title: Analysis of 5-methoxytryptamine at the femtomole level in the rat and quail brain by gas chromatography-electron-capture negative-ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry.
abstract: A sensitive method for the measurement of endogenous 5-methoxytryptamine in brain tissue has been developed using capillary column gas chromatography-electron-capture negative-ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry. 5-Methoxytryptamine was first converted to N-[2H3]acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine by reaction with hexa-deuterated acetic anhydride, followed by reaction with pentafluoropropionic anhydride to yield the highly electron-capturing 3,3'-spirocyclic pentafluoro-propionyl indolenine derivative. Quantitative analysis was carried out by selected-ion monitoring of the [M-HF].- and [M-HF-DF].- ion intensity of the 3.3'-spirocyclic pentafluoropropionyl indolenine derivative, using 5-methoxy-[alpha, alpha, beta, beta-2H4]tryptamine as the internal standard. The presence of 5-methoxytryptamine in the brain tissue was demonstrated. In the absence of a monoamine oxidase inhibitor, the mean +/- S.D. levels of 5-methoxytryptamine in the rat and quail whole brain were found to be 30 +/- 6 and 347 +/- 52 pg/g, respectively. The possible physiological functions of 5-methoxytryptamine as a neuromodulator and/or neurotransmitter have to be considered.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Tsang
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: S F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Pang
mesh_terms: D008735:5-Methoxytryptamine / Q000032:analysis*; D000818:Animals; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D011784:Quail; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D008735:5-Methoxytryptamine