A sample preparation process for LC-MS/MS analysis of total protein drug concentrations in monkey plasma samples with...

The determination of protein concentrations in plasma samples often provides essential information in biomedical research, clinical diagnostics, and pharmaceutical discovery and development. Binding assays such as ELISA determine meaningful free analyte concentrations by using specific antigen or antibody reagents. Concurrently, mass spectrometric technology is becoming a promising complementary method to traditional binding assays. Mass spectrometric assays generally provide measurements of the total protein analyte concentration. However, it was found that antibodies may bind strongly with the protein analyte such that total concentrations cannot be determined. Thus, a sample preparation process was developed which included a novel "denaturing" step to dissociate binding between antibodies and the protein analyte prior to solid phase extraction of plasma samples and LC-MS/MS analysis. In so doing, the total protein analyte concentrations can be obtained. This sample preparation process was further studied by LC-MS analysis with a full mass range scan. It was found that the protein of interest and other plasma peptides were pre-concentrated, while plasma albumin was depleted in the extracts. This capability of the sample preparation process could provide additional advantages in proteomic research for biomarker discovery and validation. The performance of the assay with the novel denaturing step was further evaluated. The linear dynamic range was between 100.9ng/mL and 53920.0ng/mL with a coefficient of determination (r(2)) ranging from 0.9979 and 0.9997. For LLOQ and ULOQ samples, the inter-assay CV was 12.6% and 2.7% and inter-assay mean accuracies were 103.7% and 99.5% of theoretical concentrations, respectively. For QC samples, the inter-assay CV was between 2.1% and 4.9%, and inter-assay mean accuracies were between 104.1% and 110.0% of theoretical concentrations.