New Article on Bioanalysis of Dermorphin in Equine Urine with VIP Heated-ESI Technology

December 11, 2012. Fremont, CA.

An article examining the difficult bioanalysis of thermally labile peptides performed on the recently launched Bruker EVOQ™ liquid chromatography mass spectrometer (LC-MS/MS) is described. The article entitled “Bioanalysis of Dermorphin, an Opioid Peptide in Equine Urine: Benefit of the VIP Heated-ESI Technology for the Quantitative Analysis of Thermally Labile Molecules” from the Bruker CAM division, has been published in the November/December issue of Chromatography Today. Authored by product specialists from Bruker’s liquid chromatography mass spectrometry group the article explores the quantification of Dermorphin in equine urine using solid phase extraction cleanup. The linear dynamic range of the assay was 0.5-1000ng/mL and this was easily obtained on the EVOQ Elite™ LC-TQ.

Dermorphin is a naturally occurring hepta-peptide derived from the skin secretions of South American frogs (Phyllomedusa sauvegei). It is a unique analgesic 30-40 times stronger than morphine, containing D-alanine making it highly resistant to protease degradation, thus making it a very effective analgesic. Dermorphin use as a horse racing performance enhancing drug came to the public fore as an illicit drug, when it was found to be used to push racehorse performance beyond natural limits, often injuring the horse. Dermorphin has since been reclassified as a Class 1 prohibited substance as decreed by the American Association of Racing Commissioners International (RCI) Model Rules and this practice has largely been adopted worldwide.

The quantification of Dermorphin in equine urine has been a challenge on several fronts because of the complex matrix of equine urine, a lack of stable labeled internal standards and the peptide is thermally labile during LC nebulization. Crucially, the EVOQ’s novel vacuum insulated probe heated electrospray ionization (VIP-HESI) technology delivers the greatest heat at the tip of the ESI probe at the point of ionization, protecting it from over heating and degradation. By efficiently ionizing thermally labile molecules, such as peptides and metabolites, at conventional flow rates the VIP-HESI enables the analysis of real-world samples. Even with no isotope labeled industry standard the EVOQ accurately quantified dermorphin in equine urine between the ranges of 0.1-1000ng/mL.

“One of the important requirements of LC-MS/MS is the ability to analyze thermally labile molecules such as peptides and the EVOQ offers analytical laboratories the chance to do this,” explained Meredith Conoley, Director of Marketing, Bruker CAM division. “The EVOQ with the VIP- HESI has greater sensitivity as the shaped-vacuum probe insulation dramatically reduces premature breakdown of thermally labile molecules. By enabling analytical scientists to detect dermorphin in equine urine we can help sports medicine to combat illegal activities”.

For further information on the Bruker EVOQ and the VIP-HESI please go to www.evoqms.com. 

About Bruker Corporation

For over 50 years Bruker Daltonics has embodied innovation with integrity as demonstrated by its development of world-class scientific instruments. Bruker’s Chemical and Applied Markets (CAM) division, headquartered in Fremont, California was established in April 2010. Its formation was in response to the dynamic and ever significant separation and analysis market, providing fundamentally new instruments and solutions for customers in a range of applied industrial areas including: food testing, environmental analysis, toxicology testing, forensic analysis, quality control and pharmacokinetics. Today, Bruker’s CAM division serves all of these industry areas, pioneering the migration of technology from research to the commercial laboratory. For more information please visit www.bruker.com.