title: Strategies for determination of insulin with tandem electrospray mass spectrometry: implications for other analyte proteins?
abstract: Using human insulin (MW 5808 Da) as a model compound, the possible strategies towards optimization of sensitivity and selectivity of measurement by electrospray ionization with a standard triple quadrupole mass spectrometer were investigated. For measurement in selected ion-monitoring (SIM) mode, these strategies involved systematic variation of instrumental parameters and spray pH. In this investigation four different operating modes were used corresponding to positive/negative ionization modes with acidic/basic sprays and pH reversed (hereafter termed 'wrong-way-round' operation); the cone voltage was optimized for each mode of operation. When collision-activated dissociation (CAD) is employed, two additional operation modes are possible: namely, low collision energies (10-35 eV, CAD-l) for the generation of sequence-specific fragments and high collision energies (>80 eV, CAD-h) for the generation of nonspecific fragments. Overall, this results in twelve different modes of operation. Loop-injection of aqueous insulin standards were run for each of the twelve operating modes and measurements made for five different charge states (n = 2-6) observable with our instrument that has an upper mass limit of m/z 4000. The signal/noise (S/N) ratio was optimized for each charge state, resulting in 60 measurements. The best S/N ratios (20 000) were achieved under positive SIM conditions with charge state 6 (m/z 969) and under 'wrong-way-round' negative SIM conditions with charge state 3 (m/z 1935). Lower S/N ratios were observed under positive CAD-h conditions with charge state 5 (m/z 1163, S/N 15 000) and positive CAD-l conditions with charge state 6 (m/z 969, S/N 10 000). All other operating modes gave maximum S/N ratios of 4000. For measurement of insulin standards, the results obtained show SIM to give the best S/N ratio. However, for samples in complex matrices, our general experience suggests CAD to be the preferable operating mode. Consequently, for the development of a quantitative method for proteins in general, it might be advocated that all of the twelve operating modes and all relevant charge states be investigated to find the optimum S/N ratio.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorium voor Analytische Chemie, Universiteit Gent, Harelbekestraat 72, 9000 Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fierens
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stöckl
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Thienpont
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: De Leenheer
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D007328:Insulin / Q000737:chemistry*; D008970:Molecular Weight; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D020539:Sequence Analysis, Protein / Q000379:methods; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D007328:Insulin; D011506:Proteins