A rapid method for identification and quantification of prostaglandins in cerebral tissues by UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS for the lipidomic in vivo studies.

An analytical method utilizing liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry with electrospray ionization has been developed for the identification of prostaglandins (PGs) in cerebral tissues. The five compounds identified (thromboxane B2, prostaglandin E2, prostaglandin D2, 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha and prostaglandin F2 alpha) are cellular mediators of inflammation and are involved in a variety of physiological and pathological processes by acting on membrane receptors on the surfaces of target cells. The parameters of the electrospray ionization interface were optimized to obtain the highest possible sensitivity for all compounds studied. The limits of detection ranged from 0.25 to 1.09 μg L, and the limits of quantification ranged from 0.83 to 3.64 μg L. The method was validated and applied to samples of brain tissue from five mice. The sample concentrations of the four prostaglandins quantified ranged from 375 ȵg Lfor prostaglandin E2 to 6602 μg L for prostaglandin D2. An advantage of this work that should be emphasized is the fast response of the method, which allows to obtaining the lipid profile after a 3 min chromatographic run.