title: Detection and characterization of 20-oxosteroids in rat brains using LC-electron capture APCI-MS after derivatization with 2-nitro-4-trifluoromethylphenylhydrazine.
abstract: The detection and characterization of 20-oxosteroids in rat brains by liquid chromatography (LC)-electron capture atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (ECAPCI)-mass spectrometry (MS) is described. In the present method, oxosteroids were derivatized with a highly electron-affinitive reagent, 2-nitro-4-trifluoromethylphenylhydrazine, to convert them to the corresponding hydrazones. The derivatized steroids showed over 20-fold higher sensitivity in ECAPCI-MS than intact steroids measured in positive-APCI-MS. A brain sample was homogenized, purified with two disposable cartridges, derivatized and subjected to LC-ECAPCI-MS. Pregnenolone, progesterone, 5alpha-dihydroprogesterone, allopregnanolone and epiallopregnanolone were clearly detected with a 50 mg sample of the brain tissue.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kanazawa University, 13-1 Takara-machi, Kanazawa 920-0934, Japan. higashi@p.kanazawa-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Tatsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Higashi
authors.forename: Natsuko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Takido
authors.forename: Kazutake
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shimada
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D007664:Ketosteroids / Q000032:analysis*; D010659:Phenylhydrazines; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: C473708:2-nitro-4-trifluoromethylphenylhydrazine; D007664:Ketosteroids; D010659:Phenylhydrazines