title: A sensitive and specific assay for glutathione with potential application to glutathione disulphide, using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.
abstract: We have utilised the combination of sensitivity and specificity afforded by coupling high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to a tandem mass spectrometer (MS-MS) to produce an assay which is suitable for assaying glutathione (GSH) concentrations in liver tissue. The sensitivity suggests it may also be suitable for extrahepatic tissues. The method has been validated for GSH using mouse liver samples and also allows the assay of GSSG. The stability of GSH under conditions relevant to the assay has been determined. A 20-microl amount of a diluted methanol extract of tissue is injected with detection limits of 0.2 pmol for GSH and 2 pmol for GSSG. The HPLC uses an Altima C18 (150 x 4.6 mm, 5 microm) column at 35 degrees C. Chromatography utilises a linear gradient from 0 to 10% methanol in 0.1% formic acid over 5 min, with a final isocratic stage holding at 10% methanol for 5 min. Total flow rate is 0.8 ml/min. The transition from the M+H ion (308.1 m/z for GSH, and 613.3 m/z for GSSG) to the 162.0 m/z (GSH) and 355.3 m/z (GSSG) fragments are monitored.
authors.affiliation: National Research Centre for Environmental Toxicology, Coopers Plains, Australia. s209132@student.uq.edu.au
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Norris
authors.forename: G K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Eaglesham
authors.forename: G R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Shaw
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Chiswell
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Seawright
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Moore
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D005978:Glutathione / Q000032:analysis*; D019803:Glutathione Disulfide / Q000032:analysis*; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry*; D013058:Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D051379:Mice; D012015:Reference Standards; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D005978:Glutathione; D019803:Glutathione Disulfide