title: A simple and sensitive liquid chromatographic method for the analysis of free docosanoic, tetracosanoic and hexacosanoic acids in human plasma as fluorescent derivatives.
abstract: Docosanoic (C22), tetracosanoic (C24) and hexacosanoic (C26) acids are saturated very-long-chain fatty acids (VLCFA) present at trace levels in biosamples. VLCFA can be used as potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of hereditary diseases such as X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy. Because the analytes to be detected are at trace levels, a sensitive fluorimetric liquid chromatographic method was developed to analyze VLCFA in plasma. The method is simple based on extracting VLCFA from plasma with toluene, and the obtained toluene extract was subject to the derivatization of VLCFA with a fluorescent reagent 2-(2-naphthoxy)ethyl-2-(piperidino)ethanesulfonate (NOEPES) without solvent evaporation/replacement. The resulting fluorescent derivatives were monitored by fluorimetric detection (excitation at 225nm and emission at 360nm), giving a high sensitivity with the limit of detection about 5.0nM (S/N=3, 10microL injected) of the analytes. Application of the method to the analysis of VLCFA in the plasma of patients with adrenoleukodystrophy proved practical and effective.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Tang-Chia
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Hwang-Shang
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kou
authors.forename: Mei-Chyn
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Chao
authors.forename: Ying-Ju
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Ou
authors.forename: Hsin-Lung
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000097:blood* / Q000737:chemistry; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D015394:Molecular Structure; D012015:Reference Standards; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; C017364:hexacosanoic acid; C007547:behenic acid; C010210:lignoceric acid