Simultaneous Determination of Polyamines and Steroids in Human Serum from Breast Cancer Patients Using Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry.

Yu Ra Lee,Jongki Hong,Ji Won Lee,Bong Chul Chung

doi:10.3390/molecules26041153

Abstract

A simultaneous quantitative profiling method for polyamines and steroids using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry was developed and validated. We applied this method to human serum samples to simultaneously evaluate polyamine and steroid levels. Chemical derivatization was performed using isobutyl chloroformate to increase the sensitivity of polyamines. The method was validated, and the matrix effects were in the range of 78.7–126.3% and recoveries were in the range of 87.8–123.6%. Moreover, the intra-day accuracy and precision were in the ranges of 86.5–116.2% and 0.6–21.8%, respectively, whereas the inter-day accuracy and precision were in the ranges of 82.0–119.3% and 0.3–20.2%, respectively. The linearity was greater than 0.99. The validated method was used to investigate the differences in polyamine and steroid levels between treated breast cancer patients and normal controls. In our results, N-acetyl putrescine, N-acetyl spermidine, cadaverine, 1,3-diaminopropane, and epitestosterone were significantly higher in the breast cancer patient group. Through receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, all metabolites that were significantly increased in patient groups with areas under the curve >0.8 were shown. This mass spectrometry-based quantitative profiling method, used for the investigation of breast cancer, is also applicable to androgen-dependent diseases and polyamine-related diseases.

Highlights

Breast cancer is a common hormone-related cancer, which includes estrogen receptorpositive and progesterone receptor-positive disease
This study suggests that an overall evaluation of polyamines and steroids will provide information on breast cancer treatment
Polyamines have a positive charge at physiological pH [17] due to amino groups in their molecular structure; they bind with other substances

Summary

Introduction

Breast cancer is a common hormone-related cancer, which includes estrogen receptorpositive and progesterone receptor-positive disease. According to statistics from 2017, it is the fifth most common type of cancer in Korea and ranks fifth in cancer-related mortality. Breast cancer ranks first among women as a cause of death from cancer [1]. The incidence of most cancers in Korean women has been declining since 2007, breast cancer continues to increase, with the highest incidence among other cancer types. Despite an increasing understanding of the molecular etiology of breast cancer over the past 20 years, there remains a lack of reliable biomarkers to monitor treatment efficacy associated with the disease. Treatment of breast cancer commonly involves surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and hormone therapy [2]. It is important to confirm the effect of breast cancer treatment with a simple experimental method

Methods

Results

Conclusion