Citation

Chen GG, Turecki G, Mamer OA. J. Mass Spectrom. 2009; 44(8): 1203-1210.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1002/jms.1597

PMID

19514045

Abstract

A quantitative method for putrescine (PUT), spermidine (SPD) and spermine (SPM) in homogenized postmortem human brain tissue is described that employs a novel, simple and rapid extractive derivatization with ethylchloroformate and trifluoroacetylation. These amines are metabolites of ornithine and are metabolically interconvertible in mammals. The method was developed to support an ongoing epidemiological study correlating these amines with the frequency of suicide. The isolation methodology is robust and requires less work and time than many previous methods. Analysis is by conventional electron ionization GC-MS with selected ion monitoring using a stable isotope-labeled analog for PUT and a chemical analog for SPD and SPM as internal standards. The time required for chromatographic analysis, about 20 min, is determined by the wide range of the relative volatilities of the derivatized polyamines. The method allows the quantitation of PUT down to 10 ng/g and SPD and SPM down to 100 and 1000 ng/g, respectively of wet tissue.

Language: en

Keywords

Analytic Sample Preparation Methods; Biogenic Polyamines; Brain Chemistry; Calibration; Electrons; Formic Acid Esters; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Humans; Indicators and Reagents; Molecular Structure; Putrescine; Reference Standards; Spermidine; Spermine; Suicide; Trifluoroacetic Acid