• BMB Reports
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• v.53 no.7
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• pp.349-356
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• 2020

Mass spectrometry (MS) is an ideal tool for analyzing multiple types of (bio)molecular information simultaneously in complex biological systems. In addition, MS provides structural information on targets, and can easily discriminate between true analytes and background. Therefore, imaging mass spectrometry (IMS) enables not only visualization of tissues to give positional information on targets but also allows for molecular analysis of targets by affording the molecular weights. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) MS is particularly effective and is generally used for IMS. However, the requirement for an organic matrix raises several limitations that get in the way of accurate and reliable images and hampers imaging of small molecules such as drugs and their metabolites. To overcome these problems, various organic matrix-free LDI IMS systems have been developed, mostly utilizing nanostructured surfaces and inorganic nanoparticles as an alternative to the organic matrix. This minireview highlights and focuses on the progress in organic matrix-free LDI IMS and briefly discusses the use of other IMS techniques such as desorption electrospray ionization, laser ablation electrospray ionization, and secondary ion mass spectrometry.

• Mass Spectrometry Letters
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.21-25
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• 2016

Dual-channel nano-electrospray has recently become an ionization technique of great promise especially in biological mass spectrometry. This unique approach takes advantage of the mixing processes that occurs during electrospray. Understanding in more detail the fundamental principles influencing spray formation further study of the origins of the mixing processes: (1) in a Taylor cone region, (2) in charged droplets or (3) in both environments. The dual-channel emitters were made from borosilicate theta-shape glass tubes (O.D. 1.2 mm) and had a tip diameters of less than 4 μm. Electrical contact was achived by deposition of a thin film of an appropriate metal onto the surface of the emitter. The experimental investigation of the Taylor cone formation in a dual-channel electrospray emitter has been carried out by injection of polystyrene beads (diameter 3 μm) at very low concentrations into one of the channels of the non-tapered theta-glass tubes. High-speed camera experiments were set up to visualize the mixing processes in Taylor cone regions for dual-channel emitters. Mass spectra from dual nano-electrospray are presented.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.575-578
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• 2005

Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI MS) was used, along with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), to monitor Paal-Knorr synthesis of 2,5-dimethyl-1-phenylpyrrole by condensation of aniline with 2,5-hexanedione. In addition to 2,5-dimethyl-1-phenylpyrrole observed as a single spot by TLC, unexpected dimer size compounds were observed by GC-MS. Dimers and trimers were observed by ESI MS. ESI tandem mass spectrometry was used to select plausible structures for the dimer. ESI MS with or without liquid chromatographic separation is useful for observing oligomeric byproducts with low volatility produced in organic reactions.

• Mass Spectrometry Letters
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.11-17
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• 2019

Drosophila melanogaster (fruits fly) is a representative model system widely used in biological studies because its brain function and basic cellular processes are similar to human beings. The whole head of the fly is often used to obtain the key function in brain-related diseases like degenerative brain diseases; however the biomolecular distribution of the head may be slightly different from that of a brain. Herein, lipid profiles of the head and dissected brain samples of Drosophila were studied using electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). According to the sample types, the detection of phospholipid ions was suppressed by triacylglycerol (TAG), or the specific phospholipid signals that are absent in the mass spectrum were measured. The lipid distribution was found to be different in the wild-type and the microRNA-14 deficiency model ($miR-14{\Delta}^1$) with abnormal lipid metabolism. A few phospholipids were also profiled by comparison of the head and the brain in two fly model systems. The mass spectra showed that the phospholipid distributions in the $miR-14{\Delta}^1$ model and the wild-type were different, and principal component analysis revealed a correlation between some phospholipids (phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylinositol (PI), and phosphatidylserine (PS)) in $miR-14{\Delta}^1$. The overall results suggested that brain-related lipids should be profiled using fly samples after dissection for more accurate analysis.

• Mass Spectrometry Letters
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.49-57
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• 2022

During electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) analysis of proteins, the addition of supercharging agents allows for adjusting the maximal charge state, affecting the charge state distribution, and increases the number of ions reaching the detector thus, improving signal detection. We postulate that in di-substituted arene isomers, molecules with higher polarizability values should generate greater interactions and hence elicit higher signal intensities. Polarizability is an electronic parameter which has been demonstrated to predict many chemical interactions. Many properties can be predicted based on charge polarization. Molecular polarizability is a vital descriptor for explaining intermolecular interactions. We employed DFT (density functional/Hartree-Fock hybrid model, B3LYP)-derived descriptors and computed molecular polarizability for ten disubstituted arene reagents, each set made up of three (ortho, meta, para) isomers, with reported use as supercharging reagents during ESI experiments. The atomic electronic inputs were ionization potential (IP), electron affinity (EA), electronegativity (𝛘), hardness (η), chemical potential (µ), and dipole moment (D). We determined that the para isomers showed the highest polarizability values in nine of the ten sets. There was no difference between the ortho and meta isomers. Polarizability also increased with increasing complexity of the substituents on the benzene ring. Polarizability correlated positively with IP, EA, 𝛘, η, and D but correlated negatively with chemical potential. This DFT study predicts that the para isomers of di-substituted arene isomers should elicit the strongest ESI responses. An experimental comparison of the three isomers, especially of larger supercharging molecules, could be carried out to establish this premise.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.24 no.9
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• pp.1319-1323
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• 2003

This paper presents a successful demonstration of the on-line coupling of MEKC (micellar electrokinetic chromatography) to ESIMS (electrospray ionization mass spectrometry) for the quantitative analysis of seven s-triazine herbicides. The on-line MEKC-ESIMS was used to determine the structure of CE-separated peaks of seven triazine herbicides. The mixture of triazine herbicides was separated in a 20 mM sodium borate buffer (pH 8.5) containing 15 mM sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) by using a bare fused-silica capillary. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometer was operated in the positive-ion mode when the mass spectra of seven triazine herbicides were observed from each peak, and the solution of water-methanol-formic acid (50/49/1 v/v/v) was used as a sheath liquid. The effects of SDS concentration, the run buffer pH, and the electric field on the separation of seven s-triazine herbicides were investigated. The MEKC-ESIMS detection showed 5 to 10 times higher sensitivity compared to the MEKC-UV detection. In addition, it did not need any pretreatment step.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.31 no.8
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• pp.2293-2298
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• 2010

Focused electrospray (FES) deposition method is presented for matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry. FES ion optics consists of two cylindrical focusing electrodes capped with a truncated conical electrode through which an electrospray emitter passes along the cylindrical axis. A spray of charged droplets is focused onto a sample well on a MALDI target plate under atmospheric pressure. The shape and size distributions of matrix crystals are visualized by scanning electron microscope and the mass spectra are obtained by time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Angiotensin II, bradykinin, and substance P are used as test samples, while $\alpha$-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid and dihydroxybenzoic acid are employed as matrices. FES of a sample/matrix mixture produces fine crystal grains on a 1-3 mm spot and reproducibly yields the mass spectra with little shot-to-shot and spot-to-spot variations. Although FES greatly stabilizes the signals, the space charge due to matrix ions limits the detection sensitivity of peptides. To avoid the space charge problem, we adopted a dual FES/FES mode, which separately deposits matrix and sample by FES in sequence. The dual FES/FES mode reaches the detection sensitivity of 0.88 amol, enabling ultrasensitive of peptides by homogeneously depositing matrix and sample under atmospheric pressure.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.26 no.8
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• pp.1235-1240
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• 2005

A combination of electrospray ionization and tandem mass spectrometry was used to characterize the scavenging reactions of acrylamide (AA) in the presence of glutathione (GSH) in vitro. In the presence of GSH, AA was deactivated effectively and scavenged by reactions consuming small amount of GSH. Reaction products and structural information were identified using collision-induced dissociation (CID) in an ion trap mass spectrometer. In the mixture of GSH and AA, significant increase in abundance of fragment ion peak was observed at m/z 233, which was identified as $[Cys-Glu]^+$, formed by the elimination of glycine moiety of GSH. GSH also contributes to the AA scavenging reaction by conjugating with AA through the sulfhydryl group in cysteine moiety. The probable scavenging reaction pathway of AA in the presence of GSH has been proposed based on the CID experimental data.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.144-146
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• 2003

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.1221-1227
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• 2011

Ethyl pyruvate (EP) is known as a scavenger of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the body through its role in the donation of diketone groups to metals to form an EP-metal complex. In order to develop a method for the quantification of EP in biological media, a sensitive and specific, high-performance liquid chromatographyelectrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI/MS) method is used to determine the EP-alkali metal ion binding species. The analyte was separated on a ZORBOX SB-C8 ($3.5{\mu}m$, $30mm{\times}2.1mm$ I.D.) column and analyzed in selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode with a positive ESI interface using the m/z 255 $[2M + Na]^+$ ion. The method was validated over the concentration range of $0.5-60.0\;{\mu}g$/mL under 1/9 (v/v) of acetonitrile/methanol solvent system with flow rate 0.05 mL/min. The limit of quantification (LOQ) was $0.5{\mu}g$/mL.