Quantitative analysis of amyloid-beta peptides in cerebrospinal fluid using immunoprecipitation and MALDI-Tof mass

Valentina Gelfanova1, Richard E Higgs, Robert A Dean

  • 1Integrative Biology Division, Lilly Research Laboratories, Greenfield, IN 46140, USA.

Immunoprecipitation (IP) combined with matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) time of flight (Tof) mass spectrometry has been used to develop quantitative assays for amyloid-beta (Abeta) peptides in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Inclusion of (15)N labelled standard peptides allows for absolute quantification of multiple Abeta isoforms in individual samples. Characterization of variability associated with all steps of the assay indicated that the IP step is the single largest contributor to overall variability. Optimization of the assay resulted in overall coefficient of variation