Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry determination of plasma 24S-hydroxycholesterol with chromatographic separation of 25-hydroxycholesterol

Anal Biochem. 2008 Oct 1;381(1):151-3. doi: 10.1016/j.ab.2008.05.037. Epub 2008 Jun 13.

Abstract

Concentrations of circulating 24S-hydroxycholesterol (24SOHChol) are of interest as a practical measure of cholesterol efflux from the human brain. The current method of choice for 24SOHChol quantification is with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) methods to detect 24SOHChol have been described, but they lack rigorous high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) separation of a closely eluting isomeric oxysterol, 25-hydroxycholesterol. This is important because 25-hydroxycholesterol can be present in significant amounts and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) cannot completely differentiate 24SOHChol. We describe an LC-MS method with rapid chromatographic separation of the oxysterols to permit accurate determination of plasma 24SOHChol. The availability of an LC-MS method offers advantages such as simplified sample work-up and analysis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Chromatography, Liquid
  • Female
  • Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
  • Humans
  • Hydroxycholesterols / blood*
  • Hydroxycholesterols / isolation & purification*
  • Male
  • Tandem Mass Spectrometry / methods*

Substances

  • Hydroxycholesterols
  • 24-hydroxycholesterol
  • 25-hydroxycholesterol