title: Simultaneous quantitation of endogenous levels of cortisone and cortisol in human nasal and bronchoalveolar lavage fluids and plasma via gas chromatography-negative ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry.
abstract: Investigation of the influence of pulmonary disease upon local catabolism of cortisol in vivo is limited by the lack of availability of a selective and sensitive assay for simultaneous quantitation of cortisol and cortisone in lung and nasal lavage fluids as well as in plasma. Synthesis of bispentafluorobenzylcarboxymethoxime derivatives of cortisone and cortisol followed by trimethylsilylation yields compounds with almost ideal gas chromatographic properties. The derivatized steroids generate intense M(-.)-181 fragment ions in negative ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry. Monitoring of ions at m/z 829 and m/z 903, respectively, for cortisone and cortisol and corresponding fragment ions generated from multideuterated internal standards provides the analytical basis for assessment of local in vivo conversion of cortisol to cortisone in the respiratory system of human subjects. The assay method displays excellent reproducibility with variations < or = 10%. Detection limits are < or = 1 pg of steroid analyte per injection (S/N > 3). Endogenous levels of cortisone and cortisol, respectively, measured in human samples were as follows: nasal lavage fluid, 47 and 25 pg/ml; bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, 380 and 153 pg/ml; plasma 12.8 and 61.6 ng/ml.
authors.affiliation: Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21224.
authors.forename: W C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Hubbard
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bickel
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Schleimer
mesh_terms: D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000737:chemistry*; D003348:Cortisone / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D003348:Cortisone; D006854:Hydrocortisone