1
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Aderorho R, Chouinard CD. Improved separation of fentanyl isomers using metal cation adducts and high-resolution ion mobility-mass spectrometry. Drug Test Anal 2024; 16:369-379. [PMID: 37491787 DOI: 10.1002/dta.3550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023]
Abstract
Fentanyl is a potent synthetic opioid that has attracted significant attention due to its illegal production and distribution, resulting in misuse, overdose, and fatalities. Because numerous fentanyl analogs, including structural isomers, with different potency have been discovered in the field, there is a critical need to continue developing analytical methodologies capable of accurate identification in forensic and clinical laboratories. This study aimed to develop a rapid method for detecting and separating fentanyl isomers based on ion mobility-mass spectrometry (IM-MS), where IM separates gas-phase ions based on differences in their size, shape, and charge. Several strategies for improved differentiation were implemented, including using unconventional cation adducts (e.g., alkali and transition metals) and data post-processing by high-resolution demultiplexing. A collection of collision cross section (CCS) values for the various metal ion adducts was gathered, which can be used to improve confidence of identification in future samples. Notable examples, such as [M + Cu]+ and [M + Ag]+ adducts, contributed to significant improvement of resolution between isomers. Furthermore, the addition of high-resolution post-processing provided resolving power of >150, which constitutes a significant increase in comparison with the normal 50-60 obtained with low-resolution drift tube instruments. Collectively, these improved separation strategies allowed for confident detection and subsequent quantitative analysis. The optimized IM-MS method resulted in quantification of fentanyl in human urine with limits of detection and quantification of 13 pg/mL and 40 pg/mL, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ralph Aderorho
- Department of Chemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA
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2
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Neal SP, Hodges WN, Velosa DC, Aderorho R, Lucas SW, Chouinard CD. Improved analysis of derivatized steroid hormone isomers using ion mobility-mass spectrometry (IM-MS). Anal Bioanal Chem 2023; 415:6757-6769. [PMID: 37740752 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-023-04953-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/25/2023]
Abstract
Over the last decade, applications of ion mobility-mass spectrometry (IM-MS) have exploded due primarily to the widespread commercialization of robust instrumentation from several vendors. Unfortunately, the modest resolving power of many of these platforms (~40-60) has precluded routine separation of constitutional and stereochemical isomers. While instrumentation advances have pushed resolving power to >150 in some cases, chemical approaches offer an alternative for increasing resolution with existing IM-MS instrumentation. Herein we explore the utility of two reactions, derivatization by Girard's reagents and 1,1-carbonyldiimidazole (CDI), for improving IM separation of steroid hormone isomers. These reactions are fast (≤30 min), simple (requiring only basic lab equipment/expertise), and low-cost. Notably, these reactions are structurally selective in that they target carbonyl and hydroxyl groups, respectively, which are found in all naturally occurring steroids. Many steroid hormone isomers differ only in the number, location, and/or stereochemistry of these functional groups, allowing these reactions to "amplify" subtle structural differences and improve IM resolution. Our results show that resolution was significantly improved amongst CDI-derivatized isomer groups of hydroxyprogesterone (two-peak resolution of Rpp = 1.10 between 21-OHP and 11B-OHP), deoxycortisone (Rpp = 1.47 between 11-DHC and 21-DOC), and desoximetasone (Rpp = 1.98 between desoximetasone and fluocortolone). Moreover, characteristic collision cross section (DTCCSN2) measurements can be used to increase confidence in the identification of these compounds in complex biological mixtures. To demonstrate the feasibility of analyzing the derivatized steroids in complex biological matrixes, the reactions were performed following steroid extraction from urine and yielded similar results. Additionally, we applied a software-based approach (high-resolution demultiplexing) that further improved the resolving power (>150). Overall, our results suggest that targeted derivatization reactions coupled with IM-MS can significantly improve the resolution of challenging isomer groups, allowing for more accurate and efficient analysis of complex mixtures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shon P Neal
- Chemistry Program, Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering and Sciences, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL, 32901, USA
| | - Walker N Hodges
- Department of Chemistry, Clemson University, 211 S. Palmetto Blvd, Clemson, SC, 29634, USA
| | - Diana C Velosa
- Chemistry Program, Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering and Sciences, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL, 32901, USA
| | - Ralph Aderorho
- Department of Chemistry, Clemson University, 211 S. Palmetto Blvd, Clemson, SC, 29634, USA
| | - Shadrack Wilson Lucas
- Department of Chemistry, Clemson University, 211 S. Palmetto Blvd, Clemson, SC, 29634, USA
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3
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Wedge A, Hoover M, Pettit-Bacovin T, Aderorho R, Efird E, Chouinard CD. Development of a Rapid, Targeted LC-IM-MS Method for Anabolic Steroids. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR MASS SPECTROMETRY 2023. [PMID: 37390334 DOI: 10.1021/jasms.3c00162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/02/2023]
Abstract
Anabolic steroids are of high biological interest due to their involvement in human development and disease progression. Additionally, they are banned in sport due to their performance-enhancing characteristics. Analytical challenges associated with their measurement stem from structural heterogeneity, poor ionization efficiency, and low natural abundance. Their importance in a variety of clinically relevant assays has prompted the consideration of integrating ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) into existing LC-MS assays, due primarily to its speed and structure-based separation capability. Herein we have optimized a rapid (2 min) targeted LC-IM-MS method for the detection and quantification of 40 anabolic steroids and their metabolites. First, a steroid-specific calibrant mixture was developed to cover the full range of retention time, mobility, and accurate mass. Importantly, this use of this calibrant mixture provided robust and reproducible measurements based on collision cross section (CCS) with interday reproducibility of <0.5%. Furthermore, the combined separation power of LC coupled to IM provided comprehensive differentiation of isomers/isobars within 6 different isobaric groups. Multiplexed IM acquisition also provided improved limits of detection, which were well below 1 ng/mL in almost all compounds measured. This method was also capable of steroid profiling, providing quantitative ratios (e.g., testosterone/epitestosterone, androsterone/etiocholanolone, etc.). Lastly, phase II steroid metabolites were probed in lieu of hydrolysis to demonstrate the ability to separate those analytes and provide information beyond total steroid concentration. This method has tremendous potential for rapid analysis of steroid profiles in human urine spanning a variety of applications from developmental disorders to doping in sport.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashlee Wedge
- Department of Chemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina 29625, United States
| | - Makenna Hoover
- Department of Chemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina 29625, United States
| | - Terra Pettit-Bacovin
- Department of Chemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina 29625, United States
| | - Ralph Aderorho
- Department of Chemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina 29625, United States
| | - Emmaleigh Efird
- Department of Chemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina 29625, United States
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4
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Camunas-Alberca SM, Moran-Garrido M, Sáiz J, Gil-de-la-Fuente A, Barbas C, Gradillas A. Integrating the potential of ion mobility spectrometry-mass spectrometry in the separation and structural characterisation of lipid isomers. Front Mol Biosci 2023; 10:1112521. [PMID: 37006618 PMCID: PMC10060977 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1112521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
It is increasingly evident that a more detailed molecular structure analysis of isomeric lipids is critical to better understand their roles in biological processes. The occurrence of isomeric interference complicates conventional tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS)-based determination, necessitating the development of more specialised methodologies to separate lipid isomers. The present review examines and discusses recent lipidomic studies based on ion mobility spectrometry combined with mass spectrometry (IMS-MS). Selected examples of the separation and elucidation of structural and stereoisomers of lipids are described based on their ion mobility behaviour. These include fatty acyls, glycerolipids, glycerophospholipids, sphingolipids, and sterol lipids. Recent approaches for specific applications to improve isomeric lipid structural information using direct infusion, coupling imaging, or liquid chromatographic separation workflows prior to IMS-MS are also discussed, including: 1) strategies to improve ion mobility shifts; 2) advanced tandem MS methods based on activation of lipid ions with electrons or photons, or gas-phase ion-molecule reactions; and 3) the use of chemical derivatisation techniques for lipid characterisation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra M. Camunas-Alberca
- Centro de Metabolómica y Bioanálisis (CEMBIO), Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad San Pablo-CEU, CEU Universities, Urbanización Montepríncipe, Boadilla del Monte, Spain
| | - Maria Moran-Garrido
- Centro de Metabolómica y Bioanálisis (CEMBIO), Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad San Pablo-CEU, CEU Universities, Urbanización Montepríncipe, Boadilla del Monte, Spain
| | - Jorge Sáiz
- Centro de Metabolómica y Bioanálisis (CEMBIO), Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad San Pablo-CEU, CEU Universities, Urbanización Montepríncipe, Boadilla del Monte, Spain
| | - Alberto Gil-de-la-Fuente
- Centro de Metabolómica y Bioanálisis (CEMBIO), Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad San Pablo-CEU, CEU Universities, Urbanización Montepríncipe, Boadilla del Monte, Spain
- Departamento de Tecnologías de la Información, Escuela Politécnica Superior, Universidad San Pablo-CEU, CEU Universities, Urbanización Montepríncipe, Boadilla del Monte, Spain
| | - Coral Barbas
- Centro de Metabolómica y Bioanálisis (CEMBIO), Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad San Pablo-CEU, CEU Universities, Urbanización Montepríncipe, Boadilla del Monte, Spain
| | - Ana Gradillas
- Centro de Metabolómica y Bioanálisis (CEMBIO), Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad San Pablo-CEU, CEU Universities, Urbanización Montepríncipe, Boadilla del Monte, Spain
- *Correspondence: Ana Gradillas,
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5
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Thevis M, Kuuranne T, Geyer H. Annual banned-substance review-Analytical approaches in human sports drug testing 2021/2022. Drug Test Anal 2023; 15:5-26. [PMID: 36369629 DOI: 10.1002/dta.3408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Also in 2021/2022, considerable efforts were invested into advancing human sports drug testing programs, recognizing and taking into account existing as well as emerging challenges in anti-doping, especially with regard to substances and methods of doping specified in the World Anti-Doping Agency's 2022 Prohibited List. In this edition of the annual banned-substance review, literature on recent developments published between October 2021 and September 2022 is summarized and discussed. Focus is put particularly on enhanced analytical approaches and complementary testing options in human doping controls, appreciating the exigence and mission in anti-doping and, equally, the contemporary "new normal" considering, for example, the athlete's exposome versus analytical sensitivity and applicable anti-doping regulations for result interpretation and management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Thevis
- Center for Preventive Doping Research-Institute of Biochemistry, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,European Monitoring Center for Emerging Doping Agents, Cologne, Germany
| | - Tiia Kuuranne
- Swiss Laboratory for Doping Analyses, University Center of Legal Medicine, Genève and Lausanne, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois and University of Lausanne, Epalinges, Switzerland
| | - Hans Geyer
- Center for Preventive Doping Research-Institute of Biochemistry, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,European Monitoring Center for Emerging Doping Agents, Cologne, Germany
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6
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High-end ion mobility mass spectrometry: A current review of analytical capacity in omics applications and structural investigations. Trends Analyt Chem 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.trac.2022.116761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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7
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Comprehensive Steroid Assay with Non-Targeted Analysis Using Liquid Chromatography Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232213858. [PMID: 36430339 PMCID: PMC9697045 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232213858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Aldosterone-producing adenomas (APAs) have different steroid profiles in serum, depending on the causative genetic mutation. Ion mobility is a separation technique for gas-phase ions based on their m/z values, shapes, and sizes. Human serum (100 µL) was purified by liquid-liquid extraction using tert-butyl methyl ether/ethyl acetate at 1/1 (v/v) and mixed with deuterium-labeled steroids as the internal standard. The separated supernatant was dried, re-dissolved in water containing 20% methanol, and injected into a liquid chromatography-ion mobility-mass spectrometer (LC/IM/MS). We established a highly sensitive assay system by separating 20 steroids based on their retention time, m/z value, and drift time. Twenty steroids were measured in the serum of patients with primary aldosteronism, essential hypertension, and healthy subjects and were clearly classified using principal component analysis. This method was also able to detect phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine, which were not targeted. LC/IM/MS has a high selectivity for known compounds and has the potential to provide information on unknown compounds. This analytical method has the potential to elucidate the pathogenesis of APA and identify unknown steroids that could serve as biomarkers for APA with different genetic mutations.
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8
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Feuerstein ML, Hernández-Mesa M, Kiehne A, Le Bizec B, Hann S, Dervilly G, Causon T. Comparability of Steroid Collision Cross Sections Using Three Different IM-HRMS Technologies: An Interplatform Study. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR MASS SPECTROMETRY 2022; 33:1951-1959. [PMID: 36047677 PMCID: PMC9545150 DOI: 10.1021/jasms.2c00196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Steroids play key roles in various biological processes and are characterized by many isomeric variants, which makes their unambiguous identification challenging. Ion mobility-mass spectrometry (IM-MS) has been proposed as a suitable platform for this application, particularly using collision cross section (CCS) databases obtained from different commercial IM-MS instruments. CCS is seen as an ideal additional identification parameter for steroids as long-term repeatability and interlaboratory reproducibility of this measurand are excellent and matrix effects are negligible. While excellent results were demonstrated for individual IM-MS technologies, a systematic comparison of CCS derived from all major commercial IM-MS technologies has not been performed. To address this gap, a comprehensive interlaboratory comparison of 142 CCS values derived from drift tube (DTIM-MS), traveling wave (TWIM-MS), and trapped ion mobility (TIM-MS) platforms using a set of 87 steroids was undertaken. Besides delivering three instrument-specific CCS databases, systematic comparisons revealed excellent interlaboratory performance for 95% of the ions with CCS biases within ±1% for TIM-MS and within ±2% for TWIM-MS with respect to DTIM-MS values. However, a small fraction of ions (<1.5%) showed larger biases of up to 7% indicating that differences in the ion conformation sampled on different instrument types need to be further investigated. Systematic differences between CCS derived from different IM-MS analyzers and implications on the applicability for nontargeted analysis are critically discussed. To the best of our knowledge, this is the most comprehensive interlaboratory study comparing CCS from three different IM-MS technologies for analysis of steroids and small molecules in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max L. Feuerstein
- Department
of Chemistry, Institute of Analytical Chemistry, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Muthgasse 18, 1190 Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Andrea Kiehne
- Bruker
Daltonics GmbH & Co. KG, 28359 Bremen, Germany
| | | | - Stephan Hann
- Department
of Chemistry, Institute of Analytical Chemistry, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Muthgasse 18, 1190 Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Tim Causon
- Department
of Chemistry, Institute of Analytical Chemistry, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Muthgasse 18, 1190 Vienna, Austria
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9
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Psychosocial aspects of sports medicine in pediatric athletes: Current concepts in the 21 st century. Dis Mon 2022:101482. [PMID: 36100481 DOI: 10.1016/j.disamonth.2022.101482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Behavioral aspects of organized sports activity for pediatric athletes are considered in a world consumed with winning at all costs. In the first part of this treatise, we deal with a number of themes faced by our children in their sports play. These concepts include the lure of sports, sports attrition, the mental health of pediatric athletes (i.e., effects of stress, anxiety, depression, suicide in athletes, ADHD and stimulants, coping with injuries, drug use, and eating disorders), violence in sports (i.e., concepts of the abused athlete including sexual abuse), dealing with supervisors (i.e., coaches, parents), peers, the talented athlete, early sports specialization and sports clubs. In the second part of this discussion, we cover ergolytic agents consumed by young athletes in attempts to win at all costs. Sports doping agents covered include anabolic steroids (anabolic-androgenic steroids or AAS), androstenedione, dehydroepiandrostenedione (DHEA), human growth hormone (hGH; also its human recombinant homologue: rhGH), clenbuterol, creatine, gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB), amphetamines, caffeine and ephedrine. Also considered are blood doping that includes erythropoietin (EPO) and concepts of gene doping. In the last section of this discussion, we look at disabled pediatric athletes that include such concepts as athletes with spinal cord injuries (SCIs), myelomeningocele, cerebral palsy, wheelchair athletes, and amputee athletes; also covered are pediatric athletes with visual impairment, deafness, and those with intellectual disability including Down syndrome. In addition, concepts of autonomic dysreflexia, boosting and atlantoaxial instability are emphasized. We conclude that clinicians and society should protect our precious pediatric athletes who face many challenges in their involvement with organized sports in a world obsessed with winning. There is much we can do to help our young athletes find benefit from sports play while avoiding or blunting negative consequences of organized sport activities.
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10
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Velosa DC, Dunham AJ, Rivera ME, Neal SP, Chouinard CD. Improved Ion Mobility Separation and Structural Characterization of Steroids using Derivatization Methods. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR MASS SPECTROMETRY 2022; 33:1761-1771. [PMID: 35914213 DOI: 10.1021/jasms.2c00164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Steroids are an important class of biomolecules studied for their role in metabolism, development, nutrition, and disease. Although highly sensitive GC- and LC-MS/MS-based methods have been developed for targeted quantitation of known steroid metabolites, emerging techniques including ion mobility (IM) have shown promise in improved analysis and capacity to better identify unknowns in complex biological samples. Herein, we couple LC-IM-MS/MS with structurally selective reactions targeting hydroxyl and carbonyl functional groups to improve IM resolution and structural elucidation. We demonstrate that 1,1-carbonyldiimidazole derivatization of hydroxyl stereoisomer pairs such as testosterone/epitestosterone and androsterone/epiandrosterone results in increased IM resolution with ΔCCS > 15%. Additionally, performing this in parallel with derivatization of the carbonyl group by Girard's Reagent P resulted in unique products based on relative differences in number of each functional group and C17 alkylation. These changes could be easily deciphered using the combination of retention time, collision cross section, accurate mass, and MS/MS fragmentation pattern. Derivatization by Girard's Reagent P, which contains a fixed charge quaternary amine, also increased the ionization efficiency and could be explored for its potential benefit to sensitivity. Overall, the combination of these simple and easy derivatization reactions with LC-IM-MS/MS analysis provides a method for improved analysis of known target analytes while also yielding critical structural information that can be used for identification of potential unknowns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana C Velosa
- Chemistry Program, Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering and Sciences, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Florida 32904, United States
| | - Andrew J Dunham
- Chemistry Program, Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering and Sciences, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Florida 32904, United States
| | - Marcus E Rivera
- Chemistry Program, Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering and Sciences, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Florida 32904, United States
| | - Shon P Neal
- Chemistry Program, Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering and Sciences, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Florida 32904, United States
| | - Christopher D Chouinard
- Chemistry Program, Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering and Sciences, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Florida 32904, United States
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11
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Williamson DL, Nagy G. Isomer and Conformer-Specific Mass Distribution-Based Isotopic Shifts in High-Resolution Cyclic Ion Mobility Separations. Anal Chem 2022; 94:12890-12898. [PMID: 36067027 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.2c02991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Herein, we present the use of mass distribution-based isotopic shifts in high-resolution cyclic ion mobility spectrometry-mass spectrometry (cIMS-MS)-based separations to characterize various isomeric species as well as conformers. Specifically, by using the observed relative arrival time values for the isotopologues found in the isotopic envelope after long pathlength cIMS-MS separations, we were able to distinguish dibromoaniline, dichloroaniline, and quaternary ammonium salt isomers, as well as a pair of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 conformers based on their respective mass distribution-based shifts. Our observed shifts were highly reproducible and broadly applied to the isotopologues of various atoms (i.e., Cl, Br, and C). Additionally, through a control experiment, we determined that such shifts are indeed pathlength-independent, thus demonstrating that our presented methodology could be readily extended to other high-resolution IMS-MS platforms. These results are the first characterization of conformers using mass distribution-based IMS-MS shifts, as well as the first use of a commercial cIMS-MS platform to characterize isomers via their mass distribution-based shifts. We anticipate that our methodology will have broad applicability for biological analytes and that mass distribution-based shifts could potentially act as an added dimension of analysis in existing IMS-MS workflows in omics-based research. Specifically, we envision that the development of a database of these mass distribution-based shifts could, for example, enable the identification of unknown metabolites in complex matrices.
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Affiliation(s)
- David L Williamson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Utah, 315 South 1400 East, Room 2020, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, United States
| | - Gabe Nagy
- Department of Chemistry, University of Utah, 315 South 1400 East, Room 2020, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, United States
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12
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Feuerstein ML, Hernández-Mesa M, Valadbeigi Y, Le Bizec B, Hann S, Dervilly G, Causon T. Critical evaluation of the role of external calibration strategies for IM-MS. Anal Bioanal Chem 2022; 414:7483-7493. [PMID: 35960317 PMCID: PMC9482903 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-022-04263-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
The major benefits of integrating ion mobility (IM) into LC-MS methods for small molecules are the additional separation dimension and especially the use of IM-derived collision cross sections (CCS) as an additional ion-specific identification parameter. Several large CCS databases are now available, but outliers in experimental interplatform IM-MS comparisons are identified as a critical issue for routine use of CCS databases for identity confirmation. We postulate that different routine external calibration strategies applied for traveling wave (TWIM-MS) in comparison to drift tube (DTIM-MS) and trapped ion mobility (TIM-MS) instruments is a critical factor affecting interplatform comparability. In this study, different external calibration approaches for IM-MS were experimentally evaluated for 87 steroids, for which TWCCSN2, DTCCSN2 and TIMCCSN2 are available. New reference CCSN2 values for commercially available and class-specific calibrant sets were established using DTIM-MS and the benefit of using consolidated reference values on comparability of CCSN2 values assessed. Furthermore, use of a new internal correction strategy based on stable isotope labelled (SIL) internal standards was shown to have potential for reducing systematic error in routine methods. After reducing bias for CCSN2 between different platforms using new reference values (95% of TWCCSN2 values fell within 1.29% of DTCCSN2 and 1.12% of TIMCCSN2 values, respectively), remaining outliers could be confidently classified and further studied using DFT calculations and CCSN2 predictions. Despite large uncertainties for in silico CCSN2 predictions, discrepancies in observed CCSN2 values across different IM-MS platforms as well as non-uniform arrival time distributions could be partly rationalized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max L Feuerstein
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Analytical Chemistry, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Muthgasse 18, 1190, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Younes Valadbeigi
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Analytical Chemistry, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Muthgasse 18, 1190, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Stephan Hann
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Analytical Chemistry, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Muthgasse 18, 1190, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Tim Causon
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Analytical Chemistry, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Muthgasse 18, 1190, Vienna, Austria.
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13
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Fitzgerald CCJ, Bowen C, Elbourne M, Cawley A, McLeod MD. Energy-Resolved Fragmentation Aiding the Structure Elucidation of Steroid Biomarkers. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR MASS SPECTROMETRY 2022; 33:1276-1281. [PMID: 35791638 DOI: 10.1021/jasms.2c00092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The identification and confirmation of steroid sulfate metabolites in biological samples are essential to various fields, including anti-doping analysis and clinical sciences. Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) is the leading method for the detection of intact steroid conjugates in biofluids, but because of the inherent complexity of biological samples and the low concentration of many targets of interest, metabolite identification based solely on mass spectrometry remains a major challenge. The confirmation of new metabolites typically depends on a comparison with synthetically derived reference materials that encompass a range of possible conjugation sites and stereochemistries. Herein, energy-resolved collision-induced dissociation (CID) is used as part of UHPLC-HRMS/MS analysis to distinguish between regio- and stereo-isomeric steroid sulfate compounds. This wholly MS-based approach was employed to guide the synthesis of reference materials to unambiguously confirm the identity of an equine steroid sulfate biomarker of testosterone propionate administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher C J Fitzgerald
- Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia
| | - Christopher Bowen
- Mass Spectrometry Business Unit, Shimadzu Scientific Instruments (Australasia), Rydalmere, New South Wales 2116, Australia
| | - Madysen Elbourne
- Centre for Forensic Science, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, New South Wales 2007, Australia
| | - Adam Cawley
- Australian Racing Forensic Laboratory, Racing NSW, Sydney, New South Wales 2000, Australia
| | - Malcolm D McLeod
- Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia
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14
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Chouinard CD. Enhancing the Performance of Analytical Methods to Combat Doping in Sport. LCGC NORTH AMERICA 2022. [DOI: 10.56530/lcgc.na.do7666u9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Ion mobility–mass spectrometry (IM–MS) has become a cornerstone bioanalytical technique over the last two decades. Major advances have included new technology and software that enabled higher resolving power measurements; however, chemistry-based approaches, such as derivatization reactions, have also shown tremendous promise. This article demonstrates our work using IM–MS to detect anabolic steroids and describes how this technology could one day find its way into the anti-doping world.
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