Validation of the Mass-Extraction-Window for Quantitative Methods Using Liquid Chromatography High Resolution Mass Spectrometry.

A paradigm shift is underway in the field of quantitative liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis thanks to the arrival of recent high-resolution mass spectrometers (HRMS). The capability of HRMS to perform sensitive and reliable quantifications of a large variety of analytes in HR-full scan mode is showing that it is now realistic to perform quantitative and qualitative analysis with the same instrument. Moreover, HR-full scan acquisition offers a global view of sample extracts and allows retrospective investigations as virtually all ionized compounds are detected with a high sensitivity. In time, the versatility of HRMS together with the increasing need for relative quantification of hundreds of endogenous metabolites should promote a shift from triple-quadrupole MS to HRMS. However, a current "pitfall" in quantitative LC-HRMS analysis is the lack of HRMS-specific guidance for validated quantitative analyses. Indeed, false positive and false negative HRMS detections are rare, albeit possible, if inadequate parameters are used. Here, we investigated two key parameters for the validation of LC-HRMS quantitative analyses: the mass accuracy (MA) and the mass-extraction-window (MEW) that is used to construct the extracted-ion-chromatograms. We propose MA-parameters, graphs, and equations to calculate rational MEW width for the validation of quantitative LC-HRMS methods. MA measurements were performed on four different LC-HRMS platforms. Experimentally determined MEW values ranged between 5.6 and 16.5 ppm and depended on the HRMS platform, its working environment, the calibration procedure, and the analyte considered. The proposed procedure provides a fit-for-purpose MEW determination and prevents false detections.

Important role of CYP2J2 in protein kinase inhibitor degradation: a possible role in intratumor drug disposition and resistance.

We have investigated in vitro the metabolic capability of 3 extrahepatic cytochromes P-450, CYP1A1, 1B1 and 2J2, known to be over-expressed in various tumors, to biotransform 5 tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI): dasatinib, imatinib, nilotinib, sorafenib and sunitinib. Moreover, mRNA expression of CYP1A1, 1B1, 2J2 and 3A4 in 6 hepatocellular and 14 renal cell carcinoma tumor tissues and their surrounding healthy tissues, was determined. Our results show that CYP1A1, 1B1 and especially 2J2 can rapidly biotransform the studied TKIs with a metabolic efficiency similar to that of CYP3A4. The mRNA expression of CYP1A1, 1B1, 2J2 and 3A4 in tumor biopsies has shown i) the strong variability of CYP expression and ii) distinct outliers showing high expression levels (esp. CYP2J2) that are compatible with high intratumoral CYP activity and tumor-specific TKI degradation. CYP2J2 inhibition could be a novel clinical strategy to specifically increase the intratumoral rather than plasma TKI levels, improving TKI efficacy and extending the duration before relapse. Such an approach would be akin to beta-lactamase inhibition, a classical strategy to avoid antibiotic degradation and resistance.

Validation of hepcidin quantification in plasma using LC-HRMS and discovery of a new hepcidin isoform.

BACKGROUND: Hepcidin, a 25 amino acid peptide, plays an important role in iron homeostasis. Some hepcidin truncated peptides have antibiotic effects. RESULTS: A new analytical method for hepcidin determination in human plasma using LC-HRMS operating in full-scan acquisition mode has been validated. The extraction consists of protein precipitation and a drying reconstitution step; a 2.1 x 50 mm (idxL) C18 analytical column was used. Detection specificity, stability, accuracy, precision and recoveries were determined. The LOQ/LOD were 0.25/0.1 nM, respectively. More than 600 injections of plasma extracts were performed, allowing evaluation of the assay robustness. Hepcidin-20, hepcidin-22 and a new isoform, hepcidin-24, were detected in patients. CONCLUSION: The data underscore the usefulness of LC-HRMS for in-depth investigations related to hepcidin levels and pathways.

The future key role of LC-high-resolution-MS analyses in clinical laboratories: a focus on quantification.

For the last decade, high-resolution (HR)-MS has been associated with qualitative analyses while triple quadrupole MS has been associated with routine quantitative analyses. However, a shift of this paradigm is taking place: quantitative and qualitative analyses will be increasingly performed by HR-MS, and it will become the common 'language' for most mass spectrometrists. Most analyses will be performed by full-scan acquisitions recording 'all' ions entering the HR-MS with subsequent construction of narrow-width extracted-ion chromatograms. Ions will be available for absolute quantification, profiling and data mining. In parallel to quantification, metabotyping will be the next step in clinical LC-MS analyses because it should help in personalized medicine. This article is aimed to help analytical chemists who perform targeted quantitative acquisitions with triple quadrupole MS make the transition to quantitative and qualitative analyses using HR-MS. Guidelines for the acceptance criteria of mass accuracy and for the determination of mass extraction windows in quantitative analyses are proposed.