Metal Adducts Research Articles

Ion mobility-mass spectrometry separation of steroid structural isomers and epimers

Drift tube ion mobility spectrometry (DTIMS) coupled with mass spectrometry was evaluated for its capabilities in rapid separation of endogenous isomeric steroids. These compounds, which included eight isomer groups, were investigated as protonated and sodiated species and collision cross sections were measured for all ionization species of each steroid. Pregnenolone (CCSN2 176.7 A2) and 5α-dihydroprogesterone (CCSN2 191.4 A2) could be separated as protonated species, and aldosterone (CCSN2 197.7 A2) and cortisone (CCSN2 211.7 A2) could be separated as sodiated monomers. However, the sodiated dimers of the remaining isomers yielded increased separation, resulting in baseline resolution. Specific structural differences including ring conformation and the chirality of hydroxyl groups were compared to evaluate their relative effects on collision cross section in isomers. These results indicated that C5 ring conformation isomers androsterone and etiocholanolone, which both contain a C3 α-hydroxyl group, yielded similar dimer CCS. Yet these compounds were well resolved from their respective β-hydroxyl epimers, trans-androsterone and epietiocholanolone. Alternative drift gases were evaluated, and carbon dioxide drift gas offered slight improvement in isomer resolution well, including allowing separation of testosterone (CCSCO2 330.0 A2), dehydroepiandrosterone (CCSCO2 312.6 A2), and epitestosterone (CCSCO2 305.6 A2). Finally, different metal cation adducts, including alkali, alkaline earth, and first row transition metal adducts were analyzed, and several of these species provided improved resolution between steroid epimers. Overall, this study shows that drift tube ion mobility is a promising tool for improved separation of isomeric steroids.

Generation of gas-phase ions from charged clusters: an important ionization step causing suppression of matrix and analyte ions in matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry.

Ionization in matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) is a very complicated process. It has been reported that quaternary ammonium salts show extremely strong matrix and analyte suppression effects which cannot satisfactorily be explained by charge transfer reactions. Further investigation of the reasons causing these effects can be useful to improve our understanding of the MALDI process. The dried-droplet and modified thin-layer methods were used as sample preparation methods. In the dried-droplet method, analytes were co-crystallized with matrix, whereas in the modified thin-layer method analytes were deposited on the surface of matrix crystals. Model compounds, tetrabutylammonium iodide ([N(Bu)4 ]I), cesium iodide (CsI), trihexylamine (THA) and polyethylene glycol 600 (PEG 600), were selected as the test analytes given their ability to generate exclusively pre-formed ions, protonated ions and metal ion adducts respectively in MALDI. The strong matrix suppression effect (MSE) observed using the dried-droplet method might disappear using the modified thin-layer method, which suggests that the incorporation of analytes in matrix crystals contributes to the MSE. By depositing analytes on the matrix surface instead of incorporating in the matrix crystals, the competition for evaporation/ionization from charged matrix/analyte clusters could be weakened resulting in reduced MSE. Further supporting evidence for this inference was found by studying the analyte suppression effect using the same two sample deposition methods. By comparing differences between the mass spectra obtained via the two sample preparation methods, we present evidence suggesting that the generation of gas-phase ions from charged matrix/analyte clusters may induce significant suppression of matrix and analyte ions. The results suggest that the generation of gas-phase ions from charged matrix/analyte clusters is an important ionization step in MALDI-MS. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Structural Characterization of Monomers and Oligomers of D-Amino Acid-Containing Peptides Using T-Wave Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry.

The D-residues are crucial to biological function of D-amino acid containing peptides (DAACPs). Previous ion mobility mass spectrometry (IM-MS) studies revealing oligomerization patterns of amyloid cascade demonstrated conversion from native soluble unstructured assembly to fibril ß-sheet oligomers, which has been implicated in amyloid diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease and type 2 diabetes. Although neuropeptides are typically present at very low concentrations in circulation, their local concentrations could be much higher in large dense core vesicles, forming dimers or oligomers. We studied the oligomerization of protonated and metal-adducted achatin I and dermorphin peptide isomers with IM-MS. Our results suggested that dimerization, oligomerization, and metal adduction augment the structural differences between D/L peptide isomers compared to protonated monomers. Dimers and oligomers enhanced the structural differences between D/L peptide isomers in both aqueous and organic solvent system. Furthermore, some oligomer forms were only observed for either D- or L-isomers, indicating the importance of chiral center in oligomerization process. The oligomerization patterns of D/L isomers appear to be similar. Potassium adducts were detected to enlarge the structural differences between D/L isomers. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

Engineered Recognition of Tetravalent Zirconium and Thorium by Chelator-Protein Systems: Toward Flexible Radiotherapy and Imaging Platforms.

Targeted α therapy holds tremendous potential as a cancer treatment: it offers the possibility of delivering a highly cytotoxic dose to targeted cells while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue. The metallic α-generating radioisotopes 225Ac and 227Th are promising radionuclides for therapeutic use, provided adequate chelation and targeting. Here we demonstrate a new chelating platform composed of a multidentate high-affinity oxygen-donating ligand 3,4,3-LI(CAM) bound to the mammalian protein siderocalin. Respective stability constants log β110 = 29.65 ± 0.65, 57.26 ± 0.20, and 47.71 ± 0.08, determined for the EuIII (a lanthanide surrogate for AcIII), ZrIV, and ThIV complexes of 3,4,3-LI(CAM) through spectrophotometric titrations, reveal this ligand to be one of the most powerful chelators for both trivalent and tetravalent metal ions at physiological pH. The resulting metal-ligand complexes are also recognized with extremely high affinity by the siderophore-binding protein siderocalin, with dissociation constants below 40 nM and tight electrostatic interactions, as evidenced by X-ray structures of the protein:ligand:metal adducts with ZrIV and ThIV. Finally, differences in biodistribution profiles between free and siderocalin-bound 238PuIV-3,4,3-LI(CAM) complexes confirm in vivo stability of the protein construct. The siderocalin:3,4,3-LI(CAM) assembly can therefore serve as a "lock" to consolidate binding to the therapeutic 225Ac and 227Th isotopes or to the positron emission tomography emitter 89Zr, independent of metal valence state.

Enhanced Mixture Separations of Metal Adducted Tetrasaccharides Using Frequency Encoded Ion Mobility Separations and Tandem Mass Spectrometry.

Using five isomeric tetrasaccharides in combination with seven multivalent metals, the impact on mobility separations and resulting CID spectra were examined using a hybrid ion mobility atmospheric pressure drift tube system coupled with a linear ion trap. By enhancing the duty cycle of the drift tube system using a linearly chirped frequency, the collision-induced dissociation spectra were encoded in the mobility domain according to the drift times of each glycan isomer precursor. Differential fragmentation patterns correlated with precursor drift times ensured direct assignment of fragments with precursor structure whether as individual standards or in a mixture of isomers. In addition to certain metal ions providing higher degrees of separation than others, in select cases more than one arrival time distribution was observed for a single pure carbohydrate isomer. These observations suggest the existence of alternative coordination sites within a single monomeric species, but more interesting was the observation of different fragmentation ion yields for carbohydrate dimers formed through metal adduction. Positive-ion data were also compared with negative-ion species, where dimer formation did not occur and single peaks were observed for each isomeric tetrasaccharide-alditol. This enhanced analytical power has implications not only for carbohydrate molecules but also for a wide variety of complex mixtures of molecules where dissociation spectra may potentially be derived from combinations of monomeric, homodimeric, and heterodimeric species having identical nominal m/z values. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

Electrospray ionization in the study of the interactions between cytotoxic phosphino Cu(I) complexes and selected amino acids and GlyGlyHis peptide model.

Tetrahedral [Cu(P)4][BF4]-type complexes (P = tertiary phosphine) are a class of monopositively charged compounds that have shown notable antitumor activity in both in vitro and in vivo tests. This biological property appears to be related to the peculiar physicochemical characteristics of these compounds. Although thermodynamically stable, they are labile at micromolar concentrations. Such a behavior allows the Cu(I) ion in [Cu(P)n]+ assemblies (n < 4) to interact with surrounding molecules, including the rich peptide/protein environment that metal complexes have to face in the physiological milieu on the way to tumor cells. The scope of this investigation was to study the interaction products that originate from the treatment in water/methanol mixtures of representative phosphino Cu(I) compounds with an excess of individual amino acids (AAs) selected on the basis of the donor atom likely involved in metal coordination (i.e. O-glycine, S-methionine and N-histidine). These interactions have been investigated in electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), mainly in the positive ion mode [ESI(+)MS], and the interaction products have been characterized by sequential collisional experiments, performed by an ion trap instrument. Histidine and methionine, but not glycine, were able to mine Cu(I) from [Cu(P)n]+ assemblies through the formation of mixed [CuI(P)(AA)]+ and eventually [CuI(AA)2]+ adducts. The ability to substitute phosphine(s) by AAs and the strongest affinity for Cu(I) was proved by the study of the energetics of collisional-induced decomposition (CID) reactions [CuI(P)(AA)]+ → CuI(AA) + P]+. Among the investigated AAs, histidine displayed the strongest affinity for Cu(I). Transchelation of Cu(I) was similarly observed when [Cu(P)n]+ species were treated with the model tripeptide GlyGlyHis (GGH), the most investigated member of the amino terminal Cu(II) and Ni(II) (ATCUN) peptide family. GGH was able to form robust metal adducts not only with Cu(II) and the related divalent Zn(II) and Ni(II) ions, but also with monovalent ions, including Cu(I) and Ag(I). CID pathways of [CuI(GGH)]+ and [AgI(GGH)]+ were qualitatively superimposable and proceeded through losses of neutral fragments. Similar losses of neutral fragments were observed from [ZnII(GGH)] and [NiII(GGH)]. CID pathways of [CuII(GGH)]-/+ adducts instead took place mainly through intramolecular electron-transfer reactions comprising the reduction of Cu(II) to Cu(I) and the formation of fragment radical cations.

Group 13 metal (Al, Ga, In) alkyls supported by N-heterocyclic carbenes for use in lactide ring-opening polymerization catalysis

The synthesis of several N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) group 13 metal adducts of the type (NHC)MR3 [NHC=1,3-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene (IMes), 1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene (IDipp); M=Al, Ga, In; R=Me, Et] is described. In the case of the In adduct (IMes)InMe3, characterization data include its X-ray crystallographic determined molecular structure. The prepared compounds act as efficient ring-opening polymerization (ROP) initiators of rac-lactide, allowing access to either linear poly(lactic acid) (PLA) or cyclic PLA depending on the nature of the initiator and the reaction conditions. For these NHC-MMe3 systems, the addition of benzyl alcohol (acting as a chain transfer agent) was found to be beneficial both to ROP activity and control. In particular, the Al and In systems (IMes)MMe3 (M=Al, In) in combination with BnOH are highly effective ROP initiators of rac-lactide at room temperature (TOF=600h−1).

Effects of Multidentate Metal Interactions on the Structure of Collisionally Activated Proteins: Insights from Ion Mobility Spectrometry and Molecular Dynamics Simulations

Much remains to be learned about the way in which bound metal ions modulate the response of electrosprayed proteins and protein complexes to collisional excitation. Nonspecific metal adducts can affect the extent of collision-induced unfolding (CIU) and collision-induced dissociation (CID). Here, we examine how Na(+) and Ca(2+) adducts alter the CIU response of monomeric proteins under native electrospray conditions. Both of these metals are commonly encountered in biological samples. Measured collision cross sections are largely independent of metal adduction as long as in-source excitation is minimized. In contrast, under CIU conditions, the metal-adducted proteins are markedly more compact than their metal-free counterparts. This phenomenon is particularly pronounced for Ca(2+) binding, but Na(+) adducts have significant effects as well. Molecular dynamics simulations reproduce the experimentally observed trends. The simulations show that structural expansion of the collisionally unfolded proteins is limited by multidentate metal contacts that restrict the conformational freedom of the polypeptide chains. Multidentate interactions with carboxylates and other electron-rich moieties are to be anticipated for divalent metals such as Ca(2+). It is surprising that Na(+) also engages in multidentate ligation. Electrostatic mapping reveals that the propensity of both Na(+) and Ca(2+) to interact with multiple electron-rich groups is caused by ineffective charge shielding during ion pairing. Despite their compactness, the CIU structures of metalated proteins do not retain native-like elements. Instead, CIU generates inside-out conformations where previously surface-exposed hydrophilic side chains get buried along with most of the metal ions. Our findings caution that the observation of compact conformers after collisional excitation does not imply the survival of solution-like structural features. We also discuss possible implications of adduct-mediated effects for CIU fingerprinting studies.

Reduction of metal adducts in oligonucleotide mass spectra in ion-pair reversed-phase chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis.

RationaleElectrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI‐MS)‐based techniques commonly used in oligonucleotide analyses are known to be sensitive to alkali metal adduct formation. Adducts directly impact the sensitivity of MS‐based analyses as the available charge is distributed across the parent peak and adduct(s). The current study systematically evaluated common liquid chromatography (LC) components in LC/ESI‐MS configurations used in oligonucleotide analysis to identify metal adduct contributions from LC instrumentation.MethodsA UPLC liquid chromatography system was configured with a single quadrupole MS detector (ACQUITY QDa, Waters Corp.) to monitor adduct formation in oligonucleotide separations. An ion‐pairing mobile phase comprised of 15 mM triethylamine and 400 mM hexafluoro‐2‐propanol was used in conjunction with an oligonucleotide separation column (Waters OST BEH C18, 2.1 mm × 50 mm) for all separations. A 10‐min method was used to provide statistical figures of merit and evaluate adduct formation over time.ResultsTrace alkali metal salts in the mobile phase and reagents were determined to be the main source of metal salt adducts in LC/ESI‐MS‐based configurations. Non‐specific adsorption sites located throughout the fluidic path contribute to adduct formation in oligonucleotide analyses. Ion‐pairing mobile phases prepared at neutral or slightly basic pH result in up to a 57% loss of spectral abundance to adduct formation in the current study.ConclusionsImplementation of a short low pH reconditioning step was observed to effectively displace trace metal salts non‐specifically adsorbed to surfaces in the fluidic path and was able to maintain an average MS spectral abundance ≥94% with a high degree of repeatability (relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) 0.8%) over an extended time study. The proposed method offers the ability to rapidly regenerate adsorption sites with minimal impact on productivity while retaining assay sensitivity afforded by MS detection with reduced adduct formation. © 2016 The Authors. Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

An electrochemical device generating metal ion adducts of organic compounds for electrospray mass spectrometry

An electrochemical device enabling selection of the working electrode was developed to be hyphenated with a mass spectrometer equipped with an electrospray. The device contains a rotatable block (carousel) with three ports for working electrodes, which can be easily chosen (changed) by a rotation of the carousel. The method takes advantage of the high reactivity of electrochemically generated metallic ions “in statu nascendi”. The device is suitable for ionization of various organic compounds (e.g., lipids, lipoproteins, pesticides, drugs, metabolites, lipids, lipoproteins) in biological and other matrices. The wide range of applications is made possible by the selection from three different solid electrodes placed in the carousel. This technical upgrade allows providing a number of possible chemical adducts and hereby the method can be tailored according to specific demands. The applicability of the electrochemical device is demonstrated by the electrochemical activation of pesticide cyproconazole (Cyp) in a soil solution matrix via formation of its adducts with Ag and Cu cations, generated from the working electrode material. The metal/Cyp adducts are on-line detected using an electrospray ionization mass spectrometer.

Formation of Metal-Related Ions in Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization.

In a study of the metal-related ion generation mechanism in matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI), crystals of matrix used in MALDI were grown from matrix- and salt-containing solutions. The intensities of metal ion and metal adducts of the matrix ion obtained from unwashed crystals were higher than those from crystals washed with deionized water, indicating that metal ions and metal adducts of the matrix ions are mainly generated from the surface of crystals. The contributions of preformed metal ions and metal adducts of the matrix ions inside the matrix crystals were minor. Metal adducts of the matrix and analyte ion intensities generated from a mixture of dried matrix, salt, and analyte powders were similar to or higher than those generated from the powder of dried droplet crystals, indicating that the contributions of the preformed metal adducts of the matrix and analyte ions were insignificant. Correlation between metal-related ion intensity fluctuation and protonated ion intensity fluctuation was observed, indicating that the generation mechanism of the metal-related ions is similar to that of the protonated ions. Because the thermally induced proton transfer model effectively describes the generation of the protonated ions, we suggest that metal-related ions are mainly generated from the salt dissolution in the matrix melted by the laser. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

Simplification of electrospray mass spectra of Polysorbate 80 via cation transfer to carborane anions.

Mass spectrometric analysis of polymer mixtures via electrospray ionization can be complicated due the presence of multiple ion types, multiple charge states and multiple oligomeric distributions that complicate the detection and identification of mixture components. Polysorbate 80 (commercially known as Tween(®) 80) provides an example of this type, where the presence of polyoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate (PSO) byproducts gives rise to overlapping polymer distributions. It is desirable to simplify the spectrum in order to identify each component of what is inherently a complex mixture of fatty esters bound to different head groups. In this work, we show that gas-phase ion/ion reactions with carborane anions allow for the charge reduction of Tween(®) 80 peaks by selectively removing metal adducts bound to the synthetic polymer. The resulting singly charged spectrum reduces overlapping distributions and thus simplifies the identification of the components found in a Tween(®) 80 sample. The overall approach described here would likely lead to similar benefits in the analysis of other polymers that tend to ionize via metal ion adduction. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Preferential alkali metal adduct formation by cis geometrical isomers of dicaffeoylquinic acids allows for efficient discrimination from their trans isomers during ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

Caffeoylquinic acid (CQA) derivatives are a group of structurally diverse phytochemicals that have attracted attention due to their many health benefits. The structural diversity of these molecules is due in part to the presence of regio- and geometrical isomerism. This structural diversity hampers the accurate annotation of these molecules in plant extracts. Mass spectrometry (MS) is successfully used to differentiate between the different regioisomers of the CQA derivatives; however, the accurate discrimination of the geometrical isomers of these molecules has proven to be an elusive task. UV-irradiated methanolic solutions of diCQA were analyzed using an ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC/QTOFMS) method in negative ionisation mode. An in-source collision-induced dissociation (ISCID) method was optimized by varying both the capillary and cone voltages to achieve differential fragmentation patterns between UV-generated geometrical isomers of the diCQAs during MS analyses. Changes in the capillary voltage did not cause a significant difference to the fragmentation patterns of the four geometrical isomers, while changes in the cone voltage resulted in significant differences in the fragmentation patterns. The results also show, for the first time, the preferential formation of alkali metal (Li(+), Na(+) and K(+)) adducts by the cis geometrical isomers of diCQAs, compared to their trans counterparts. Optimized QTOFMS-based methods may be used to differentiate the geometrical isomers of diCQAs. Finally, additives such as metal salts to induce adduct formation can be applied as an alternative method to differentiate closely related isomers which could have been difficult to differentiate under normal MS settings.

Cysteine Radical/Metal Ion Adducts: A Gas-Phase Structural Elucidation and Reactivity Study.

The formation and investigation of sulfur-based cysteine radicals cationized by a group 1A metal ion or Ag+ in the gas phase are reported. Gas-phase ion-molecule reactions (IMR) and infrared multiple-photon dissociation (IRMPD) spectroscopy revealed that the Li+ , Na+ , and K+ adducts of the cysteine radical remain S-based radicals as initially formed. Theoretical calculations for the three alkali metal ions found that the lowest-energy isomers are Cα -based radicals, but they are not observed experimentally owing to the barriers associated with the hydrogen-atom transfer. A mechanism for the S-to-Cα radical rearrangement in the metal ion complexes was proposed, and the relative energies of the associated energy barriers were found to be Li+ >Na+ >K+ at all levels of theory. Relative to the B3LYP functional, other levels of calculation gave significantly higher barriers (by 35-40 kJ mol-1 at MP2 and 44-47 kJ mol-1 at the CCSD level) using the same basis set. Unlike the alkali metal adducts, the cysteine radical/Ag+ complex rearranged from the S-based radical to an unreactive species as indicated by IMRs and IRMPD spectroscopy. This is consistent with the Ag+ /cysteine radical complex having a lower S-to-Cα radical conversion barrier, as predicted by the MP2 and CCSD levels of theory.

Isolable Ethylene Complexes of Copper(I), Silver(I), and Gold(I) Supported by Fluorinated Scorpionates [HB{3‐(CF3),5‐(CH3)Pz}3]– and [HB{3‐(CF3),5‐(Ph)Pz}3

The group 11 metal adducts [HB{3‐(CF3),5‐(CH3)Pz}3]M(C2H4) (M = Au, Ag, and Cu; Pz = pyrazolyl) have been synthesized via a metathesis process using [HB{3‐(CF3),5‐(CH3)Pz}3]Na and CF3SO3Cu, CF3SO3Ag, AuCl and ethylene. The related [HB{3‐(CF3),5‐(Ph)Pz}3]Ag(C2H4) has also been synthesized using [HB{3‐(CF3),5‐(Ph)Pz}3]Na(THF), CF3SO3Ag and ethylene. These group 11 metal ethylene complexes are white solids and form colorless crystals. They have been characterized by NMR spectroscopy and X‐ray crystallography. The gold‐ethylene adduct [HB{3‐(CF3),5‐(CH3)Pz}3]Au(C2H4) shows large upfield NMR shifts of the ethylene proton and carbon signals relative to the corresponding peaks of the free ethylene, indicating relatively high Au→ethylene backbonding. NMR chemical shift data suggest that the silver complexes of both the tris(pyrazolyl)borate ligands [HB{3‐(CF3),5‐(CH3)Pz}3]– and [HB{3‐(CF3),5‐(Ph)Pz}3]– exhibit the weakest interaction with ethylene as compared to the respective copper and gold complexes. X‐ray crystal structures reveal that the gold atom in [HB{3‐(CF3),5‐(CH3)Pz}3]Au(C2H4) binds to scorpionate in κ2‐fashion while the related silver adduct features a κ3‐bonded scorpionate. [HB{3‐(CF3),5‐(CH3)Pz}3]Cu(C2H4) has a scorpionate that binds to copper with two short Cu–N bonds and one long Cu–N distance.

An improved method for measuring metaldehyde in surface water using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry

The molluscicide metaldehyde (2,4,6,8-tetramethyl-1,3,5,7-tetraoxocanemetacetaldehyde) is an emerging pollutant. It is frequently detected in surface waters, often above the European Community Drinking Water Directive limit of 0.1μg/L for a single pesticide. Gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC–MS) can be used to determine metaldehyde in environmental waters, but this method requires time consuming extraction techniques prior to instrumental analysis. Use of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) can overcome this problem. We describe a novel LC–MS/MS method, using a methylamine mobile phase additive, coupled with on-line sample enrichment that allows for the rapid and sensitive measurement of metaldehyde in surface water. Only the methylamine adduct of metaldehyde was formed with other unwanted alkali metal adducts and dimers being suppressed. As considerably less collision energy is required to fragment the methylamine adduct, a five-fold improvement in method sensitivity, compared to a previous method using an ammonium acetate buffer mobile phase was achieved. This new approach offers:•A validated method that meets regulatory requirements for the determination of metaldehyde in surface water.•Improved reliability of quantification over existing LC–MS/MS methods by using stable precursor ions for multiple reaction monitoring.•Low limits of quantification for tap water (4ng/L) and river water (20ng/L) using only 800μL of sample; recoveries>97%.

Hydrogen Peroxide Complex of Zinc.

Metal(H2O2) complexes have been implicated in kinetic and computational studies but have never been observed. Accordingly, H2O2 has been described as a very weak ligand. We report the first metal(H2O2) adduct, which is made possible by incorporating intramolecular hydrogen-bonding interactions with bound H2O2. This Zn(II)(H2O2) complex decays in solution by a second-order process that is slow enough to enable characterization of this species by X-ray crystallography. This report speaks to the intermediacy of metal(H2O2) adducts in chemistry and biology and opens the door to exploration of these species in oxidation catalysis.

MS/MS and LC-MS/MS analysis of choline/ethanolamine plasmalogens via promotion of alkali metal adduct formation.

Tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) has been used for the analysis of plasmalogen (Pls), a physiologically important class of vinyl ether-linked phospholipid. However, MS/MS generally causes little fragmentation of Pls, especially choline Pls (PC-Pls). Previous MS/MS studies reported an increased formation of product ions of PC-Pls (and also ethanolamine Pls (PE-Pls)) in the presence of 'alkali metals.' Therefore, use of alkali metals considerably leads to the development of a method for analysis of both PC- and PE-Pls. In this study, this notion was evaluated using quadrupole-time-of-flight MS/MS and liquid chromatography (LC) coupled with MS/MS. Results from MS/MS confirmed that alkali metals (e.g., sodium) produced significant fragmentation of PC-Pls and PE-Pls. A number of structure-diagnostic product ions exhibiting high intensities were observed under optimized MS/MS conditions using alkali metals. Moreover, the ability to selectively and sensitively identify PC-Pls and PE-Pls at the molecular species level in biological samples (rat brain and heart) was demonstrated using LC-MS/MS. Therefore, the herein developed method appears to be a powerful tool for analyzing Pls and may provide a better understanding of their physiological roles in vivo.

Determination of ginsenoside compound K in human plasma by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry of lithium adducts

Ginsenoside compound K (GCK), the main metabolite of protopanaxadiol constituents of Panax ginseng, easily produces alkali metal adduct ions during mass spectrometry particularly with lithium. Accordingly, we have developed a rapid and sensitive liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometric method for analysis of GCK in human plasma based on formation of a lithium adduct. The analyte and paclitaxel (internal standard) were extracted from 50µL human plasma using methyl tert-butyl ether. Chromatographic separation was performed on a Phenomenex Gemini C18 column (50mm×2.0mm; 5μm) using stepwise gradient elution with acetonitrile–water and 0.2mmol/L lithium carbonate at a flow rate of 0.5mL/min. Detection was performed in the positive ion mode using multiple reaction monitoring of the transitions at m/z 629→449 for the GCK-lithium adduct and m/z 860→292 for the adduct of paclitaxel. The assay was linear in the concentration range 1.00–1000ng/mL (r2>0.9988) with intra- and inter-day precision of ±8.4% and accuracy in the range of −4.8% to 6.5%. Recovery, stability and matrix effects were all satisfactory. The method was successfully applied to a pharmacokinetic study involving administration of a single GCK 50mg tablet to healthy Chinese volunteers.

SDS-induced Peptide Conformational Changes: From Triglycyl-glycine to Amyloid-β Oligomers Associated with Alzheimer’s Disease

Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) was introduced in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) due to its capacity of helping proteins to become fully denatured and dissociated from each other. Numerous studies which have been undertaken, using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI–MS), reported on the process of peptide oligomerization. Many of these investigations have included tetraglycine (H2N–Gly–Gly–Gly–Gly–COOH; G4) as model peptide. The aim of this research is to investigate the effect of SDS on G4 oligomerization, and, especially, to emphasize the dismantling of oligomers under micellar conditions. In water, G4 peptide develops dimers and oligomers, which can also be evidenced in high proportion by MS in the gas phase. Although our results show that SDS is able to reduce the proportion of G4 oligomers, the aqueous G4-SDS system may contain G4 dimers, G4-SDS adducts alongside with the expected monomers and some alkaline metal adducts. The mechanism by which SDS disassembled G4 dimers, which includes sodium ion affinity toward negatively charged carboxyl and sulfonyl groups, was also discussed. Amyloid-β peptide1–40 conformation changed considerably and, especially, the proportion of α-helical populations increased upon SDS binding in a concentration-dependent manner. Molecular dynamics studies confirmed the tendency of Aβ molecules to form α-helical conformers, as the CD and FTIR studies showed.