Quantitative evaluation of sphingomyelin and glucosylceramide using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry with sphingosylphosphorylcholine as an internal standard

Lithium Hydroxide Hydrolysis Combined with MALDI TOF Mass Spectrometry for Rapid Sphingolipid Detection

Sphingolipids have diverse structural and bioactive functions that play important roles in many key biological processes. Factors such as low relative abundance, varied structures, and a dynamic concentration range provide a difficult analytical challenge for sphingolipid detection. To further improve mass-spectrometry-based sphingolipid analysis, lithium adduct consolidation was implemented to decrease spectral complexity and combine signal intensities, leading to increased specificity and sensitivity. We report the use of lithium hydroxide as a base in a routine hydrolysis procedure in order to effectively remove common ionization suppressants (such as glycolipids and glycerophospholipids) and introduce a source of lithium into the sample. In conjunction, an optimized MALDI matrix system, featuring 2',4',6'-trihydroxyacetophenone (THAP) is used to facilitate lithium adduct consolidation during the MALDI process. The result is a robust and high-throughput sphingolipid detection scheme, particularly of low-abundance ceramides. Application of our developed workflow includes the detection of differentially expressed liver sphingolipid profiles from a high-fat-induced obesity mouse model. We also demonstrate the method's effectiveness in detecting various sphingolipids in brain and plasma matrices. These results were corroborated with data from UHPLC HR MS/MS and MALDI FT-ICR, verifying the efficacy of the method application. Overall, we demonstrate a high-throughput workflow for sphingolipid analysis in various biological matrices by the use of MALDI TOF and lithium adduct consolidation.

Homogenous deposition of matrix–analyte cocrystals on gold-nanobowl arrays for improving MALDI-MS signal reproducibility

An Au-nanobowl array was synthesized to utilize its excellent properties to achieve efficient quantitative analysis via MALDI-MS analysis.

Effects of fatty acyl chain length, double-bond number and matrix on phosphatidylcholine responses in matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization on an Orbitrap mass spectrometer

RATIONALE

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) is used for the fast qualitative and quantitative analysis of phosphatidylcholines (PC). Fatty acyl chain lengths and the number of double bonds (DB) affect relative responses of PC; hence the determination of correction factors of individual PC is important for the accurate quantitation. The signal intensity in MALDI-MS strongly depends on the matrix; therefore, the following matrices typically used in lipidomics are studied in the present work: 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHB), 1,5-diaminonaphthalene (DAN) and 9-aminoacridine (9AA).

METHODS

Series of PC with various fatty acyl chain lengths are synthesized for this study. PC concentrations over two orders of magnitude are studied with MALDI-MS. These experiments provide sets of calibration curves for each of the synthesized PC and the further analysis of parameters of calibration curves is performed.

RESULTS

Correction factors for PC decrease with increasing fatty acyl chain length for all matrices. These dependences are steeper for unsaturated PC than for saturated ones. MALDI matrices also have a significant effect on this dependence. The weakest dependence on fatty acyl chain length is found for saturated PC in 9AA. In the case of the other matrices, the effect of fatty acyl chain length on the response is essential for both saturated and unsaturated PC. Calibration curves and parameters of calibration curves for both saturated and monounsaturated PC are fitted by a linear function with regression coefficients decreasing in the order 9AA > DAN > DHB.

CONCLUSIONS

Differences in relative responses for PC in MALDI-MS measurements must be taken into account for accurate quantitation. Parameters of calibration curves can be used for the determination of PC concentrations using a single internal standard (IS). This method gives good results for the 9AA matrix, but the reproducibility of measurements for the DHB and DAN matrices is lower and the method can be used for a rough estimation only. These matrices are less convenient for the quantitation of PC.

Quantitative lipidomic analysis of plasma and plasma lipoproteins using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry

Knowledge of the plasma lipid composition is essential to clarify the specific roles of different lipid species in various pathophysiological processes. In this study, we developed an analytical strategy combining high-performance liquid chromatography with evaporative light scattering detection (HPLC-ELSD) and off-line coupling with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/MS) to determine the composition of plasma and major lipoproteins at two levels, lipid classes and lipid species. We confirmed the suitability of MALDI-TOF/MS as a quantitative measurement tool studying the linearity and repeatability for triglycerides (TG), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidylcholine (PC). Moreover, data obtained with this method were correlated with other lipid classes and species measurements using currently available technologies. To establish the potential utility of our approach, human plasma very low density- (VLDL), low density- (LDL) and high density- (HDL) lipoproteins from 10 healthy donors were separated using ultracentrifugation, and compositions of nine lipid classes, cholesteryl esters (CE), TG, free cholesterol (FC), PE, phosphatidylinositol (PI), sulfatides (S), PC, lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) and sphingomyelin (SM), analyzed. In total, 157 lipid species in plasma, 182 in LDL, 171 in HDL, and 148 in VLDL were quantified. The lipidomic profile was consistent with known differences in lipid classes, but also revealed unexpected differences in lipid species distribution of lipoproteins, particularly for LPC and SM. In summary, the methodology developed in this study constitutes a valid approach to determine the lipidomic composition of plasma and lipoproteins.

Biomarker Characterization by MALDI-TOF/MS

Mass spectrometric techniques frequently used in clinical diagnosis, such as gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, ambient ionization mass spectrometry, and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/MS), are discussed. Due to its ability to rapidly detect large biomolecules in trace amounts, MALDI-TOF/MS is an ideal tool for characterizing disease biomarkers in biologic samples. Clinical applications of MS for the identification and characterization of microorganisms, DNA fragments, tissues, and biofluids are introduced. Approaches for using MALDI-TOF/MS to detect various disease biomarkers including peptides, proteins, and lipids in biological fluids are further discussed. Finally, various sample pretreatment methods which improve the detection efficiency of disease biomarkers are introduced.

Lipidomics for clinical diagnosis: Dye-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization (DALDI) method for lipids detection in MALDI mass spectrometry imaging

Lipid-based biomarkers for research and diagnosis are rapidly emerging to unpack the basis of person-to-person and population variations in disease susceptibility, drug and nutritional responses, to name but a few. Hence, with the advent of MALDI Mass Spectrometry Imaging, lipids have begun to be investigated intensively. However, lipids are highly mobile during tissue preparation, and are soluble in the solvent used for matrix preparation or in the fixing fluid such as formalin, resulting in substantial delocalization. In the present article, we investigated as another alternative, the possibility of using specific dyes that can absorb UV wavelengths, in order to desorb the lipids specifically from tissue sections, and are known to immobilize them in tissues. Indeed, after lipid insolubilization with chromate solution or chemical fixation with osmium tetroxide, heterocyclic-based dyes can be directly used without matrix. Taking into account the fact that some dyes have this matrix-free capability, we identified particular dyes dedicated to histological staining of lipids that could be used with MALDI mass spectrometry imaging. We stained tissue sections with either Sudan Black B, Nile Blue A, or Oil Red O. An important advantage of this assay relies on its compatibility with usual practices of histopathological investigation of lipids. As a new method, DALDI stands for Dye-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization and allows for future clinical and histopathological applications using routine histological protocols. Additionally, this novel methodology was validated in human ovarian cancer biopsies to demonstrate its use as a suitable procedure, for histological diagnosis in lipidomics field.

Analysis of carbohydrates and glycoconjugates by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry: an update for 2007-2008

This review is the fifth update of the original review, published in 1999, on the application of MALDI mass spectrometry to the analysis of carbohydrates and glycoconjugates and brings coverage of the literature to the end of 2008. The first section of the review covers fundamental studies, fragmentation of carbohydrate ions, use of derivatives and new software developments for analysis of carbohydrate spectra. Among newer areas of method development are glycan arrays, MALDI imaging and the use of ion mobility spectrometry. The second section of the review discusses applications of MALDI MS to the analysis of different types of carbohydrate. Specific compound classes that are covered include carbohydrate polymers from plants, N- and O-linked glycans from glycoproteins, biopharmaceuticals, glycated proteins, glycolipids, glycosides and various other natural products. There is a short section on the use of MALDI mass spectrometry for the study of enzymes involved in glycan processing and a section on the use of MALDI MS to monitor products of the chemical synthesis of carbohydrates with emphasis on carbohydrate-protein complexes and glycodendrimers. Corresponding analyses by electrospray ionization now appear to outnumber those performed by MALDI and the amount of literature makes a comprehensive review on this technique impractical. However, most of the work relating to sample preparation and glycan synthesis is equally relevant to electrospray and, consequently, those proposing analyses by electrospray should also find material in this review of interest.

Lipidomics of glycosphingolipids

Glycosphingolipids (GSLs) contain one or more sugars that are attached to a sphingolipid moiety, usually to a ceramide, but in rare cases also to a sphingoid base. A large structural heterogeneity results from differences in number, identity, linkage, and anomeric configuration of the carbohydrate residues, and also from structural differences within the hydrophobic part. GSLs form complex cell-type specific patterns, which change with the species, the cellular differentiation state, viral transformation, ontogenesis, and oncogenesis. Although GSL structures can be assigned to only a few series with a common carbohydrate core, their structural variety and the complex pattern are challenges for their elucidation and quantification by mass spectrometric techniques. We present a general overview of the application of lipidomics for GSL determination. This includes analytical procedures and instrumentation together with recent correlations of GSL molecular species with human diseases. Difficulties such as the structural complexity and the lack of standard substances for complex GSLs are discussed.

Considerations for quantification of lipids in nerve tissue using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometric imaging

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometric imaging is a technique that provides the ability to identify and characterize endogenous and exogenous compounds spatially within tissue with relatively little sample preparation. While it is a proven methodology for qualitative analysis, little has been reported for its utility in quantitative measurements. In the current work, inherent challenges in MALDI quantification are addressed. Signal response is monitored over successive analyses of a single tissue section to minimize error due to variability in the laser, matrix application, and sample inhomogeneity. Methods for the application of an internal standard to tissue sections are evaluated and used to quantify endogenous lipids in nerve tissue. A precision of 5% or less standard error was achieved, illustrating that MALDI imaging offers a reliable means of in situ quantification for microgram-sized samples and requires minimal sample preparation.

Desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry for lipid characterization and biological tissue imaging

Desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (DESI-MS) imaging of biological samples allows untargeted analysis and structural characterization of lipids ionized from the near-surface region of a sample under ambient conditions. DESI is a powerful and sensitive MS ionization method for 2D and 3D imaging of lipids from direct and unmodified complex biological samples. This review describes the strengths and limitations of DESI-MS for lipid characterization and imaging together with the technical workflow and a survey of applications. Included are discussions of lipid mapping and biomarker discovery as well as a perspective on the future of DESI imaging.

An update of MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry in lipid research

Although matrix-assisted laser desorption and ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry (MS)--often but not exclusively coupled with a time-of-flight (TOF) mass analyzer--is primarily established in the protein field, there is increasing evidence that MALDI MS is also very useful in lipid research: MALDI MS is fast, sensitive, tolerates sample impurities to a relatively high extent and provides very simple mass spectra without major fragmentation of the analyte. Additionally, MALDI MS devices originally purchased for "proteomics" can be used also for lipids without the need of major system alterations. After a short introduction into the method and the related ion-forming process, the MALDI mass spectrometric characteristics of the individual lipid (ranging from completely apolar hydrocarbons to complex glycolipids with the focus on glycerophospholipids) classes will be discussed and the progress achieved in the last years emphasized. Special attention will be paid to quantitative aspects of MALDI MS because this is normally considered to be the "weak" point of the method, particularly if complex lipid mixtures are to be analyzed. Although the detailed role of the matrix is not yet completely clear, it will be also explicitly shown that the careful choice of the matrix is crucial in order to be able to detect all compounds of interest. Two rather recent developments will be highlighted: "Imaging" MS is nowadays widely established and significant interest is paid in this context to the analysis of lipids because lipids ionize particularly well and are, thus, more sensitively detectable in tissue slices than other biomolecules such as proteins. It will also be shown that MALDI MS can be very easily combined with thin-layer chromatography (TLC) allowing the spatially-resolved screening of the entire TLC plate and the detection of lipids with a higher sensitivity than common staining protocols.

Quantitative matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry

This review summarizes the essential characteristics of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOF MS), especially as they relate to its applications in quantitative analysis. Approaches to quantification by MALDI-TOF MS are presented and published applications are critically reviewed.