mouse hippocampus

The small-molecule drug, FTY720 (fingolimod), is a synthetic sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) analogue currently used to treat relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis in both adults and children. FTY720 can cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and, over time, accumulate in lipid-rich areas of the central nervous system (CNS) by incorporating into phospholipid membranes. FTY720 has been shown to enhance cell membrane fluidity, which can modulate the functions of glial cells and neuronal populations involved in regulating behaviour. Moreover, direct modulation of S1P receptor-mediated lipid signalling by FTY720 can impact homeostatic CNS physiology, including neurotransmitter release probability, the biophysical properties of synaptic membranes, ion channel and transmembrane receptor kinetics, and synaptic plasticity mechanisms. The aim of this study was to investigate how chronic FTY720 treatment alters the lipid composition of CNS tissue in adolescent mice at a key stage of brain maturation. We focused on the hippocampus, a brain region known to be important for learning, memory, and the processing of sensory and emotional stimuli. Using mass spectrometry-based lipidomics, we discovered that FTY720 increases the fatty acid chain length of hydroxy-phosphatidylcholine (PCOH) lipids in the mouse hippocampus. It also decreases PCOH monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and increases PCOH polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). A total of 99 lipid species were up-regulated in the mouse hippocampus following 3 weeks of oral FTY720 exposure, whereas only 3 lipid species were down-regulated. FTY720 also modulated anxiety-like behaviours in young mice but did not affect spatial learning or memory formation. Our study presents a comprehensive overview of the lipid classes and lipid species that are altered in the hippocampus following chronic FTY720 exposure and provides novel insight into cellular and molecular mechanisms that may underlie the therapeutic or adverse effects of FTY720 in the central nervous system.

Seeing is Believing: Developing Multimodal Metabolic Insights at the Molecular Level

This outlook explores how two different molecular imaging approaches might be combined to gain insight into dynamic, subcellular metabolic processes. Specifically, we discuss how matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-MSI) and stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) microscopy, which have significantly pushed the boundaries of imaging metabolic and metabolomic analyses in their own right, could be combined to create comprehensive molecular images. We first briefly summarize the recent advances for each technique. We then explore how one might overcome the inherent limitations of each individual method, by envisioning orthogonal and interchangeable workflows. Additionally, we delve into the potential benefits of adopting a complementary approach that combines both MSI and SRS spectro-microscopy for informing on specific chemical structures through functional-group-specific targets. Ultimately, by integrating the strengths of both imaging modalities, researchers can achieve a more comprehensive understanding of biological and chemical systems, enabling precise metabolic investigations. This synergistic approach holds substantial promise to expand our toolkit for studying metabolites in complex environments.

Oxidative stress: The nexus of obesity and cognitive dysfunction in diabetes

Obesity has been associated with oxidative stress. Obese patients are at increased risk for diabetic cognitive dysfunction, indicating a pathological link between obesity, oxidative stress, and diabetic cognitive dysfunction. Obesity can induce the biological process of oxidative stress by disrupting the adipose microenvironment (adipocytes, macrophages), mediating low-grade chronic inflammation, and mitochondrial dysfunction (mitochondrial division, fusion). Furthermore, oxidative stress can be implicated in insulin resistance, inflammation in neural tissues, and lipid metabolism disorders, affecting cognitive dysfunction in diabetics.

Cell and Tissue Imaging by TOF-SIMS and MALDI-TOF: An Overview for Biological and Pharmaceutical Analysis

The potential of mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) has been demonstrated in cell and tissue research since 1970. MSI can reveal the spatial distribution of a wide range of atomic and molecular ions detected from biological sample surfaces, it is a powerful and valuable technique used to monitor and detect diverse chemical and biological compounds, such as drugs, lipids, proteins, and DNA. MSI techniques, notably matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight (MALDI-TOF) and time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS), witnessed a dramatic upsurge in studying and investigating biological samples especially, cells and tissue sections. This advancement is attributed to the submicron lateral resolution, the high sensitivity, the good precision, and the accurate chemical specificity, which make these techniques suitable for decoding and understanding complex mechanisms of certain diseases, as well as monitoring the spatial distribution of specific elements, and compounds. While the application of both techniques for the analysis of cells and tissues is thoroughly discussed, a briefing of MALDI-TOF and TOF-SIMS basis and the adequate sampling before analysis are briefly covered. The importance of MALDI-TOF and TOF-SIMS as diagnostic tools and robust analytical techniques in the medicinal, pharmaceutical, and toxicology fields is highlighted through representative published studies.

Tissue fixation effects on human retinal lipid analysis by MALDI imaging and LC-MS/MS technologies

Imaging mass spectrometry (IMS) allows the location and abundance of lipids to be mapped across tissue sections of human retina. For reproducible and accurate information, sample preparation methods need to be optimized. Paraformaldehyde fixation of a delicate multilayer structure like human retina facilitates the preservation of tissue morphology by forming methylene bridge crosslinks between formaldehyde and amine/thiols in biomolecules; however, retina sections analyzed by IMS are typically fresh-frozen. To determine if clinically significant inferences could be reliably based on fixed tissue, we evaluated the effect of fixation on analyte detection, spatial localization, and introduction of artifactual signals. Hence, we assessed the molecular identity of lipids generated by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI-IMS) and liquid chromatography coupled tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for fixed and fresh-frozen retina tissues in positive and negative ion modes. Based on MALDI-IMS analysis, more lipid signals were observed in fixed compared with fresh-frozen retina. More potassium adducts were observed in fresh-frozen tissues than fixed as the fixation process caused displacement of potassium adducts to protonated and sodiated species in ion positive ion mode. LC-MS/MS analysis revealed an overall decrease in lipid signals due to fixation that reduced glycerophospholipids and glycerolipids and conserved most sphingolipids and cholesteryl esters. The high quality and reproducible information from untargeted lipidomics analysis of fixed retina informs on all major lipid classes, similar to fresh-frozen retina, and serves as a steppingstone towards understanding of lipid alterations in retinal diseases.

Fatty acids and beyond: Age and Alzheimer's disease related changes in lipids reveal the neuro-nutraceutical potential of lipids in cognition

Lipids are essential in maintaining brain function, and lipid profiles have been reported to be altered in aged and Alzheimer's disease (AD) brains as compared to healthy mature brains. Both age and AD share common metabolic hallmarks such as increased oxidative stress and perturbed metabolic function, and age remains the most strongly correlated risk factor for AD, a neurodegenerative disease. A major accompanying pathological symptom of these conditions is cognitive impairment, which is linked with changes in lipid metabolism. Thus, nutraceuticals that affect brain lipid metabolism or lipid levels as a whole have the potential to ameliorate cognitive decline. Lipid analyses and lipidomic studies reveal changes in specific lipid types with aging and AD, which can identify potential lipid-based nutraceuticals to restore the brain to a healthy lipid phenotype. The brain lipid profile can be influenced directly with dietary administration of lipids themselves, although because of synergistic effects of nutrients it may be more useful to consider a multi-component diet rather than single nutrient supplementation. Gut microbiota also serve as a source of beneficial lipids, and the value of treatments that manipulate the composition of gut microbiome should not be ignored. Lastly, instead of direct supplementation, compounds that affect pathways involved with lipid metabolism should also be considered as a way of manipulating lipid levels to improve cognition. In this review, we briefly discuss the role of lipids in the brain, the changing lipid profile in AD, current research on lipid-based nutraceuticals and their therapeutic potential to combat cognitive impairment.

Applications of stable isotopes in MALDI imaging: current approaches and an eye on the future

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation-imaging mass spectrometry (MALDI-IMS) is now an established imaging modality with particular utility in the study of biological, biomedical and pathological processes. In the first instance, the use of stable isotopically labelled (SIL) compounds in MALDI-IMS has addressed technical barriers to increase the accuracy and versatility of this technique. This has undoubtedly enhanced our ability to interpret the two-dimensional ion intensity distributions produced from biological tissue sections. Furthermore, studies using delivery of SIL compounds to live tissues have begun to decipher cell, tissue and inter-tissue metabolism while maintaining spatial resolution. Here, we review both the technical and biological applications of SIL compounds in MALDI-IMS, before using the uptake and metabolism of glucose in bovine ocular lens tissue to illustrate the current limitations of SIL compound use in MALDI-IMS. Finally, we highlight recent instrumentation advances that may further enhance our ability to use SIL compounds in MALDI-IMS to understand biological and pathological processes. Graphical Abstract.

Streamlined Analysis of Cardiolipins in Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Samples Using a Norharmane Matrix by MALDI-MSI

Cardiolipins (CLs) are an important, regulated lipid class both in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, yet they remain largely unexplored by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-MSI) in tissues. To date, no in-depth optimization studies of label-free visualization of CLs in complex biological samples have been reported. Here we report a streamlined modification to our previously reported MALDI-MSI method for detection of endogenous CLs in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells based on preparation with norharmane (NRM) matrix. Notably, the use of NRM matrix permitted sensitive detection (4.7 pg/mm²) of spotted CL synthetic standards. By contrast, four other MALDI matrices commonly used for lipid analysis failed to generate CL ions. Using this NRM-based method, endogenous CLs were detected from two types of complex biological samples: dried bacterial arrays and mouse tissue sections. In both cases, using NRM resulted in a better signal/noise for CL ions than the other matrices. Furthermore, inclusion of a washing step improved CL detection from tissue and this combined tissue preparation method (washing and NRM matrix) was used to profile normal mouse lung. Mouse lung yielded 26 unique CLs that were mapped and identified. Consistent with previous findings, CLs containing polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) were found in abundance in the airway and vascular features of the lung. This work represents a comprehensive investigation of detection conditions for CL using MALDI-MSI in complex biological samples that resulted in a streamlined method that enables future studies of the biological role(s) of CL in tissue.

Detection of small molecule concentration gradients in ocular tissues and humours

The eye is an elegant organ consisting of a number of tissues and fluids with specialised functions that together allow it to effectively transmit and transduce light input to the brain for visual perception. One key determinant of this integrated function is the spatial relationship of ocular tissues. Biomolecular distributions within the main ocular tissues cornea, lens, and retina have been studied extensively in isolation, yet the potential for metabolic communication between ocular tissues via the ocular humours has been difficult to visualise. To address this limitation, the current study presents a method to map spatial distributions of metabolites and small molecules in whole eyes, including ocular humours. Using a tape-transfer system and freeze-drying, the spatial distribution of ocular small molecules was investigated in mouse, rat, fish (black bream), and rabbit eyes using negative ion mode MALDI imaging mass spectrometry. Full-scan imaging was used for discovery experiments, while MS/MS imaging for identification and localisation was also demonstrated. In all eyes, metabolites such as glutathione and phospholipids were localised in the main ocular tissues. In addition, in rodent eyes, major metabolites were distributed relatively uniformly in ocular humours. In contrast, both uniform and spatially defined ocular metabolite distributions were observed in the black bream eye. Tissue and ocular humour distributions were reproducible, as demonstrated by the three-dimensional analysis of a mouse eye, and able to be captured with high spatial resolution analysis. The presented method could be used to further investigate the role of inter-tissue metabolism in ocular health, and to support the development of therapeutics to treat major ocular diseases.

Lipid Analysis of 30 000 Individual Rodent Cerebellar Cells Using High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry

Single-cell measurements aid our understanding of chemically heterogeneous systems such as the brain. Lipids are one of the least studied chemical classes, and their cell-to-cell heterogeneity remains largely unexplored. We adapted microscopy-guided single-cell profiling using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry to profile the lipid composition of over 30 000 individual rat cerebellar cells. We detected 520 lipid features, many of which were found in subsets of cells; Louvain clustering identified 101 distinct groups that can be correlated to neuronal and astrocytic classifications and lipid classes. Overall, the two most common lipids found were [PC(32:0)+H]⁺ and [PC(34:1)+H]⁺, which were present within 98.9 and 89.5% of cells, respectively; lipid signals present in <1% of cells were also detected, including [PC(34:1)+K]⁺ and [PG(40:2(OH))+Na]⁺. These results illustrate the vast lipid heterogeneity found within rodent cerebellar cells and hint at the distinct functional consequences of this heterogeneity.

Contemporary lipidomic analytics: opportunities and pitfalls

Recent advances in analytical techniques have greatly enhanced the depth of coverage, however lipidomic studies are still restricted to analysing only a subset of known lipids. Numerous complementary techniques are used for investigation of cellular lipidomes, including mass spectrometry (MS), nuclear magnetic resonance and vibrational spectroscopy. The development in electrospray ionization (ESI) MS has accelerated lipidomics research in the past two decades and represents one of the most widely used technique. The versatility of ESI-MS systems allows development of methods to detect and quantify a large diversity of lipid species and classes. However, highly targeted and specific approaches can preclude global analysis of many lipid classes. Indeed, experimental procedures are generally optimised for the lipid species, or lipid class of interest. Therefore, careful consideration of experimental procedures is required for characterisation of biological lipidomes. The current review will describe the lipidomic approaches for considering tissue lipid physiology. Discussion of the main sequences in a lipidomics workflow will be presented, including preparation of samples, accurate quantitation of lipid species and statistical modelling.

Charting the unexplored extracellular matrix in cancer

The extracellular matrix (ECM) is present in all solid tissues and considered a master regulator of cell behaviour and phenotype. The importance of maintaining the correct biochemical and biophysical properties of the ECM, and the subsequent regulation of cell and tissue homeostasis, is illustrated by the simple fact that the ECM is highly dysregulated in many different types of disease, especially cancer. The loss of tissue ECM homeostasis and integrity is seen as one of the hallmarks of cancer and typically defines transitional events in progression and metastasis. The vast majority of cancer studies place an emphasis on exploring the behaviour and intrinsic signalling pathways of tumour cells. Their goal was to identify ways to target intracellular pathways regulating cancer. Cancer progression and metastasis are powerfully influenced by the ECM and thus present a vast, unexplored repository of anticancer targets that we are only just beginning to tap into. Deconstructing the complexity of the tumour ECM landscape and identifying the interactions between the many cell types, soluble factors and extracellular-matrix proteins have proved challenging. Here, we discuss some of the emerging tools and platforms being used to catalogue and chart the ECM in cancer.

Direct Biological Sample Analyses by Laserspray Ionization Miniature Mass Spectrometry

With improved performances, miniature mass spectrometers are becoming suitable for more practical applications. At the same time, the coupling of an approximate ionization source is essential in terms of minimizing sample preparation and broadening the range of samples that could be analyzed. In this study, an atmospheric pressure laserspray ionization (AP-LSI) source was coupled with our home developed miniature ion trap mass spectrometer. The whole system is compact in size, and biological samples could be directly analyzed with minimum sample preparation. Direct detections of peptides, proteins, drugs in whole blood, and urine could be achieved with high sensitivity. The analyses of tissue sections were demonstrated, and different regions in a tissue section could be differentiated based on their lipid profiles. Results suggest that the coupling of AP-LSI with miniature mass spectrometer is a powerful technique, which could potentially benefit target molecule analysis in biological and medical applications.

Food-induced changes of lipids in rat neuronal tissue visualized by ToF-SIMS imaging

Time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) was used to image the lipid localization in brain tissue sections from rats fed specially processed cereals (SPC). An IonTof 5 instrument equipped with a Bi cluster ion gun was used to analyze the tissue sections. Data from 15 brain samples from control and cereal-fed rats were recorded and exported to principal components analysis (PCA). The data clearly show changes of certain lipids in the brain following cereal feeding. PCA score plots show a good separation in lipid distribution between the control and the SPC-fed group. The loadings plot reveal that the groups separated mainly due to changes in cholesterol, vitamin E and c18:2, c16:0 fatty acid distribution as well as some short chain monocarboxylic fatty acid compositions. These insights relate to the working mechanism of SPC as a dietary supplement. SPC is thought to activate antisecretory factor (AF), an endogenous protein with regulatory function for inflammation and fluid secretion. These data provide insights into lipid content in brain following SPC feeding and suggest a relation to activating AF.

Intact lipid imaging of mouse brain samples: MALDI, nanoparticle-laser desorption ionization, and 40 keV argon cluster secondary ion mass spectrometry

We have investigated the capability of nanoparticle-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry (NP-LDI MS), matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) MS, and gas cluster ion beam secondary ion mass spectrometry (GCIB SIMS) to provide maximum information available in lipid analysis and imaging of mouse brain tissue. The use of Au nanoparticles deposited as a matrix for NP-LDI MS is compared to MALDI and SIMS analysis of mouse brain tissue and allows selective detection and imaging of groups of lipid molecular ion species localizing in the white matter differently from those observed using conventional MALDI with improved imaging potential. We demonstrate that high-energy (40 keV) GCIB SIMS can act as a semi-soft ionization method to extend the useful mass range of SIMS imaging to analyze and image intact lipids in biological samples, closing the gap between conventional SIMS and MALDI techniques. The GCIB SIMS allowed the detection of more intact lipid compounds in the mouse brain compared to MALDI with regular organic matrices. The 40 keV GCIB SIMS also produced peaks observed in the NP-LDI analysis, and these peaks were strongly enhanced in intensity by exposure of the sample to trifluororacetic acid (TFA) vapor prior to analysis. These MS techniques for imaging of different types of lipids create a potential overlap and cross point that can enhance the information for imaging lipids in biological tissue sections.

Graphical abstract

The lipid habitats of neurotransmitter receptors in brain

Neurotransmitter receptors, the macromolecules specialized in decoding the chemical signals encrypted in the chemical signaling mechanism in the nervous system, occur either at the somatic cell surface of chemically excitable cells or at specialized subcellular structures, the synapses. Synapses have lipid compositions distinct from the rest of the cell membrane, suggesting that neurotransmitter receptors and their scaffolding and adaptor protein partners require specific lipid habitats for optimal operation. In this review we discuss some paradigmatic cases of neurotransmitter receptor-lipid interactions, highlighting the chemical nature of the intervening lipid species and providing examples of the receptor mechanisms affected by interaction with lipids. The focus is on the effects of cholesterol, glycerophospholipids and covalent fatty acid acylation on neurotransmitter receptors. We also briefly discuss the role of lipid phase states involving lateral heterogeneities of the host membrane known to modulate membrane transport, protein sorting and signaling. Modulation of neurotransmitter receptors by lipids occurs at multiple levels, affecting a wide span of activities including their trafficking, sorting, stability, residence lifetime at the cell surface, endocytosis, and recycling, among other important functional properties at the synapse.

Dietary DHA supplementation causes selective changes in phospholipids from different brain regions in both wild type mice and the Tg2576 mouse model of Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is of major concern in ageing populations and we have used the Tg2576 mouse model to understand connections between brain lipids and amyloid pathology. Because dietary docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) has been identified as beneficial, we compared mice fed with a DHA-supplemented diet to those on a nutritionally-sufficient diet. Major phospholipids from cortex, hippocampus and cerebellum were separated and analysed. Each phosphoglyceride had a characteristic fatty acid composition which was similar in cortex and hippocampus but different in the cerebellum. The biggest changes on DHA-supplementation were within ethanolamine phospholipids which, together with phosphatidylserine, had the highest proportions of DHA. Reciprocal alterations in DHA and arachidonate were found. The main diet-induced alterations were found in ethanolamine phospholipids, (and included their ether derivatives), as were the changes observed due to genotype. Tg mice appeared more sensitive to diet with generally lower DHA percentages when on the standard diet and higher relative proportions of DHA when the diet was supplemented. All four major phosphoglycerides analysed showed age-dependent decreases in polyunsaturated fatty acid contents. These data provide, for the first time, a detailed evaluation of phospholipids in different brain areas previously shown to be relevant to behaviour in the Tg2576 mouse model for AD. The lipid changes observed with genotype are consistent with the subtle alterations found in AD patients, especially for the ethanolamine phospholipid molecular species. They also emphasise the contrasting changes in fatty acid content induced by DHA supplementation within individual phospholipid classes.

An investigation on the mechanism of sublimed DHB matrix on molecular ion yields in SIMS imaging of brain tissue

We have characterized the use of sublimation to deposit matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) matrices in secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) analysis, i.e. matrix-enhanced SIMS (ME-SIMS), a common surface modification method to enhance sensitivity for larger molecules and to increase the production of intact molecular ions. We use sublimation to apply a thin layer of a conventional MALDI matrix, 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHB), onto rat brain cerebellum tissue to show how this technique can be used to enhance molecular yields in SIMS while still retaining a lateral resolution around 2 μm and also to investigate the mechanism of this enhancement. The results here illustrate that cholesterol, which is a dominant lipid species in the brain, is decreased on the tissue surface after deposition of matrix, particularly in white matter. The decrease of cholesterol is followed by an increased ion yield of several other lipid species. Depth profiling of the sublimed rat brain reveals that the lipid species are de facto extracted by the DHB matrix and concentrated in the top most layers of the sublimed matrix. This extraction/concentration of lipids directly leads to an increase of higher mass lipid ion yield. It is also possible that the decrease of cholesterol decreases the potential suppression of ion yield caused by cholesterol migration to the tissue surface. This result provides us with significant insights into the possible mechanisms involved when using sublimation to deposit this matrix in ME-SIMS.

Mass spectrometry imaging of rat brain lipid profile changes over time following traumatic brain injury

BACKGROUND

Mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a common public health issue that may contribute to chronic degenerative disorders. Membrane lipids play a key role in tissue responses to injury, both as cell signals and as components of membrane structure and cell signaling. This study demonstrates the ability of high resolution mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) to assess sequences of responses of lipid species in a rat controlled cortical impact model for concussion.

NEW METHOD

A matrix of implanted silver nanoparticles was implanted superficially in brain sections for matrix-assisted laser desorption (MALDI) imaging of 50μm diameter microdomains across unfixed cryostat sections of rat brain. Ion-mobility time-of-flight MS was used to analyze and map changes over time in brain lipid composition in a rats after Controlled Cortical Impact (CCI) TBI.

RESULTS

Brain MS images showed changes in sphingolipids near the CCI site, including increased ceramides and decreased sphingomyelins, accompanied by changes in glycerophospholipids and cholesterol derivatives. The kinetics differed for each lipid class; for example ceramides increased as early as 1 day after the injury whereas other lipids changes occurred between 3 and 7 days post injury.

COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHOD(S)

Silver nanoparticles MALDI matrix is a sensitive new tool for revealing previously undetectable cellular injury response and remodeling in neural, glial and vascular structure of the brain.

CONCLUSIONS

Lipid biochemical and structural changes after TBI could help highlighting molecules that can be used to determine the severity of such injuries as well as to evaluate the efficacy of potential treatments.

Use of advantageous, volatile matrices enabled by next-generation high-speed matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight imaging employing a scanning laser beam

RATIONALE

In mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) it is often desirable to analyse the same sample in both polarities to extract the most information. However, many matrices that produce high-quality spectra in matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) are volatile, greatly limiting their use in long imaging experiments. We demonstrate that using a new high speed MALDI-MSI instrument, volatile matrices, including those that produce intense lipid signals in both positive and negative ion mode, can now be effectively used in MSI.

METHODS

A prototype Bruker rapifleX MALDI Tissuetyper™ time-of-flight (TOF) instrument was used for high-speed imaging. This allows acquisition rates up to 50 pixels/s made possible by use of a 10 kHz laser and two rotating mirrors that allow the laser beam to be moved over, and synchronised with, the rapidly moving sample. MSI experiments were performed on mouse brain sections using non-vacuum stable dithranol and 2,6-dihydroxyacetophenone (DHA) matrices with pixel sizes ranging from 10 × 10 µm(2) to 50 × 50 µm(2).

RESULTS

Both DHA and dithranol produced rich, complementary lipid spectra in both positive and negative ion modes. Due to the rapid acquisition speed of the instrument, both matrices could be effectively used for MSI despite their volatility. For example, an entire mouse brain could be imaged consecutively in both positive and negative ion mode with 50 × 50 µm(2) pixels in ~35 min. We demonstrate that these speeds make possible both faster and higher resolution imaging of biological tissues on practical timescales.

CONCLUSIONS

These high acquisition speeds now make possible whole new classes of matrices that are unstable under high vacuum for MALDI-MSI studies. This provides researchers with far greater range and flexibility in choosing the best matrix for the given sample and analytes that they wish to detect. In addition, such instruments allow MSI to be performed at higher resolution across larger areas on practical time scales.

Diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease: Potential role of molecular biometrics

Accurate diagnosis of predominantly colonic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is not possible in 30% of patients. For decades, scientists have worked to find a solution to improve diagnostic accuracy for IBD, encompassing Crohn's colitis and ulcerative colitis. Evaluating protein patterns in surgical pathology colectomy specimens of colonic mucosal and submucosal compartments, individually, has potential for diagnostic medicine by identifying integrally independent, phenotype-specific cellular and molecular characteristics. Mass spectrometry (MS) and imaging (I) MS are analytical technologies that directly measure molecular species in clinical specimens, contributing to the in-depth understanding of biological molecules. The biometric-system complexity and functional diversity is well suited to proteomic and diagnostic studies. The direct analysis of cells and tissues by Matrix-Assisted-Laser Desorption/Ionization (MALDI) MS/IMS has relevant medical diagnostic potential. MALDI-MS/IMS detection generates molecular signatures obtained from specific cell types within tissue sections. Herein discussed is a perspective on the use of MALDI-MS/IMS and bioinformatics technologies for detection of molecular-biometric patterns and identification of differentiating proteins. I also discuss a perspective on the global challenge of transferring technologies to clinical laboratories dealing with IBD issues. The significance of serologic-immunometric advances is also discussed.

Transmission geometry laser ablation into a non-contact liquid vortex capture probe for mass spectrometry imaging

RATIONALE

Capture of material from a laser ablation plume into a continuous flow stream of solvent provides the means for uninterrupted sampling, transport and ionization of collected material for coupling with mass spectral analysis. Reported here is the use of vertically aligned transmission geometry laser ablation in combination with a new non-contact liquid vortex capture probe coupled with electrospray ionization for spot sampling and chemical imaging with mass spectrometry.

METHODS

A vertically aligned continuous flow liquid vortex capture probe was positioned directly underneath a sample surface in a transmission geometry laser ablation (355 nm, 10 Hz, 7 ns pulse width) set up to capture into solution the ablated material. The outlet of the vortex probe was coupled to the Turbo V™ ion source of an AB SCIEX TripleTOF 5600+ mass spectrometer. System operation and performance metrics were tested using inked patterns and thin tissue sections. Glass slides and slides designed especially for laser capture microdissection, viz., DIRECTOR(®) slides and PEN 1.0 (polyethylene naphthalate) membrane slides, were used as sample substrates.

RESULTS

The estimated capture efficiency of laser-ablated material was 24%, which was enabled by the use of a probe with large liquid surface area (~2.8 mm(2) ) and with gravity to help direct ablated material vertically down towards the probe. The swirling vortex action of the liquid surface potentially enhanced capture and dissolution not only of particulates, but also of gaseous products of the laser ablation. The use of DIRECTOR(®) slides and PEN 1.0 (polyethylene naphthalate) membrane slides as sample substrates enabled effective ablation of a wide range of sample types (basic blue 7, polypropylene glycol, insulin and cyctochrome c) without photodamage using a UV laser. Imaging resolution of about 6 µm was demonstrated for stamped ink on DIRECTOR(®) slides based on the ability to distinguish features present both in the optical and in the chemical image. This imaging resolution was 20 times better than the previous best reported results with laser ablation/liquid sample capture mass spectrometry imaging. Using thin sections of brain tissue the chemical image of a selected lipid was obtained with an estimated imaging resolution of about 50 µm.

CONCLUSIONS

A vertically aligned, transmission geometry laser ablation liquid vortex capture probe, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry system provides an effective means for spatially resolved spot sampling and imaging with mass spectrometry.

Dithranol as a matrix for matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization imaging on a fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer

Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) determines the spatial localization and distribution patterns of compounds on the surface of a tissue section, mainly using MALDI (matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization)-based analytical techniques. New matrices for small-molecule MSI, which can improve the analysis of low-molecular weight (MW) compounds, are needed. These matrices should provide increased analyte signals while decreasing MALDI background signals. In addition, the use of ultrahigh-resolution instruments, such as Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR) mass spectrometers, has the ability to resolve analyte signals from matrix signals, and this can partially overcome many problems associated with the background originating from the MALDI matrix. The reduction in the intensities of the metastable matrix clusters by FTICR MS can also help to overcome some of the interferences associated with matrix peaks on other instruments. High-resolution instruments such as the FTICR mass spectrometers are advantageous as they can produce distribution patterns of many compounds simultaneously while still providing confidence in chemical identifications. Dithranol (DT; 1,8-dihydroxy-9,10-dihydroanthracen-9-one) has previously been reported as a MALDI matrix for tissue imaging. In this work, a protocol for the use of DT for MALDI imaging of endogenous lipids from the surfaces of mammalian tissue sections, by positive-ion MALDI-MS, on an ultrahigh-resolution hybrid quadrupole FTICR instrument has been provided.

Oxidative stress in brain tissue of gerbils experimentally infected with Neospora caninum

Neospora caninum infection is generally latent and asymptomatic, and it results in the formation of dormant encysted bradyzoites that remain in the brain and other tissues of infected animals for life, causing major economic and pathological problems. The aim of this study was to assess the relation between infection by N. caninum and its damage to brain tissue through the evaluation of biomarkers of oxidative stress during the acute and chronic phases of the disease. Sixteen gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) were divided into 3 groups: Group A (n = 6) was composed of healthy animals, while group B (n = 5) was infected with 0.1 ml containing 2.5 × 10(6) tachyzoites of N. caninum in order to achieve the acute phase, and, finally, group C (n = 5) was infected with a lower dose (0.1 ml containing 5 × 10(4)) of N. caninum tachyzoites in order to produce the chronic phase of the disease. All evaluations were performed on brain tissue on days 7 and 30 postinfection (PI), with assessment of the levels of several biomarkers of oxidative stress, including nitrate/nitrite (NOx), lipid peroxidation (TBARS), protein oxidation (AOPP), and activity of glutathione reductase (GR). Brain levels of TBARS and AOPP statistically differed (P < 0.05) among the 3 groups when compared to the control group, since both biomarkers showed reduced levels on day 7 PI, and increased levels on day 30 PI. Brain activity of GR increased significantly in animals from group C when compared to groups A and B. On day 7 PI, histological lesions and parasites in the brain were not observed, whereas in the chronic phase group, the infected gerbils (day 30 PI) showed areas of inflammatory infiltrate, accompanied by the presence of the parasite in the brain. These results suggest that the oxidative stress occurs at both time points, but the patterns of the biomarkers are different.

Accumulated phosphatidylcholine (16:0/16:1) in human colorectal cancer; possible involvement of LPCAT4

The identification of cancer biomarkers is critical for target-linked cancer therapy. The overall level of phosphatidylcholine (PC) is elevated in colorectal cancer (CRC). To investigate which species of PC is overexpressed in colorectal cancer, an imaging mass spectrometry was performed using a panel of non-neoplastic mucosal and CRC tissues. In the present study, we identified a novel biomarker, PC(16:0/16:1), in CRC using imaging mass spectrometry. Specifically, elevated levels of PC(16:0/16:1) expression were observed in the more advanced stage of CRC. Our data further showed that PC(16:0/16:1) was specifically localized in the cancer region when examined using imaging mass spectrometry. Notably, because the ratio of PC(16:0/16:1) to lyso-PC(16:0) was higher in CRC, we postulated that lyso-PC acyltransferase (LPCAT) activity is elevated in CRC. In an in vitro analysis, we showed that LPCAT4 is involved in the deregulation of PC(16:0/16:1) in CRC. In an immunohistochemical analysis, LPCAT4 was shown to be overexpressed in CRC. These data indicate the potential usefulness of PC(16:0/16:1) for the clinical diagnosis of CRC and implicate LPCAT4 in the elevated expression of PC(16:0/16:1) in CRC.

Lipidomics applications in health, disease and nutrition research

The structural and functional diversity of lipids accounts for their involvement into a wide range of homeostatic processes and disease states, including lifestyle-related diseases as well as genetic conditions. Challenges presented by this diversity have been addressed to a great extent by the development of lipidomics, a platform that makes possible the detailed profiling and characterisation of lipid species present in any cell, organelle, tissue or body fluid, and allows for a wider appreciation of the biological role of lipid networks. Progress in the field of lipidomics has been greatly facilitated by recent advances in MS and includes a range of analytical platforms supporting applications spanning from qualitative and quantitative assessment of multiple species to lipid imaging. Here we review these MS techniques currently in routine use in lipidomics, alongside with new ones that have started making an impact in the field. Recent applications in health, disease and nutrition-related questions will also be discussed with a view to convey the importance of lipidomics contributions to biosciences and food technology.

Current status and future perspectives of mass spectrometry imaging

Mass spectrometry imaging is employed for mapping proteins, lipids and metabolites in biological tissues in a morphological context. Although initially developed as a tool for biomarker discovery by imaging the distribution of protein/peptide in tissue sections, the high sensitivity and molecular specificity of this technique have enabled its application to biomolecules, other than proteins, even in cells, latent finger prints and whole organisms. Relatively simple, with no requirement for labelling, homogenization, extraction or reconstitution, the technique has found a variety of applications in molecular biology, pathology, pharmacology and toxicology. By discriminating the spatial distribution of biomolecules in serial sections of tissues, biomarkers of lesions and the biological responses to stressors or diseases can be better understood in the context of structure and function. In this review, we have discussed the advances in the different aspects of mass spectrometry imaging processes, application towards different disciplines and relevance to the field of toxicology.

High energy collisions on tandem time-of-flight mass spectrometers

Long before the introduction of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI), electrospray ionization (ESI), Orbitraps, and any of the other tools that are now used ubiquitously for proteomics and metabolomics, the highest performance mass spectrometers were sector instruments, providing high resolution mass measurements by combining an electrostatic energy analyzer (E) with a high field magnet (B). In its heyday, the four sector mass spectrometer (or EBEB) was the crown jewel, providing the highest performance tandem mass spectrometry using single, high energy collisions to induce fragmentation. During a time in which quadrupole and tandem triple quadrupole instruments were also enjoying increased usage and popularity, there were, nonetheless, some clear advantages for sectors over their low collision energy counterparts. Time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometers are high voltage, high vacuum instruments that have much in common with sectors and have inspired the development of tandem instruments exploiting single high energy collisions. In this retrospective, we recount our own journey to produce high performance TOFs and tandem TOFs, describing the basic theory, problems, and the advantages for such instruments. An experiment testing impulse collision theory (ICT) underscores the similarities with sector mass spectrometers where this concept was first developed. Applications provide examples of more extensive fragmentation, side chain cleavages, and charge-remote fragmentation, also characteristic of high energy sector mass spectrometers. Moreover, the so-called curved-field reflectron has enabled the design of instruments that are simpler, collect and focus all of the ions, and may provide the future technology for the clinic, for tissue imaging, and the characterization of microorganisms.

Bioanalysis of drug in tissue: current status and challenges

Distribution of drugs into tissues is an important determinant of the overall PK and PD profile. Thus, bioanalysis of drugs and their metabolites in tissues can play an important role in understanding the pharmacological and toxicological properties of new drug candidates. Unlike liquid matrices, bioanalysis in tissues offers unique challenges such as proper tissue sampling, appropriate tissue sample preparation, efficient extraction of the analytes from the tissue homogenates, and demonstration of stability and recovery of analytes in intact tissues. This article provides a systematic review of tissue sample analysis for small molecules using LC–MS/MS. The authors provide rationale for tissue sample analysis, and discuss strategies for method development, method qualification or validation, and sample analysis. Unique aspects of method development and qualification/validation are highlighted based on authors’ direct experiences and literature summary. Analysis using intact tissue samples such as MALDI imaging is also briefly discussed.

Imaging beyond the proteome

Imaging technologies developed in the early 20th century achieved contrast solely by relying on macroscopic and morphological differences between the tissues of interest and the surrounding tissues. Since then, there has been a movement toward imaging at the cellular and molecular level in order to visualize biological processes. This rapidly growing field is known as molecular imaging. In the last decade, many methodologies for imaging proteins have emerged. However, most of these approaches cannot be extended to imaging beyond the proteome. Here, we highlight some of the recently developed technologies that enable imaging of non-proteinaceous molecules in the cell: lipids, signalling molecules, inorganic ions, glycans, nucleic acids, small-molecule metabolites, and protein post-translational modifications such as phosphorylation and methylation.

Lipid imaging with time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS)

Fundamental advances in secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) now allow for the examination and characterization of lipids directly from biological materials. The successful application of SIMS-based imaging in the investigation of lipids directly from tissue and cells are demonstrated. Common complications and technical pitfalls are discussed. In this review, we examine the use of cluster ion sources and cryogenically compatible sample handling for improved ion yields and to expand the application potential of SIMS. Methodological improvements, including pre-treating the sample to improve ion yields and protocol development for 3-dimensional analyses (i.e. molecular depth profiling), are also included in this discussion. New high performance SIMS instruments showcasing the most advanced instrumental developments, including tandem MS capabilities and continuous ion beam compatibility, are described and the future direction for SIMS in lipid imaging is evaluated.

Increased diacylglycerols characterize hepatic lipid changes in progression of human nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; comparison to a murine model

Background and Aims

The spectrum of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) includes steatosis, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and progression to cirrhosis. While differences in liver lipids between disease states have been reported, precise composition of phospholipids and diacylglycerols (DAG) at a lipid species level has not been previously described. The goal of this study was to characterize changes in lipid species through progression of human NAFLD using advanced lipidomic technology and compare this with a murine model of early and advanced NAFLD.

Methods

Utilizing mass spectrometry lipidomics, over 250 phospholipid and diacylglycerol species (DAGs) were identified in normal and diseased human and murine liver extracts.

Results

Significant differences between phospholipid composition of normal and diseased livers were demonstrated, notably among DAG species, consistent with previous reports that DAG transferases are involved in the progression of NAFLD and liver fibrosis. In addition, a novel phospholipid species (ether linked phosphatidylinositol) was identified in human cirrhotic liver extracts.

Conclusions

Using parallel lipidomics analysis of murine and human liver tissues it was determined that mice maintained on a high-fat diet provide a reproducible model of NAFLD in regards to specificity of lipid species in the liver. These studies demonstrated that novel lipid species may serve as markers of advanced liver disease and importantly, marked increases in DAG species are a hallmark of NAFLD. Elevated DAGs may contribute to altered triglyceride, phosphatidylcholine (PC), and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) levels characteristic of the disease and specific DAG species might be important lipid signaling molecules in the progression of NAFLD.

Highlighting anatomical sub-structures in rat brain tissue using lipid imaging

Cell membranes are made up of a mixture of glycerolipids, sphingolipids, gangliosides and cholesterol. Lipids play important roles in a cell's life. However many of their functions have still to be discovered. In the present work, we describe an efficient, easy and rapid methodology to accurately localize phosphatidylcholines and sphingomyelins from a single coronal rat brain section in the cerebrum area. Matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry was used to profile and image lipids. The best resolved structure was 25-50 μm in the hippocampus.

Imaging of intact tissue sections: moving beyond the microscope

MALDI-imaging MS is a new molecular imaging technology for direct in situ analysis of thin tissue sections. Multiple analytes can be monitored simultaneously without prior knowledge of their identities and without the need for target-specific reagents such as antibodies. Imaging MS provides important insights into biological processes because the native distributions of molecules are minimally disturbed, and histological features remain intact throughout the analysis. A wide variety of molecules can be imaged, including proteins, peptides, lipids, drugs, and metabolites. Several specific examples are presented to highlight the utility of the technology.

From pixel to voxel: a deeper view of biological tissue by 3D mass spectral imaging

Three dimensional mass spectral imaging (3D MSI) is an exciting field that grants the ability to study a broad mass range of molecular species ranging from small molecules to large proteins by creating lateral and vertical distribution maps of select compounds. Although the general premise behind 3D MSI is simple, factors such as choice of ionization method, sample handling, software considerations and many others must be taken into account for the successful design of a 3D MSI experiment. This review provides a brief overview of ionization methods, sample preparation, software types and technological advancements driving 3D MSI research of a wide range of low- to high-mass analytes. Future perspectives in this field are also provided to conclude that the outlook for 3D MSI is positive and promises ever-growing applications in the biomedical field with continuous developments of this powerful analytical tool.

Distribution of lipids in human brain

The enormous abundance of lipid molecules in the central nervous system (CNS) suggests that their role is not limited to be structural and energetic components of cells. Over the last decades, some lipids in the CNS have been identified as intracellular signalers, while others are known to act as neuromodulators of neurotransmission through binding to specific receptors. Neurotransmitters of lipidic nature, currently known as neurolipids, are synthesized during the metabolism of phospholipid precursors present in cell membranes. Therefore, the anatomical identification of each of the different lipid species in human CNS by imaging mass spectrometry (IMS), in association with other biochemical techniques with spatial resolution, can increase our knowledge on the precise metabolic routes that synthesize these neurolipids and their localization. The present study shows the lipid distribution obtained by MALDI-TOF IMS in human frontal cortex, hippocampus, and striatal area, together with functional autoradiography of cannabinoid and LPA receptors. The combined application of these methods to postmortem human brain samples may be envisioned as critical to further understand neurological diseases, in general, and particularly, the neurodegeneration that accompanies Alzheimer's disease.

A quantitation method for mass spectrometry imaging

A new quantitation method for mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) has been developed. In this method, drug concentrations were determined by tissue homogenization of five 10 µm tissue sections adjacent to those analyzed by MSI. Drug levels in tissue extracts were measured by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). The integrated MSI response was correlated to the LC/MS/MS drug concentrations to determine the amount of drug detected per MSI ion count. The study reported here evaluates olanzapine in liver tissue. Tissue samples containing a range of concentrations were created from liver harvested from rats administered a single dose of olanzapine at 0, 1, 4, 8, 16, 30, or 100 mg/kg. The liver samples were then analyzed by MALDI-MSI and LC/MS/MS. The MALDI-MSI and LC/MS/MS correlation was determined for tissue concentrations of ~300 to 60,000 ng/g and yielded a linear relationship over two orders of magnitude (R(2) = 0.9792). From this correlation, a conversion factor of 6.3 ± 0.23 fg/ion count was used to quantitate MSI responses at the pixel level (100 µm). The details of the method, its importance in pharmaceutical analysis, and the considerations necessary when implementing it are presented.

Molecular Microscopy of Brain Gangliosides: Illustrating their Distribution in Hippocampal Cell Layers

Gangliosides are amphiphilic molecules found in the outer layer of plasma membranes of all vertebrate cells. They play a major role in cell recognition and signaling and are involved in diseases affecting the central nervous system (CNS). We are reporting the differential distribution of ganglioside species in the rat brain's cerebrum, based on their ceramide associated core, and for the first time the presence of acetylation detected by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry, which was used to map and image gangliosides with detailed structural information and histological accuracy. In the hippocampus, localization of the major species GM1, GD1, O-acetylGD1, GT1, and O-acetylGT1 depends on the sphingoïd base (d18:1 sphingosine or d20:1 eïcosasphingosine) in the molecular layer of the dentate gyrus (ML), which is made up of three distinct layers, the inner molecular layer (IML), which contains sphingosine exclusively, and the middle molecular layer (MML) and the outer molecular layer (OML) where eïcosasphingosine is the only sphingoïd base. These results demonstrate that there is a different distribution of gangliosides in neuronal axons and dendrites depending on the ceramide core of each layer. GM3, GM2, GD3, and GD2 contain sphingosine predominantly and are mainly present in body cell layers, which are made up of the pyramidal cell layer (Py) and the granular layer of the dentate gyrus (GL), in contrast with GQ1 and the O-acetylated forms of GD1, GT1, and GQ1 gangliosides, which contain both sphingoïd bases. However their distribution is based on the sialylated and acetylated oligosaccharide chains in the neuronal cell bodies.

Anatomical distribution of lipids in human brain cortex by imaging mass spectrometry

Molecular mass images of tissues will be biased if differences in the physicochemical properties of the microenvironment affect the intensity of the spectra. To address this issue, we have performed-by means of MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry-imaging on slices and lipidomic analysis in extracts of frontal cortex, both from the same postmortem tissue samples of human brain. An external calibration was used to achieve a mass accuracy of 10 ppm (1σ) in the spectra of the extracts, although the final assignment was based on a comparison with previously reported species. The spectra recorded directly from tissue slices (imaging) show excellent s/n ratios, almost comparable to those obtained from the extracts. In addition, they retain the information about the anatomical distribution of the molecular species present in autopsied frozen tissue. Further comparison between the spectra from lipid extracts devoid of proteins and those recorded directly from the tissue unambiguously show that the differences in lipid composition between gray and white matter observed in the mass images are not an artifact due to microenvironmental influences of each anatomical area on the signal intensity, but real variations in the lipid composition.