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Updated: May 27, 2026
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Biobanking of Human Aqueous and Vitreous Liquid Biopsies for Molecular Analyses
Published on: September 11, 2023
Measuring insulin in human vitreous humour using LC-MS/MS
Mario Thevis1, Andreas Thomas, Wilhelm Schänzer
1Institute of Biochemistry-Center for Preventive Doping Research, German Sport University Cologne, Am Sportpark Müngersdorf 6, 50933 Cologne, Germany. m.thevis@biochem.dshs-koeln.de
Drug Testing and Analysis
|November 22, 2011
Summary
Insulin poisoning can now be detected in post-mortem vitreous humor using advanced mass spectrometry. This breakthrough enables identification of insulin in eye fluid, aiding forensic investigations of overdose deaths.
Area of Science:
- Forensic Toxicology
- Analytical Chemistry
Background:
- Insulin is a critical therapeutic agent but also a potential lethal weapon in poisoning cases.
- Vitreous humor is a valuable post-mortem matrix for toxicological analysis.
- Previous post-mortem insulin analysis in vitreous humor was limited due to analytical challenges.
Observation:
- Peptide hormones like insulin have limited penetration into the vitreous body.
- Immunoassays were the primary method for previous post-mortem insulin detection.
- Modern mass spectrometry offers increased sensitivity and robustness for complex sample analysis.
Findings:
- A novel method combining immunopurification with ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) was developed.
- This technique successfully determined insulin in post-mortem vitreous humor.
- The method was validated using a case sample from a non-diabetic victim of insulin overdose.
Implications:
- This represents the first successful mass spectrometry-based analysis of post-mortem vitreous humor for insulin poisoning.
- The findings expand the analytical capabilities in forensic toxicology.
- This technique can aid in determining cause and time of death in suspected insulin overdose cases.
