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Establishment of the tandem mass spectrometric fingerprints of taxane‐based anticancer compounds
Author(s) -
Khajavinia Amir,
Haddadi Azita,
ElAneed Anas
Publication year - 2021
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/rcm.9107
Subject(s) - chemistry , tandem mass spectrometry , mass spectrometry , triple quadrupole mass spectrometer , fragmentation (computing) , taxane , ion trap , selected reaction monitoring , electrospray ionization , chromatography , electrospray , quadrupole ion trap , analytical chemistry (journal) , medicine , cancer , breast cancer , computer science , operating system
Rationale Compounds in the taxane drug family are among the most successful and effective chemotherapeutic agents used in the treatment of solid tumors, such as breast, ovarian, and prostate cancers. The tandem mass spectrometric (MS/MS) fragmentation behavior of these compounds is described in detail, and a generalized MS/MS fingerprint is established for the first time. Methods Five compounds, namely paclitaxel, docetaxel, cabazitaxel, cephalomannine, and baccatin III, were evaluated. A hybrid quadrupole orthogonal time‐of‐flight (Q‐TOF) mass spectrometer was used to obtain accurate mass measurements, whereas MS/MS and second‐generation MS/MS (MS 3 ) analyses were performed using a triple quadrupole‐linear ion trap mass spectrometer. Both instruments were equipped with an electrospray ionization source operated in the positive ion mode. Results All taxanes showed an abundant singly charged [M + H] + species in the single‐stage analysis with mass accuracies less than 3 ppm. The evaluated compounds exhibited common fragmentation behavior in their MS/MS analysis, which allowed for the production of a universal fragmentation pattern. MS 3 experiments confirmed the genesis of the various product ions proposed in the fragmentation pathway. In addition, diagnostic product ions were originated from a cleavage in the ester bond between the core diterpene ring structure and the side chain. Conclusions Varying functional groups present in these compounds resulted in unique product ions that are specific to each structure. The established MS/MS fingerprints will be used in the near future for identification and for the development of multiple reaction monitoring liquid chromatography–MS/MS quantification methods.