LC-MS/MS quantification of fat soluble vitamers - A systematic review

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Analytical Chemistry
• Nutritional Science

Background:

• Fat-soluble vitamers (FSV) are essential micronutrients vital for development, metabolism, and cell regulation.
• Inadequate or excessive FSV levels can lead to significant health issues.
• Plasma is a key biological matrix for FSV analysis, but its complexity presents analytical challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review parameters and criteria in existing Liquid Chromatography with tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) methods for FSV quantification.
• To identify critical factors influencing the sensitivity and robustness of FSV analytical methods.
• To provide guidance for future development of simultaneous FSV quantification methods.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of published LC-MS/MS methods for FSV quantification.
• Analysis of key method parameters including extraction, chromatographic resolution, matrix effects, and validation.
• Evaluation of criteria contributing to method sensitivity and robustness.

Main Results:

• Identified extraction methods, chromatographic resolution, matrix effects, and method validation as critical determinants of FSV quantification accuracy.
• Highlighted the challenges in achieving simultaneous quantification of multiple FSV at physiological concentrations.
• Demonstrated that method sensitivity is largely dependent on the careful selection and optimization of these parameters.

Conclusions:

• The sensitivity and robustness of LC-MS/MS methods for FSV quantification are predominantly determined by specific analytical criteria.
• Future advancements in simultaneous FSV quantification using LC-MS/MS will benefit from the systematic evaluation presented in this review.
• This systematic review provides a framework for developing more precise and reliable methods for analyzing essential fat-soluble vitamers.