Development of MEPS-UHPLC-MS/MS multistatin methods for clinical analysis

Area of Science:

• Pharmacology
• Analytical Chemistry
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Statins, HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, are primarily used for hypercholesterolemia.
• Emerging research highlights statins' extra-lipid effects, including anticancer activities.
• The increasing incidence of cancer drives interest in statins' therapeutic potential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a universal, sensitive, and practical method for analyzing multiple statins.
• To quantify seven clinically relevant statins and their metabolites in biological samples.
• To compare different mass spectrometry (MS) platforms for statin analysis.

Main Methods:

• Development and validation of a method using microextraction by packed sorbent (MEPS) for sample preparation.
• Utilized ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) for analysis.
• Compared three distinct MS platforms regarding ion sources, optics, collision cell technology, and scan speed.

Main Results:

• Successfully developed and validated a method for determining 17 analytes (seven statins, interconversion products, and metabolites).
• Microextraction by packed sorbent proved effective for extracting all target analytes from biological matrices.
• Significant variations in selectivity and sensitivity were observed across the evaluated MS platforms.

Conclusions:

• The developed MEPS-UHPLC-MS/MS method is suitable for comprehensive statin analysis.
• The method's efficiency supports further research into statins' anticancer properties.
• Method optimization is crucial, as MS platform choice impacts analytical performance.