title: Parameters affecting the accuracy of the MALDI-TOF MS determination of the phosphatidylcholine/lysophosphatidylcholine (PC/LPC) ratio as potential marker of spermatozoa quality.
abstract: Matrix-assisted laser desorption and ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) is increasingly used to characterize (phospho)lipids. However, quantitative MALDI data are often questioned because ion suppression may occur if mixtures are analyzed. Therefore, relative (but no absolute) data are normally derived from the MALDI mass spectra of lipid mixtures. We are particularly interested in the phosphatidylcholine/lysophosphatidylcholine (PC/LPC) ratio because it seems to represent a suitable measure of the inflammatory activity. In this study, different parameters affecting the achievable accuracy of the MALDI-TOF MS determination of the PC/LPC ratio are compared. It will be shown that particularly the applied laser fluence as well as the used solvents influence the accuracies. Using artificial lipid mixtures it will be demonstrated that the PC/LPC ratio can be determined with an accuracy of about ±10% making the MALDI assay comparable to established methods. Finally, it will be shown that the optimized conditions are also useful to determine the PC/LPC ratios in human seminal plasma.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Physics and Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Leipzig, Härtelstrasse 16-18, D-04107 Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Kristin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bresler
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pyttel
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Paasch
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schiller
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008244:Lysophosphatidylcholines / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines / Q000032:analysis*; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D008244:Lysophosphatidylcholines; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines