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Validating MALDI-IMS Feasibility in Ex Vivo Brain Slices
Nikita Ollen-Bittle1, Chloe A Lowry2, Katherine E Donovan3
1Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Western University, London, Ontario N6A 5C1, Canada.
Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry
|July 20, 2023
Summary
This study presents a reproducible method for lipidomic matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization imaging mass spectrometry (MALDI-IMS) on ex vivo rat brain slices. Ex vivo brain slices retain spatiochemical lipid profiles, offering a viable alternative to whole brains for neuroscience research.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Analytical Chemistry
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization imaging mass spectrometry (MALDI-IMS) enables spatial detection and quantification of biomolecules in tissues.
- Lipid profiles are crucial for understanding neurologic diseases, and MALDI-IMS excels at high-resolution lipid imaging.
- Ex vivo brain slices are valuable models for studying neurologic conditions, but require optimized preparation for advanced analyses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish a reproducible protocol for lipidomic MALDI-IMS analysis of ex vivo rat brain slices.
- To validate that ex vivo brain slices preserve spatiochemical lipid profiles comparable to intact whole brains.
- To demonstrate a method for preparing 400 μm ex vivo brain slices for MALDI-IMS without compromising lipid integrity.
Main Methods:
- Development and validation of a protocol for preparing ex vivo rat brain slices for MALDI-IMS.
- Comparative analysis of lipid profiles in neocortex, striatum, and corpus callosum using ex vivo slices versus fresh frozen whole brains.
- Assessment of lipidomic integrity preservation during sample preparation and imaging.
Main Results:
- A feasible and reproducible protocol for lipidomic MALDI-IMS on ex vivo rat brain slices was established.
- Spatiochemical lipid profiles in ex vivo brain slices were found to be representative of intact whole brains.
- A technique was demonstrated for preparing 400 μm ex vivo brain slices for MALDI-IMS, preserving lipidomic integrity.
Conclusions:
- Ex vivo brain slices are a viable and reproducible platform for lipidomic MALDI-IMS studies in neuroscience.
- This protocol enables detailed spatial lipidomic analysis in neurologic disease research using ex vivo models.
- The findings provide a roadmap for utilizing MALDI-IMS on ex vivo brain slices in novel neuroscience applications.
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