Koen Sandra

Comprehensive liquid chromatography: Fundamental aspects and practical considerations—A review

In the quest for separation techniques capable of generating high peak capacities, comprehensive two-dimensional (2D) liquid chromatography (LC x LC) is a performant analytical tool for the analyses of complex mixtures. Interest in LC x LC has increased substantially over the past few years. The most significant and profitable difference between LC x LC and other multidimensional (MD) LC approaches is the subjection of every part of the sample to two individual separation dimensions. This results in a tremendous increase in resolving power, since the peak capacity of the comprehensive system approaches the product of the peak capacities of the first and second dimension separations when highly orthogonal separation mechanisms are combined. The present review discusses the theoretical aspects of LC x LC together with practical considerations for LC x LC method development. An extensive overview of different interface designs discussing their pros and cons is presented.

Comprehensive blood plasma lipidomics by liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry

A lipidomics strategy, combining high resolution reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC) with high resolution quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (QqTOF), is described. The method has carefully been assessed in both a qualitative and a quantitative fashion utilizing human blood plasma. The inherent low technical variability associated with the lipidomics method allows to measure 65% of the features with an intensity RSD value below 10%. Blood plasma lipid spike-in experiments demonstrate that relative concentration differences smaller than 25% can readily be revealed by means of a t-test. Utilizing an advanced identification strategy, it is shown that the detected features mainly originate from (lyso-)phospholipids, sphingolipids, mono-, di- and triacylglycerols and cholesterol esters. The high resolution offered by the up-front RPLC step further allows to discriminate various isomeric species associated with the different lipid classes. The added value of utilizing a Jetstream electrospray ionization (ESI) source over a regular ESI source in lipidomics is for the first time demonstrated. In addition, the application of ultra high performance LC (UHPLC) up to 1200bar to extend the peak capacity or increase productivity is discussed.

Highly efficient peptide separations in proteomics Part 2: Bi-and multidimensional liquid-based separation techniques

Multidimensional liquid-based separation techniques are described for maximizing the resolution of the enormous number of peptides generated upon tryptic digestion of proteomes, and hence, reduce the spatial and temporal complexity of the sample to a level that allows successful mass spectrometric analysis. This review complements the previous contribution on unidimensional high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Both chromatography and electrophoresis will be discussed albeit with reversed-phase HPLC (RPLC) as the final separation dimension prior to MS analysis.

Profiling and characterizing skin ceramides using reversed-phase liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry

An LC-MS based method for the profiling and characterization of ceramide species in the upper layer of human skin is described. Ceramide samples, collected by tape stripping of human skin, were analyzed by reversed-phase liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry operated in both positive and negative electrospray ionization mode. All known classes of ceramides could be measured in a repeatable manner. Furthermore, the data set showed several undiscovered ceramides, including a class with four hydroxyl functionalities in its sphingoid base. High-resolution MS/MS fragmentation spectra revealed that each identified ceramide species is composed of several skeletal isomers due to variation in carbon length of the respective sphingoid bases and fatty acyl building blocks. The resulting variety in skeletal isomers has not been previously demonstrated. It is estimated that over 1000 unique ceramide structures could be elucidated in human stratum corneum. Ceramide species with an even and odd number of carbon atoms in both chains were detected in all ceramide classes. Acid hydrolysis of the ceramides, followed by LC-MS analysis of the end-products, confirmed the observed distribution of both sphingoid bases and fatty acyl groups in skin ceramides. The study resulted in an accurate mass retention time library for targeted profiling of skin ceramides. It is furthermore demonstrated that targeted data processing results in an improved repeatability versus untargeted data processing (72.92% versus 62.12% of species display an RSD < 15%).

Microbial Reduction and Precipitation of Vanadium by Shewanella oneidensis

ABSTRACT Shewanella oneidensis couples anaerobic oxidation of lactate, formate, and pyruvate to the reduction of vanadium pentoxide (VV). The bacterium reduces VV (vanadate ion) to VIV (vanadyl ion) in an anaerobic atmosphere. The resulting vanadyl ion precipitates as a VIV-containing solid.

Modern chromatographic and mass spectrometric techniques for protein biopharmaceutical characterization.

Protein biopharmaceuticals such as monoclonal antibodies and therapeutic proteins are currently in widespread use for the treatment of various life-threatening diseases including cancer, autoimmune disorders, diabetes and anemia. The complexity of protein therapeutics is far exceeding that of small molecule drugs; hence, unraveling this complexity represents an analytical challenge. The current review provides the reader with state-of-the-art chromatographic and mass spectrometric tools available to dissect primary and higher order structures, post-translational modifications, purity and impurity profiles and pharmacokinetic properties of protein therapeutics.

Tryptic digest analysis by comprehensive reversed phase x two reversed phase liquid chromatography (RP-LC x 2RP-LC) at different pH's

As an alternative to the classical approach of combining strong cation exchange SCX-LC and RP-LC for the separation of complex proteomic samples, this essay describes the online comprehensive RP-LCxRP-LC separation of BSA and human blood serum. High orthogonality and peak capacity are achieved through the application of a significantly different pH in the two dimensions. The coupling of fused-core columns in series ensures high efficiency in the first dimension, while a previously designed interface with parallel second dimension columns further enhances the separation capability of the comprehensive system.

Lipidomics from an analytical perspective

The global non-targeted analysis of various biomolecules in a variety of sample sources gained momentum in recent years. Defined as the study of the full lipid complement of cells, tissues and organisms, lipidomics is currently evolving out of the shadow of the more established omics sciences including genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics. In analogy to the latter, lipidomics has the potential to impact on biomarker discovery, drug discovery/development and system knowledge, amongst others. The tools developed by lipid researchers in the past, complemented with the enormous advancements made in recent years in mass spectrometry and chromatography, and the implementation of sophisticated (bio)-informatics tools form the basis of current lipidomics technologies.

Untargeted Lipidomic Analysis in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Uncovering Sphingolipids

RATIONALE Cigarette smoke is the major risk factor in the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Lipidomics is a novel and emerging research field that may provide new insights in the origins of chronic inflammatory diseases, such as COPD. OBJECTIVES To investigate whether expression of the sputum lipidome is affected by COPD or cigarette smoking. METHODS Lipid expression was investigated with liquid chromatography and high-resolution quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry in induced sputum comparing smokers with and without COPD, and never-smokers. Changes in lipid expression after 2-month smoking cessation were investigated in smokers with and without COPD. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS More than 1,500 lipid compounds were identified in sputum. The class of sphingolipids was significantly higher expressed in smokers with COPD than in smokers without COPD. At single compound level, 168 sphingolipids, 36 phosphatidylethanolamine lipids, and 5 tobacco-related compounds were significantly higher expressed in smokers with COPD compared with smokers without COPD. The 13 lipids with a high fold change between smokers with and without COPD showed high correlations with lower lung function and inflammation in sputum. Twenty (glyco)sphingolipids and six tobacco-related compounds were higher expressed in smokers without COPD compared with never-smokers. Two-month smoking cessation reduced expression of 26 sphingolipids in smokers with and without COPD. CONCLUSIONS Expression of lipids from the sphingolipid pathway is higher in smokers with COPD compared with smokers without COPD. Considering their potential biologic properties, they may play a role in the pathogenesis of COPD.

Capillary gas chromatography inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (CGC-ICPMS) for the enantiomeric analysis of d,l-selenomethionine in food supplements and urine

Capillary gas chromatography inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (CGC-ICPMS) was applied to the determination of D- and L-selenomethionine in food supplements and in urine. Derivatization was performed with ethylchloroformate (ECF) offering the advantage that the reaction can be carried out in aqueous medium i.e. urine. The derivatives were separated on the chiral stationary phase (CSP) Chiralsil-L-Val. The method was validated with D- and L-seleno-ethionine as internal standard (IS) and the linearity for a seven point calibration from 12.5 pg to 2.5 ng per enantiomer was excellent (R(2) 0.9997). Repeatability of injection (n=3) was <1.8%. The limit of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) were 4 and 12 pg, respectively. Food supplements presently on the market contain L-selenomethionine for at least 90%. Repeatability of the whole procedure (n=6) was tested on one L-selenomethionine formulation and was 3.8 (R.S.D.%). Data for urine samples after a daily intake of L-selenomethionine or the racemate D,L-selenomethionine corresponding to 100 microg selenium indicate that the D-enantiomer is not metabolized.