Collisionally Activated Decomposition Research Articles

Glycomic Characterization of Platelets from Patients with Immune Thrombocytopenia

Introduction: Platelet glycoproteins are key contributors to platelet function but their glycans structure is unclear. Alterations in glycan composition have been reported to impact platelet clearance under physiological conditions and in the disease mechanism of immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). Therefore, this study sought to characterize glycan structures in human platelets from healthy control individuals and ITP patients using mass spectrometry (MS)-based glycomics approach, andto compare their glycomic profiles to facilitate understanding of glycan alterations in ITP.Methods: Glycan residues on platelet surface were determined by flow cytometry. Platelet lysates (1×10 8 platelets) from 4 healthy controls and from 4 ITP patients with a clear anomalous glycosylation pattern were characterized by MALDI-MS based glycomic approaches. N-linked glycans were released from platelet glycoproteins by PNGase F digestion and subsequently purified with a Sep-Pak C18 reverse phase cartridge. O-linked glycans were released by reductive elimination. Both pools of glycans were permethylated prior to MALDI-TOF MS to obtain an initial carbohydrate profile. Selected glycan molecular ion species were analyzed by MALDI-TOF-TOF MS/MS before and after digesting with exoglycosidases.Results: Glycans present in platelets from healthy controls and from ITP patients were largely consistent. The MS spectra for N-glycans showed a mixture of high mannose glycans (m/z 1579.8, 1783.9, 1988.0, 2192.1 and 2396.2); complex glycans (m/z 2966.5, 3776.9 and 4587.4); and bisected or truncated glycans (m/z 3211.6 and 4022.1). The spectra showed the presence of bi-, tri- and tetra-antennary complex glycans, which varied in their level of sialylation.Figure 1 shows the relative abundance ratio within eight families of core glycan structures. Platelets from ITP patients showed a consistent increase in desialylated structures such as Hex 5HexNAc 4Fuc 1.In addition to different amounts of attached sialic acid, varying levels of fucosylation were observed; ranging from the addition of a single core Fuc (m/z 2244.1), to the addition of up to three Fuc residues (m/z 3402.7).Collision-activated decomposition (CAD) MALDI-TOF/TOF analysis was performed to generate fragment ions from molecular ions detected in MALDI-TOF profiling for detailed sequencing of platelet N-glycans. This analysis suggested the presence of three isoforms: (i) sialylated tetra-antennary structure with core fucosylation and one Lewis x/a antenna; (ii) sialylated tetra-antennary structure with one Lewis y/b antenna; (ii) sialylated, core-fucosylated tri-antennary structure with one LacNAc extension and one Lewis x/a antenna.Sialidase S digestion was used to highlight the extent of desialylation in the presence of sialidase. Noteworthy, the ratio of non-sialylated bi-and tri-antennary N-glycans in ITP patients were higher than that in controls. This enzymatic digestion confirms the presence of α2,3-linked Neu5Ac on platelet glycans. Remaining sialylated structures may possess α2,6-linked Neu5Ac.O-glycan profiles obtained showed the predominance of core 1 and core 2 structures (Figure 2). The two most dominant glycan structures in core 1 were sialyl T antigen (GalNAc 1Gal 1NeuAc 1; m/z 895.5) and disialyl T antigen (GalNAc 1Gal 1NeuAc 2; m/z 1256.7), being the latter less abundant in ITP patients. The core 2 structure was modified by the addition of fucose and/or sialic acid residues (m/z 1157.7, 1344.8, 1518.9 and 1706.0).Conclusion: N- and O-glycan structures in human platelets were characterized by MALDI-TOF MS profiling to reveal interesting structural features including the presence of sialylLewis x/a epitope, Lewis x/a epitope, Lewis y/b epitope and LacNAc extensions in complex type N-glycans. Presence of terminal sialic acid and sialylLewis x/a on platelet N-glycan antenna also suggest their potentialfunction as ligands for siglecs that are associated with cell signaling functions. Siglec-1 and -2 have been suggested to have potential roles in ethiopathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. Desialylation observed in glycans of platelets from ITP patients, might trigger immune system activation in these patients.This research was funded by ISCIII-Fondos FEDER PI19/00772 and Platelet Disorder Support Association [Display omitted] DisclosuresButta: Roche: Speakers Bureau; Takeda: Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; CSL-Behring: Research Funding; Novo-Nordisk: Speakers Bureau. Canales: F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Karyopharm: Consultancy, Honoraria; Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; iQone: Honoraria; Sandoz: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Incyte: Consultancy; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Gilead/Kite: Consultancy, Honoraria; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria; Sanofi: Consultancy; Eusa Pharma: Consultancy, Honoraria; Celgene/Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Honoraria. Jiménez-Yuste: Pfizer: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; BioMarin: Consultancy; Sobi: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; NovoNordisk: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Octapharma: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Sanofi: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Bayer: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; CSL Behring: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Grifols: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding. Alvarez Román: Octapharma: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Biomarin: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Pfizer: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Bayer: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; CSL-Behring: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Grifols: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Novo-Nordisk: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Sobi: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding.

Hydrogen Liberation from Gaseous 2-Bora-1,3-diazacycloalkanium Cations.

Evidence is presented for cyclization to yield 2-bora-1,3-diazacycloalkanium cations in the gas phase. While the neutral compounds in solution and solid phase are known to possess an acyclic structure (as revealed by X-ray diffraction), the gaseous cations (from which borohydride BH4- ion has been expelled) have a cyclic structure, as revealed by InfraRed Multiple Photon Dissociation (IRMPD) spectroscopy and collisionally activated decomposition (CAD). The IRMPD decomposition of the monocyclic ions proceeds principally via H2 expulsion, although CAD experiments show additional pathways. Pyrolyses of solid monomeric salts and small oligomers produce higher polymers that are consistent with H2 expulsion as the major pathway. Deuterium labeling experiments show that scrambling occurs prior to IRMPD or CAD decomposition in the gas phase.

A mass spectrometric study of the acid-catalysed d-fructose dehydration in the gas phase

5-hydroxymethylfuraldehyde (5-HMF) and simpler compounds, such as levulinic acid (LA) and glyceraldehyde, are platform molecules produced by the thermal acid-catalyzed dehydration of carbohydrates coming from biomass. Understanding sugar degradation pathways on a molecular level is necessary to increase selectivity, reduce degradation by-products yields and optimize catalytic strategies, fundamental knowledge for the development of a sustainable renewable industry. In this work gaseous protonated d-fructose ions, generated in the ESI source of a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer, were allowed to undergo Collisionally Activated Decomposition (CAD) into the quadrupole collision cell. The ionic intermediates and products derived from protonated d-fructose dehydration were structurally characterized by their fragmentation patterns and the relative water-loss dehydration energies measured by energy-resolved CAD mass spectra. The data were compared with those obtained from protonated d-glucose decomposition in the same experimental conditions. In the gas phase, d-fructose dehydration leads to the formation of a mixed population of isomeric [C6H6O3]H+ ions, whose structures do not correspond exclusively to 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furaldehyde protonated at the more basic aldehydic group.

Acid-catalysed glucose dehydration in the gas phase: a mass spectrometric approach.

Understanding on a molecular level the acid-catalysed decomposition of the sugar monomers from hemicellulose and cellulose (e.g. glucose, xylose), the main constituent of lignocellulosic biomass is very important to increase selectivity and reaction yields in solution, key steps for the development of a sustainable renewable industry. In this work we reported a gas-phase study performed by electrospray triple quadrupole mass spectrometry on the dehydration mechanism of D-glucose. In the gas phase, reactant ions corresponding to protonated D-glucose were obtained in the ESI source and were allowed to undergo collisionally activated decomposition (CAD) into the quadrupole collision cell. The CAD mass spectrum of protonated D-glucose is characterized by the presence of ionic dehydrated daughter ion (ionic intermediates and products), which were structurally characterized by their fragmentation patterns. In the gas phase D-glucose dehydration does not lead to the formation of protonated 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furaldehyde, but to a mixed population of m/z 127 isomeric ions. To elucidate the D-glucose dehydration mechanism, 3-O-methyl-D-glucose was also submitted to the mass spectrometric study; the results suggest that the C3 hydroxyl group plays a key role in the reaction mechanism. Furthermore, protonated levulinic acid was found to be formed from the monodehydrated D-glucose ionic intermediate, an alternative pathway other than the known route consisting of 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furaldehyde double hydration.

Modeling Interactions between an Amino Acid and a Metal Dication: Cysteine-Calcium(II) Reactions in the Gas Phase.

The gas-phase interactions between Ca2+ and cysteine (Cys) have been investigated through the use of electrospray ionization/mass spectrometry techniques and B3LYP/6-311++ G(3df,2p)//B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) density functional theory computations. The unimolecular collision-activated decomposition of [Ca(Cys)]2+ is dominated by the loss of ammonia, a Coulomb explosion yielding NH4 + and [CaC3 H3 O2 S]+ , and the loss of H2 S. The detection of lighter [C3 H3 OS]+ monocations indicates that the [CaC3 H4 O2 S]2+ doubly charged species produced by the loss of ammonia undergo a subsequent Coulomb explosion yielding [C3 H3 OS]+ +CaOH+ . This [C3 H3 OS]+ cation finally decomposes into [C2 H3 S]+ +CO. Alternatively, the aforementioned [CaC3 H4 O2 S]2+ dications may also lead to lighter [CaCO2 ]2+ and [CaC2 H4 S]2+ dications by the loss of C2 H4 S and CO2 , respectively. A detailed theoretical exploration of the Ca2+ /Cys potential-energy surface indicates that the salt-bridge structures, in which the metal dication interacts with the carboxylate group of the zwitterionic form of cysteine, are at the origin of the different reaction pathways leading to the observed product ions, even though they lie higher in energy than the charge-solvated adduct in which the metal interacts simultaneously with the carbonyl oxygen, the amino, and the SH group of its canonical form. The interaction between the metal cation and the base is essentially electrostatic, with a calculated binding energy of 560 kJ mol-1 .

The Mechanism of 2-Furaldehyde Formation from d-Xylose Dehydration in the Gas Phase. A Tandem Mass Spectrometric Study

The mechanism of reactions occurring in solution can be investigated also in the gas phase by suited mass spectrometric techniques, which allow to highlight fundamental mechanistic features independent of the influence of the medium and to clarifying controversial hypotheses proposed in solution studies. In this work, we report a gas-phase study performed by electrospray triple stage quadrupole mass spectrometry (ESI-TSQ/MS) on the dehydration of D-xylose, leading mainly to the formation of 2-furaldehyde (2-FA). It is generally known in carbohydrate chemistry that the thermal acid catalyzed dehydration of pentoses leads to the formation of 2-FA, but several aspects on the solution-phase mechanism are controversial. Here, gaseous reactant ions corresponding to protonated xylose molecules obtained from ESI of a solution containing D-xylose and ammonium acetate as protonating reagent were allowed to undergo collisionally activated decomposition (CAD) into the triple stage quadrupole analyzer. The product ion mass spectra of protonated xylose are characterized by the presence of ionic intermediates arising from xylose dehydration, which were structurally characterized by their fragmentation patterns. As expected, the xylose triple dehydration leads to the formation of the ion at m/z 97, corresponding to protonated 2-FA. On the basis of mass spectrometric evidences, we demonstrated that in the gas phase, the formation of 2-FA involves protonation at the OH group bound to the C1 atom of the sugar, the first ionic intermediate being characterized by a cyclic structure. Finally, energy resolved product ion mass spectra allowed to obtain information on the energetic features of the D-xylose→2-FA conversion. ᅟ

Development of novel mass spectrometric methods for identifying HOCl‐induced modifications to proteins

Protein oxidation is thought to contribute to a number of inflammatory diseases, hence the development of sensitive and specific analytical techniques to detect oxidative PTMs (oxPTMs) in biological samples is highly desirable. Precursor ion scanning for fragment ions of oxidized amino acid residues was investigated as a label-free MS approach to mapping specific oxPTMs in a complex mixture of proteins. Using HOCl-oxidized lysozyme as a model system, it was found that the immonium ions of oxidized tyrosine and tryptophan formed in MS(2) analysis could not be used as diagnostic ions, owing to the occurrence of isobaric fragment ions from unmodified peptides. Using a double quadrupole linear ion trap mass spectrometer, precursor ion scanning was combined with detection of MS(3) fragment ions from the immonium ions and collisionally-activated decomposition peptide sequencing to achieve selectivity for the oxPTMs. For chlorotyrosine, the immonium ion at 170.1 m/z fragmented to yield diagnostic ions at 153.1, 134.1, and 125.1 m/z, and the hydroxytyrosine immonium ion at 152.1 m/z gave diagnostic ions at 135.1 and 107.1 m/z. Selective MS(3) fragment ions were also identified for 2-hydroxytryptophan and 5-hydroxytryptophan. The method was used successfully to map these oxPTMs in a mixture of nine proteins that had been treated with HOCl, thereby demonstrating its potential for application to complex biological samples.

Cyclization Reaction of Peptide Fragment Ions during Multistage Collisionally Activated Decomposition: An Inducement to Lose Internal Amino-Acid Residues

During characterization of some peptides (linear precursors of the cyclic peptides showing potential to be anticancer drugs) in an ion trap, it was noted that many internal amino acid residues could be lost from singly charged b ions. The phenomenon was not obvious at the first stage of collisionally activated decomposition (CAD), but was apparent at multiple stages of CAD. The unique fragmentation consisting of multiple steps is induced by a cyclization reaction of b ions, the mechanism of which has been probed by experiments of N-acetylation, MS(n), rearranged-ion design, and activation-time adjustment. The fragmentation of synthetic cyclic peptides demonstrates that a cyclic peptide intermediate (CPI) formed by b ion cyclization exhibits the same fragmentation pattern as a protonated cyclic peptide. Although no rules for the cyclization reaction were discerned in the experiments of peptide modification, the fragmentations of a number of b ions indicate that the "Pro and Asn/Gln effects" can influence ring openings of CPIs. In addition, large-scale losses of internal residues from different positions of a-type ions have been observed when pure helium was used as collision gas. The fragmentation is initiated by a cyclization reaction forming an a-type ion CPI. This CPI with a fixed-charge structure cannot be influenced by the "Pro effect", causing a selective ring opening at the amide bond Pro-Xxx rather than Xxx-Pro. With the knowledge of the unique fragmentations leading to internal residue losses, the misidentification of fragments and sequences of peptides may be avoided.

Multi-Stage Collisionally-Activated Decomposition in an Ion Trap for Identification of Sequences, Structures and bn → bn-1 Fragmentation Pathways of Protonated Cyclic Peptides

Cyclic penta-, hexa- and heptapeptides have been designed, synthesized and their fragmentations induced by multistage tandem mass spectrometry have been studied. Under low-energy collisionally activated decomposition (CAD), the protonated cyclic peptides mainly dissociate via ring opening pathways and the corresponding bn --> bn-1 pathways to form several sets of b ions as oxazolone rings (and b1 ions as aziridinone rings). Through repeated observation of these b ions in multistep CAD experiments, accurate sequencing and head-to-tail ring structure of cyclic peptides can be determined. The mistaken assignments of these b ions can be avoided by this sequencing method. Semiempirical molecular orbital calculations have been utilized to provide insight into the proposed dissociation mechanism. In addition, for cyclic peptides that include an Asn residue, the nitrogen of the Asn side chain is observed to be preferentially protonated, which can induce a unique ring-opening pathway with a loss of ammonia that competes with the conventional ring opening pathway.

Ion-Ion and Ion-Molecule Reactions at the Surface of Proteins Produced by Nanospray. Information on the Number of Acidic Residues and Control of the Number of Ionized Acidic and Basic Residues

Mass Spectra of charge states of folded proteins were obtained with nanospray and aqueous solution containing 20 microM the protein (ubiquitin, cytochrome c, lysozyme) and one of the NaA salts NaCl, NaI, NaAc (acetate) (1-10 mM). At very low collision activated decomposition (CAD), the mass spectra of a protein with charge z exhibited a replacement of zH+ with zNa+ and also multiple adducts of NaA. Higher CAD converts the NaA adduct peaks to Na minus H peaks. These must be due to loss of HA where the H was provided by the protein. The degree of HA loss with increasing CAD followed the order I < Cl < Ac. Significantly, the intensity of the ions with n (Na minus H) adducts showed a downward break past an n(MAX) which is equal to the number of acidic residues of the protein plus the charge of the protein. All the observations could be rationalized within the framework of the electrospray mechanism and the charge residue model, which predict that due to extensive evaporation of solvent, the solutes will reach very high concentrations in the final charged droplets. At such high concentrations, positive ions such as Na+, NH4+ form ion pairs with ionized acidic residues and the negative A- form ion pairs with ionized basic residues of the protein. Adducts of Na+, and NaA to backbone amide groups occur also. This reaction mechanism fits all the experimental observations and provides predictions that the number of acidic and basic groups at the surface of the gaseous protein that remain ionized can be controlled by the absence or presence of additives to the solution.

Observation of self-ion-molecule reactions during collisionally activated dissociation in an ion-trap mass spectrometer.

This paper describes the formation of protonated molecules ([M + H]+) and adduct ions by self-ion-molecule reactions (SIMR) during collisionally activated decomposition (CAD) of methyne addition ions ([M + CH]+) produced from chemical ionization (CI) or SIMR in both an external and internal source ion-trap mass spectrometer (ITMS). The CAD results for the methyne addition ions of dopamine produced from both SIMR and dimethyl ether CI undertaken in the external and internal source ITMS were compared in order to prove the occurrence of SIMR during CAD processes. Compared with the external source ITMS, the internal source ITMS is much more easily applicable to this type of reaction owing to the large population of neutral analytes present in the trap.

Analysis of high mass peptides using a novel matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation quadrupole ion trap time-of-flight mass spectrometer.

A novel matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation quadrupole ion trap time-of-flight (MALDI QIT ToF) mass spectrometer has been used to analyse high mass peptide ions exceeding 2000 Da. Human adrenocorticotropic hormone (fragment 18-39) and oxidised bovine insulin chain B were utilised to evaluate the performance of the instrument both in MS and in MS/MS mode. Its ability to efficiently isolate ions and to fragment them using collisionally activated decomposition (CAD) has been demonstrated using mixtures diluted to the low-femtomole level on target. Additionally, multiple stage mass spectrometry (MS/MS/MS) provides a second-generation product ion spectrum in which new fragment ions are detected and new stretches of amino acids are identified.

Analysis of benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide-DNA adducts by capillary zone electrophoresis- electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry in conjunction with sample stacking.

Benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide (BPDE) was reacted in vitro with (2'-deoxy)nucleotides and with calf thymus DNA. The modified DNA was enzymatically hydrolyzed to the 5'-monophosphate nucleotides using deoxyribonuclease I (DNA-ase I), nuclease P1 and snake venom phosphodiesterase (SVP). Most of the unmodified nucleotides were removed using solid phase extraction (SPE) in a polystyrene divinylbenzene copolymer. Three adducts could be detected and identified using capillary zone electrophoresis(negative)-ion electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (CZE-(-)-ESI-MS) in conjunction with sample stacking. This way, not only a BPDE-dGMP adduct [(M-H)(-) at m/z 648], a well-known nucleotide adduct, could be retrieved, but also a BPDE-dAMP [(M-H)(-) at m/z 632] and a BPDE-dCMP adduct [(M-H)(-) at m/z 608] could be detected for the first time. The presence of the prominent ion at m/z 195 (the deoxyribose-phosphate ion) in the three low-energy collision-activated decomposition (CAD) spectra indicated that the adducts were formed through base-alkylation. CZE-positive ion ESI-MS/MS experiments were performed to obtain further information on base-alkylation. The absence of the loss of NH(3) from the nucleobase in each CAD spectrum points to an alkylated exocyclic NH(2) position of the nucleobase. So, the three adducts could be identified as BPDE-N(2)-dGMP, BPDE-N(6)-dAMP and BPDE-N(4)-dCMP using CZE-ESI-MS and CZE-ESI-MS/MS.

A New Approach for Dynamics of Enzyme-Catalyzed Glutathione Conjugation by Electrospray Quadrupole/ Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry

The dynamics of enzyme-catalyzed glutathione conjugation was studied by electrospray quadrupole/time-of-flight (Q-TOF) mass spectrometry with a nanospray interface. After incubation of human glutathione S-transferase A1-1 (GT) with glutathione (GSH) and an electrophilic substrate, electrospray indicated the presence of enzyme/product adducts such as [2GT + product], [2GT + GSH′ + product], and [2GT + 2 products] as well as [2GT] and [2GT + GSH′]. The relative abundance of GT/product adduct ions increased with incubation time. The wide m/z range of detection (m/z 300–5000) allowed the observation of product, suggested to be released from enzyme/product adducts, in the same mass spectrum. The noncovalent complexes of GT/product were completely replaced by GT/inhibitor complexes following the addition of GT inhibitor to the incubation mixture. Furthermore, a collision-activated decomposition analysis of these ion species provided us with useful information to interpret or identify ion species. The results suggest that electrospray Q-TOF mass spectrometry is a powerful approach for studying the dynamics of the enzyme reaction as well as the structure of enzyme complexes at high sensitivity.

Fragmentation mechanisms of oligodeoxynucleotides: effects of replacing phosphates with methylphosphonates and thymines with other bases in T-rich sequences

This article reports another step in an ongoing effort to understand the fragmentation of T-rich oligodeoxynucleotides. We extended an earlier investigation of T-rich 4-mers [1] to T-rich 6-mers, 8-mers and 10-mers by using four different tandem mass spectrometric methods. The methods include low-energy collisionally activated decomposition (CAD) of electrospray ionization (ESI)-produced ions, source-CAD of ESI-produced ions, post-source decay (PSD), and CAD of matrix assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI)-generated ions. The most abundant fragment ions produced from [M − 2H] 2− precursors upon low-energy CAD in an ion trap are the [a − B] − and their complementary w ions. The predominant cleavage sites for T-rich oligodeoxynucleotides are always the 3′ CO bonds adjoining a non-T nucleobase (i.e., a base with a higher proton affinity (PA) than that of T). The relative abundance of [a − B] − correlates with the PAs of the nucleobases, underscoring the importance of proton transfer to the base. The propensity to form [a − B] − ions falls in the order of G > C ≈ A ≫ T. Structural isomers up to 10-mers can be readily sequenced and distinguished with each of the four tandem mass spectrometric methods applied. The fragmentation of oligodeoxynucleotides in which various phosphates were replaced with methylphosphonate is a measure of the participation of the phosphate proton in the formation of [a − B] − ions. For 4 and 5-mers, transfer of an acidic proton from the 5′-phosphate to the departing base is the initiating step in the formation of [a − B] − ions.

Experimental evidence for an asymmetric Xe 2F 3+ ion in the gas-phase

Xe 2F 3 + ions were prepared by high-pressure chemical ionization (CI), and structurally assayed by collisionally activated decomposition (CAD) and MS/MS/MS (MS 3) mass spectrometry. A new asymmetric Xe 2F 3 + isomer was detected, to whom a [F–Xe–XeF 2] + connectivity can be assigned.

Charge-driven fragmentation processes in diacyl glycerophosphatidic acids upon low-energy collisional activation. A mechanistic proposal

A mechanistic study of diacyl glycerophosphatidic acid (GPA) under low energy collisionally activated decomposition (CAD) with electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry is reported. The fragmentation pathways leading to the formation of carboxylate anions [R x CO 2 −], ( x = 1, 2) and the formation of the ions representing neutral loss of fatty acid ([M–H–R x CO 2H] −) and neutral loss of ketene ([M–H–R ′ x CHCO] −) (R x R ′ x CH 2) are charge-driven processes that are governed by the gas-phase basicity and the steric configuration of the molecules. The preferential formation of the ions of [M–H–R 2CO 2H] − > [M–H–R 1CO 2H] − and [M–H–R ′ 2CHCO] − > [M–H–R ′ 1CHCO] − are attributed to the fact that loss of fatty acid and loss of ketene are sterically more favorable at sn-2. While the observation of the abundance of [M–H–R x CO 2H] − > [M–H–R ′ x CHCO] − is attributed to the acidity of the gas phase ion of GPA, which undergoes a more facile neutral loss of acid than loss of ketene. The major pathway leading to the formation of R x CO 2 − ion under low energy CAD arises from further fragmentation of the [M–H–R x CO 2H] − ions by neutral loss of 136, resulting in an abundance of R 1CO 2 − > R 2CO 2 −. The differential formation of the carboxylate anions permits accurate assignment of the regiospecificity of the fatty acid substituents of GPA molecules by tandem mass spectrometry.

Collisionally activated dissociations of aminocyclitol-aminoglycoside antibiotics and their application in the identification of a new compound in tobramycin samples

Several aminocyclitol-aminoglycoside antibiotics have been studied by tandem mass spectrometry. Glycosidic bond cleavages were the major reactions in the low energy collisionally activated decomposition (CAD) of the protonated antibiotics. Only the glycoside residing on the C 6O of the 2-deoxystreptamine was observed to undergo significant decomposition at the C 2C 3 and OC 1 bonds. The comprehension of the CAD of known aminoglycosides aided in the identification of an unknown impurity in tobramycin. The unknown compound was initially detected by reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography following dinitrofluorobenzene derivatization of the amino groups. The molecular weight of the dinitrobenzene derivative measured by LC mass spectrometry (MS) led to the detection of two isomeric impurities in tobramycin by LC-MS using an amino column. Their CAD spectra were subsequently acquired by LC-MS/MS. One of the two compounds was determined to be a known compound, 6″-O-carbamyltobramycin with the carbamyl group substituted on the glycoside residing on the C 6O of 2-deoxystreptamine. The fragmentation pattern of the other compound was interpreted as that the unknown was also a carbamyltobramycin. The carbamyl group was, however, substituted on 2-deoxystreptamine. It was speculated that the carbamyl group was substituted at the C 1 amino group. This compound, to our knowledge, has not been reported before.

Location of alkali metal binding sites in endothelin A selective receptor antagonists, cyclo(D-Trp-D-Asp-Pro-D-Val-Leu) and cyclo(D-Trp-D-Asp-Pro-D-Ile-Leu), from multistep collisionally activated decompositions.

We previously showed by using mass spectrometry that endothelin A selective receptor antagonists BQ123 and JKC301 form novel coordination compounds with sodium ions. This property may underlie the ability of an ET(A) antagonist to induce net tubular sodium reabsorption in the proximal tubule cells and reverse acute renal failure induced by severe ischemia. We have now defined the metal binding sites on BQ123 and JKC301 by subjecting the metal-containing peptides to multiple stages of collisionally activated decomposition (CAD) in an ion trap mass spectrometer. When submitted to low-energy CAD, the ring opens at the Asp-Pro amide bond. The metal ion, which bonds, inter alia, to the carbonyl oxygen of the proline residue, acts as a fixed charge site, and directs a charge-remote, sequence-specific fragmentation of the ring-opened peptide. Amino acid residues are sequentially cleaved from the C-terminal end, and the terminal aziridinone structure moves one step toward the N-terminus with each C-terminal amino acid residue removed. These observations are the basis of a new method to sequence cyclic peptides. Amino acid residues are observed as sets of three ions, a*(n)PD, b*(n)PD and c*(n)PD where n is the number of amino acid residues in the peptide.

Location of alkali metal binding sites in endothelin A selective receptor antagonists, cyclo(D-Trp-D-Asp-Pro-D-Val-Leu) and cyclo(D-Trp-D-Asp-Pro-D-Ile-Leu), from multistep collisionally activated decompositions

We previously showed by using mass spectrometry that endothelin A selective receptor antagonists BQ123 and JKC301 form novel coordination compounds with sodium ions. This property may underlie the ability of an ET(A) antagonist to induce net tubular sodium reabsorption in the proximal tubule cells and reverse acute renal failure induced by severe ischemia. We have now defined the metal binding sites on BQ123 and JKC301 by subjecting the metal-containing peptides to multiple stages of collisionally activated decomposition (CAD) in an ion trap mass spectrometer. When submitted to low-energy CAD, the ring opens at the Asp-Pro amide bond. The metal ion, which bonds, inter alia, to the carbonyl oxygen of the proline residue, acts as a fixed charge site, and directs a charge-remote, sequence-specific fragmentation of the ring-opened peptide. Amino acid residues are sequentially cleaved from the C-terminal end, and the terminal aziridinone structure moves one step toward the N-terminus with each C-terminal amino acid residue removed. These observations are the basis of a new method to sequence cyclic peptides. Amino acid residues are observed as sets of three ions, a*(n)PD, b*(n)PD and c*(n)PD where n is the number of amino acid residues in the peptide.