Analysis of Catecholamine and Their Metabolites in Mice Brain by Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Using Sulfonated Mixed-mode Copolymer Column.

In this study, a simultaneous assay for catecholamines and their metabolites in the brain was established using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). To achieve complete separation, a cation-exchange/reversed-phase mixed-mode copolymer resin column containing 0.81 wt% sulfo groups was used for the simultaneous LC-MS assay. The analyzed catecholamines were dopamine (DA), norepinephrine (NE), and epinephrine (E), while the metabolites lacking amino groups were 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), homovanillic acid (HVA), and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG). The metabolites were separated and detected using LC-MS, on columns with and without sulfo groups. However, we could not achieve adequate separation of catecholamines on both columns using a gradient elution of 0 - 50 (v/v)% methanol containing 0.1 (v/v)% formic acid (FA). When volatile ion-pairing reagents were added to the mobile phase, they improved the retention and detection of catecholamines on the sulfonated mixed-mode column. Under optimized elution conditions, which involved a linear gradient elution of water containing 0.1 (v/v)% FA to 50 (v/v)% acetonitrile in 50 mM ammonium formate at 40°C and a 0.20 mL/min rate, all six target molecules were simultaneously detected within 25 min, when using negative mode LC-MS on a sulfonated mixed-mode column. The limits of detection (LODs) for DA, NE, E, DOPCA, HVA, and MHPG were determined to be 20.7, 12.6, 74.6, 1110, 18.7, and 3196 nM, respectively. Moreover, the established LC-MS assay allowed the detection of endogenous DA, NE, and HVA, in normal mouse brain samples at concentrations higher than 20, 9, and 4 pmol/mg, respectively.

Elution profile of di-peptides on a sulfonated ethylstyrene-divinylbenzene copolymer resin column by high-performance liquid chromatography.

This study investigates the characteristics of a partially sulfonated ethylstyrene-divinylbenzene copolymer for the separation of di-peptides by high-performance liquid chromatography. Di-peptides (VE, VA, VH, VK, and VR) with different isoelectric points (pI, 4.0 to 9.7) and log P values (-1.63 to -0.72) were used to optimize the separation conditions of the columns packed with sulfonated copolymer resin. The retention factor (k) of the di-peptides on the column with a 0.81 wt% sulfo group content decreased with increasing concentrations of phosphate salts (2.5 - 20 mmol L(-1)) in the mobile phase. The complete separation of the five di-peptides was obtained with a gradient of 10% methanol containing 5 mmol L(-1) NaH2PO4 (pH 4.8) to 50% methanol containing 5 mmol L(-1) Na2HPO4 (pH 8.9) for 60 min at 0.5 mL min(-1) at 50°C. Under the optimal conditions, a good relationship between the k and pI values of the di-peptides, with the exception of VE (pI 4.0), was observed, suggesting that the retention of the di-peptides on the column packed with sulfonated copolymer resin was dependent on the pI value, when it was greater than 5. The log P value also influenced the separation characteristics of the column; peptides possessing the same pI value (6.4 for GH, VH, IH, and FH) showed a higher retention on the column with increasing log P values. In conclusion, the prototype sulfonated ethylstyrene-divinylbenzene copolymer column was applicable for the separation of basic di-peptides, and the separation depended on the pI and hydrophobicity of the di-peptides.