Hemei Chen

Enrichment of peptides in serum by C8-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles for direct matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry analysis

Human serum contains a complex array of proteolytically derived peptides (serum peptidome), which contain biomarkers of preclinical screening and disease diagnosis. Recently, commercial C(8)-functionalized magnetic beads (1-10 microm) were widely applied to the separation and enrichment of peptides in human serum, prior to matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) analysis. In this work, laboratory-prepared C(8)-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles (about 50 nm) were prepared and applied to the fast separation and the enrichment of peptides from serum. At first, the C(8)-magnetic nanoparticles were synthesized by modifying amine-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles with chlorodimethyloctylsilane. These synthesized C(8)-amine-functionalized magnetic particles have excellent magnetic responsibility, high dispersibility and large surface area. Finally, the C(8)-magnetic nanoparticles were successfully applied to fast and efficient enrichment of low-abundance peptides from protein tryptic digestion and human serum followed by MALDI-TOF-MS analysis.

Preparation of C60‐functionalized magnetic silica microspheres for the enrichment of low‐concentration peptides and proteins for MALDI‐TOF MS analysis

In this work, for the first time, a novel C60‐functionalized magnetic silica microsphere (designated C60‐f‐MS) was synthesized by radical polymerization of C60 molecules on the surface of magnetic silica microspheres. The resulting C60‐f‐MS microsphere has magnetite core and thin C60 modified silica shell, which endow them with useful magnetic responsivity and surface affinity toward low‐concentration peptides and proteins. As a result of their excellent magnetic property, the synthesized C60‐f‐MS microspheres can be easily separated from sample solution without ultracentrifuge. The C60‐f‐MS microspheres were successfully applied to the enrichment of low‐concentration peptides in tryptic protein digest and human urine via a MALDI‐TOF MS analysis. Moreover, they were demonstrated to have enrichment efficiency for low‐concentration proteins. Due to the novel materials maintaining excellent magnetic properties and admirable adsorption, the process of enrichment and desalting is very fast (only 5 min), convenient and efficient. As it has been demonstrated in the study, newly developed fullerene‐derivatized magnetic silica materials are superior to those already available in the market. The facile and low‐cost synthesis as well as the convenient and efficient enrichment process of the novel C60‐f‐MS microspheres makes it a promising candidate for isolation of low‐concentration peptides and proteins even in complex biological samples such as serum, plasma, and urine or cell lysate.

Facile synthesis of C8-functionalized magnetic silica microspheres for enrichment of low-concentration peptides for direct MALDI-TOF MS analysis

In this study, novel C8‐functionalized magnetic polymer microspheres were prepared by coating single submicron‐sized magnetite particle with silica and subsequent modification with chloro (dimethyl) octylsilane. The resulting C8‐functionalized magnetic silica (C8‐f‐M‐S) microspheres exhibit well‐defined magnetite‐core‐silica‐shell structure and possess high content of magnetite, which endow them with high dispersibility and strong magnetic response. With their magnetic property, the synthesized C8‐f‐M‐S microspheres provide a convenient and efficient way for enrichment of low‐abundance peptides from tryptic protein digest and human serum. The enriched peptides/proteins were subjected for MALDI‐TOF MS analysis and the enrichment efficiency was documented. In a word, the facile synthesis and efficient enrichment process of the novel C8‐f‐M‐S microspheres make them promising candidates for isolation of peptides even in complex biological samples such as serum, plasma, and urine.

Selective separation and enrichment of peptides for MS analysis using the microspheres composed of Fe3O4@nSiO2 core and perpendicularly aligned mesoporous SiO2 shell

In this work, we report the development of a novel enrichment protocol for peptides by using the microspheres composed of Fe3O4@nSiO2 Core and perpendicularly aligned mesoporous SiO2 shell (designated Fe3O4@nSiO2@mSiO2). The Fe3O4@nSiO2@mSiO2 microspheres possess useful magnetic responsivity which makes the process of enrichment fast and convenient. The highly ordered nanoscale pores (2 nm) and high‐surface areas of the microspheres were demonstrated to have good size‐exclusion effect for the adsorption of peptides. An increase of S/N ratio over 100 times could be achieved by using the microspheres to enrich a standard peptide, and the application of the microspheres to enrich universal peptides was performed by using myoglobin tryptic digest solution. The enrichment efficiency of re‐used Fe3O4@nSiO2@mSiO2 microspheres was also studied. Large‐scale enrichment of endogenous peptides in rat brain extract was achieved by the microspheres. Automated nano‐LC‐ESI‐MS/MS was applied to analyze the sample after enrichment, and 60 unique peptides were identified in total. The facile and low‐cost synthesis as well as the convenient and efficient enrichment process of the novel Fe3O4@nSiO2@mSiO2 microspheres makes it a promising candidate for selectively isolation and enrichment of endogenous peptides from complex biological samples.

Development of oleic acid‐functionalized magnetite nanoparticles as hydrophobic probes for concentrating peptides with MALDI‐TOF‐MS analysis

The oleic acid‐functionalized magnetite nanoparticles (OA‐Fe3O4) with mean diameter of about 15 nm were synthesized through a low‐cost, one‐pot method and were designed as hydrophobic probes to realize the convenient, efficient and fast concentration of low‐concentration peptides followed by MALDI‐TOF‐MS analysis. The capability of OA‐Fe3O4 nanoparticles in concentration of low‐abundance peptides from simple and complex solutions were evaluated by comparing them with a sort of C8‐modified magnetic microspheres. Samples of standard peptide solution, protein digest solution and human serum were introduced in the evaluating process, and the OA‐Fe3O4 nanoparticles exhibited good surface affinity toward low‐concentration peptides