title: Enrichment and properties of urinary pre-S-phenylmercapturic acid (pre-SPMA).
abstract: In benzene metabolism, pre-S-phenylmercapturic acid (pre-SPMA) is the precursor to S-phenylmercapturic acid (SPMA). Urinary pre-SPMA/SPMA ratios are variable. For the determination of urinary SPMA as a biomarker of exposure to benzene it is essential to completely convert pre-SPMA to SPMA. We developed a procedure for the enrichment and determination of urinary pre-SPMA by LC-MS/MS which allowed us to trace the conversion of pre-SPMA to SPMA. Complete conversion was found upon treatment of urine with HCl (37%) at pH 1.1. Previously reported treatment of urine with concentrated H(2)SO(4) was found to yield SPMA levels higher than after HCl treatment. The origin of that extra SPMA amount is unknown. In conclusion, our findings suggest that pre-treatment of urine with HCl to adjust the pH to 0.5-1 is essential for complete conversion of pre-SPMA to SPMA and should be applied prior to analysis of SPMA in urine.
authors.affiliation: ABF Analytisch-Biologisches-Forschungslabor GmbH, Goethestr. 20, D-80336 Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sterz
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Köhler
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schettgen
authors.forename: Gerhard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Scherer
mesh_terms: D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000652:urine; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000652:urine*; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid / Q000379:methods; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C053003:S-phenyl-N-acetylcysteine; D000111:Acetylcysteine