Imaging of phospholipids in formalin fixed rat brain sections by matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry.

Claire Carter, CW McLeod, Josephine Bunch

Research output: Contribution to journalArticle

58 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) is a valuable tool for the analysis of molecules directly from tissue. Imaging of phospholipids is gaining widespread interest, particularly as these lipids have been implicated in a variety of pathologic processes. Formalin fixation (FF) is the standard protocol used in histology laboratories worldwide to preserve tissue for analysis, in order to aid in the diagnosis and prognosis of diseases. This study assesses MALDI imaging of phospholipids directly in formalin fixed tissue, with a view to future analysis of archival tissue. This investigation proves the viability of MALDI-MSI for studying the distribution of lipids directly in formalin fixed tissue, without any pretreatment protocols. High quality molecular images for several phosphatidylcholine (PC) and sphingomyelin (SM) species are presented. Images correspond well with previously published data for the analysis of lipids directly from freshly prepared tissue. Different ionization pathways are observed when analyzing fixed tissue compared with fresh, and this change was found to be associated with formalin buffers employed in fixation protocols. The ability to analyze lipids directly from formalin fixed tissue opens up new doors in the investigation of disease profiles. Pathologic specimens taken for histologic investigation can be analyzed by MALDI-MS to provide greater information on the involvement of lipids in diseased tissue.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1991-8
Number of pages8
JournalJournal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry
Volume22
Issue number11
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Nov 2011

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Imaging of phospholipids in formalin fixed rat brain sections by matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry.'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this