On-plate self-desalting and matrix-free LDI MS analysis of peptides with a surface patterned sample support

Designed Nanomaterials-Assisted Proteomics and Metabolomics Analysis for In Vitro Diagnosis

In vitro diagnosis (IVD) is pivotal in modern medicine, enabling early disease detection and treatment optimization. Omics technologies, particularly proteomics and metabolomics, offer profound insights into IVD. Despite its significance, omics analyses for IVD face challenges, including low analyte concentrations and the complexity of biological environments. In addition, the direct omics analysis by mass spectrometry (MS) is often hampered by issues like large sample volume requirements and poor ionization efficiency. Through manipulating their size, surface charge, and functionalization, as well as the nanoparticle-fluid incubation conditions, nanomaterials have emerged as a promising solution to extract biomolecules and enhance the desorption/ionization efficiency in MS detection. This review delves into the last five years of nanomaterial applications in omics, focusing on their role in the enrichment, separation, and ionization analysis of proteins and metabolites for IVD. It aims to provide a comprehensive update on nanomaterial design and application in omics, highlighting their potential to revolutionize IVD.

Insulator Nanostructure Desorption Ionization Mass Spectrometry

Surface-assisted laser desorption ionization (SALDI) is an approach for gas-phase ion generation for mass spectrometry using laser excitation on typically conductive or semiconductive nanostructures. Here, we introduce insulator nanostructure desorption ionization mass spectrometry (INDI-MS), a nanostructured polymer substrate for SALDI-MS analysis of small molecules and peptides. INDI-MS surfaces are produced through the self-assembly of a perfluoroalkyl silsesquioxane nanostructures in a single chemical vapor deposition silanization-step. We find that surfaces formed from the perfluorooctyltrichlorosilane monomer assemble semielliptical features with a 10 nm height, diameters between 10 and 50 nm, and have attomole-femtomole sensitivities for selected analytes. Surfaces prepared with silanes that either lack the trichloro or perfluoro groups, lack sensitivity. Further, we demonstrate that hydrophobic INDI regions can be micropatterned onto hydrophilic surfaces to perform on-chip self-desalting in an array format.

A Surface Pattern on MALDI Steel Plate for One-Step In-Situ Self-Desalting and Enrichment of Peptides/Proteins

We report a novel strategy to achieve simultaneous one-step in-situ self-desalting and enrichment (OISE) of peptides/proteins on a facilely fabricated patterned MALDI steel plate with a circular paraffin-steel-polystyrene structure. The OISE plate could efficiently segregate salts from both analytes and matrices while retaining both analyte and matrix concentrate, and facilitating them to form homogeneous co-crystals on the centrally located polystyrene pattern. With the OISE plate, high quality and reproducible spectra could be obtained for low abundance peptides even in the presence of high salt concentrations (200 mM NH₄HCO₃, 1 M NaCl, or 400 mM urea). Using this strategy, a significant sensitivity enhancement was gained over traditional MALDI plate. The practical utility of this method was further demonstrated by the successful profiling of BSA digests and human serum. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.