Improved assay for the quantification of 11-dehydrothromboxane B2 by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Endogenous thromboxane production is best assessed by the measurement of its excreted metabolites, of which 11-dehydrothromboxane B2 (11-dehydro-TxB2) is most abundant. Gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric assays have been developed for this compound but suffer from the presence of co-eluting impurities which make the measurement of 11-dehydro-TxB2 difficult. Furthermore, these assays are often time-consuming. We now report a modified assay for the measurement of this compound employing gas chromatography-mass spectrometry which alleviates the problem of co-eluting impurities primarily through modification of extraction and chromatographic methods. Furthermore, the time to complete the assay is significantly shortened. It is adaptable to both urine and plasma. Precision of the assay is +/- 7% and accuracy is 90%. The lower limit of sensitivity in urine is approximately 20 pg/mg creatinine. Normal levels of urinary excretion of this metabolite were found to be 370 +/- 137 pg/mg creatinine (mean +/- 1 S.D.) and normal plasma levels were found to be 1.5 +/- 0.4 pg/ml (mean +/- 1 S.D.). Urinary excretion of 11-dehydro-TxB2 is markedly altered in situations associated with abnormalities in thromboxane generation when quantified using this assay. Thus, this assay provides a sensitive and accurate method to assess endogenous thromboxane production and to further explore the role of this compound in human disease.