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Nano‐electrospray tandem mass spectrometry for the analysis of neurosteroid sulphates†
Author(s) -
Griffiths William J.,
Liu Suya,
Yang Yang,
Purdy Robert H.,
Sjövall Jan
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
rapid communications in mass spectrometry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.528
H-Index - 136
eISSN - 1097-0231
pISSN - 0951-4198
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0231(19990815)13:15<1595::aid-rcm681>3.0.co;2-1
Subject(s) - chemistry , tandem mass spectrometry , electrospray , chromatography , electrospray mass spectrometry , mass spectrometry , tandem , nano , chemical engineering , aerospace engineering , engineering
Neurosteroids are synthesised in the central and peripheral nervous system or are derived from peripheral sources, and act in the nervous system. In the present study we have evaluated the potential for using nano‐electrospray (nano‐ES) tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) for the structural analysis and detection of neurosteroids, in particular, steroid sulphates found in brain. Complete structural information can be obtained from 1 ng (3 pmol) of steroid sulphate, while fragment ions characteristic of the sulphate ester group can be obtained from only 3 pg (10 fmol) of sample. These values correspond to the expected quantities of steroid sulphates (e.g. pregnenolone sulphate) in about 100 mg and 300 µg of brain, respectively. Deuterated neurosteroid sulphates added to homogenised rat brain have been successfully analysed by nano‐ES‐MS/MS at a level of 50 pg/mg of brain. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.