Quantification of Very-Long-Chain and Branched-Chain Fatty Acids in Plasma by Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry.

Peroxisomal disorders are a heterogeneous group of genetic disorders caused by impaired peroxisomal biogenesis or by defects in single peroxisomal proteins. The most common peroxisomal disorders are Zellweger spectrum disorders (ZSDs), due to pathogenic variants in one of the 13 PEX genes, and X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy/adrenomyeloneuropathy (X-ALD/AMN), due to pathogenic variants in ATP-binding cassette transporter type D1 (ABCD1) gene. Peroxisomes perform multiple essential cellular functions, including β-oxidation of very-long-chain fatty acids (VLCFAs), pristanic acid and some bile acid intermediates, and α-oxidation of phytanic acid. In most patients, abnormal levels of VLCFAs and/or branched-chain fatty acids (BCFAs, e.g., phytanic and pristanic acids) are present; hence, measuring these analytes is critical when suspecting a peroxisomal disorder. This chapter describes a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method to quantify VLCFAs and BCFAs in plasma or serum for the diagnosis of peroxisomal disorders. The method consists of an acid hydrolysis step to release the fatty acids from their coenzyme A esters followed by derivatization using oxalyl chloride, dimethylaminoethanol, and then methyl iodide. The trimethyl-amino-ethyl (TMAE) iodide ester derivatives are analyzed using UPLC-MS/MS in positive electrospray ionization and multiple reaction-monitoring (MRM) mode. Quantitation is performed using a five-point calibration curve after normalizing with deuterated internal standards.

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