Abstract
BackgroundSerum branched-chain and aromatic amino acids (BCAAs and AAAs) have emerged as predictors for the future development of diabetes and may aid in diabetes risk assessment. However, the current methods for the analysis of such amino acids in biological samples are time consuming.MethodsAn isotope dilution liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (ID-LC/MS/MS) method for serum BCAAs and AAAs was developed. The serum was mixed with isotope-labeled BCAA and AAA internal standards and the amino acids were extracted with acetonitrile, followed by analysis using LC/MS/MS. The LC separation was performed on a reversed-phase C18 column, and the MS/MS detection was performed via the positive electronic spray ionization in multiple reaction monitoring mode.ResultsSpecific analysis of the amino acids was achieved within 2 min. Intra-run and total CVs for the amino acids were less than 2% and 4%, respectively, and the analytical recoveries ranged from 99.6 to 103.6%.ConclusionA rapid and precise method for the measurement of serum BCAAs and AAAs was developed and may serve as a quick tool for screening serum BCAAs and AAAs in studies assessing diabetes risk.
Highlights
Diabetes has become a global epidemic that threatens public health and the economy in most countries
Other techniques, such as gas chromatography [9], capillary electrophoresis [10], gas chromatography mass spectrometry [11], and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry [12,13] have been applied to the analysis of amino acids, most of which require precolumn derivatization
We investigated the LC separation and MS/MS detection of BCAAs and AAAs, especially that of the isobaric leucine and isoleucine, and developed a specific and precise method for the measurement of serum BCAAs and AAAs
Summary
Diabetes has become a global epidemic that threatens public health and the economy in most countries. Recent studies based on metabolomics have documented the potential key role of branched-chain (BCAAs) and aromatic (AAAs) amino acids in insulin resistance and obesity [2,3,4] These amino acids have emerged as predictors of the future development of diabetes and may aid in diabetes risk assessment [5,6]. Several liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) methods for the direct analysis of amino acids in biological samples have been reported [14,15,16,17] These methods are advantageous in that there is no need for a precolumn derivatization that costs time and can often lead to analytical problems. The current methods for the analysis of such amino acids in biological samples are time consuming
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