Improvements of TArgeted multiplex mass spectrometry IMaging.

MALDI mass spectrometers have become popular tools for imaging histological sections. Currently this technology is primarily used for imaging naturally occurring molecules. Here we report on the improvement of TArgeted multiplex MS IMaging (TAMSIM) technology. For TAMSIM we attach photocleavable mass tags to antibodies. Staining histological sections is done analogously to standard immunohistochemical procedures with chemiluminescent or fluorescent detection with the sole difference that multiple antibodies each with a distinct mass tag are used in a single reaction. Mass tags are released from their respective antibodies by a laser pulse at 355 nm without added matrix. After scanning, MS images are created for each tag mass. The enhancements of TAMSIM presented here relate to four elements, the use of an improved generation of tags, their conjugation directly to primary antibodies, the comparison of fresh frozen sections with paraffin embedded ones for the TAMSIM imaging technology and finally, the increase of multiplex detection. Sections of healthy human pancreatic tissue were imaged to visualize different specific biomarkers (synaptophysin, chromogranin, insulin, calcitonin, somatostatin) in neuroendocrine cells of Langerhans islets. The aim was to localize these biomarkers on the tissue sections simultaneously.

Targeted multiplex imaging mass spectrometry with single chain fragment variable (scfv) recombinant antibodies.

Recombinant scfv antibodies specific for CYP1A1 and CYP1B1 P450 enzymes were combined with targeted imaging mass spectrometry to simultaneously detect the P450 enzymes present in archived, paraffin-embedded, human breast cancer tissue sections. By using CYP1A1 and CYP1B1 specific scfv, each coupled to a unique reporter molecule (i.e., a mass tag) it was possible to simultaneously detect multiple antigens within a single tissue sample with high sensitivity and specificity using mass spectrometry. The capability of imaging multiple antigens at the same time is a significant advance that overcomes technical barriers encountered when using present day approaches to develop assays that can simultaneously detect more than a single antigen in the same tissue sample.

Multiplex target protein imaging in tissue sections by mass spectrometry--TAMSIM.

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) is becoming a popular tool for imaging histological sections. Currently, this technology is used to image naturally occurring molecules. Here we report a novel development for multiplex imaging of candidate proteins. Rather than detecting whatever molecules happen to be present and above the detection threshold in the desorption pixel, we attach photocleavable mass tags to antibodies to target proteins. 'Staining' of histological sections is carried out similarly to common immunohistochemical procedures with chemiluminescent or fluorescent detection using all antibodies of a multiplex simultaneously. Mass tags with discrete masses are released from their respective antibodies by a laser pulse at 355 nm without added matrix. After scanning, mass spectrometry images are created for the mass of each tag. In contrast to fluorescent tags, mass tags do not exhibit mutual quenching. Sections of healthy human pancreatic tissue were imaged to visualize synaptophysin in neuroendocrine cells, and sections from human lymph node and liver invaded by metastatic melanoma to localize the cancer markers PS100 and HMB45 simultaneously. All these proteins are below the detection threshold of direct MALDI-MS imaging. This method is termed TAMSIM for TArgeted multiplex Mass Spectrometry IMaging.