Identification of catecholamines in the immune system by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

The first evidence that catecholamines might be present in the immune system was provided by capillary electrophoresis combined with electrochemical detection. Here, we present the first structural characterization of the endogenous catecholamines isolated from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Dopamine, L-DOPA and norepinephrine were detected and were identified with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry by determination of the protonated molecular species of each catecholamine and their major fragments generated in the electrospray source with a nozzle-skimmer voltage method. This technique, in conjunction with accurate mass measurement, allowed us to identify in an unfractionated sample the content of catecholamines in extracted cells in a quantitative manner, with structure-specific methodology. The data unambiguously confirm our previous tentative findings, and also strengthen the importance of the regulatory function of catecholamines in the immune system and the existence of an autocrine loop, where lymphocytes may down-regulate their own activity.