Rapid Determination of Acylcarnitine Metabolic Diseases by Trifluoroacetic Acid-Doped Extraction Coupled with Nanoelectrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry

Anal Chem. 2025 Jan 21;97(2):1395-1401. doi: 10.1021/acs.analchem.4c05972. Epub 2025 Jan 9.

Abstract

Newborn screening for acylcarnitine-related inherited metabolic diseases (IMDs) is a critical test after birth. Conventional extraction methods require shaking with heating, centrifugation, nitrogen blowing, redissolution, etc., and the total time is more than 1 h. Herein, a small amount of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA)-doped extraction method for acylcarnitines coupled with nanoelectrospray ionization mass spectrometry was developed. This simplified approach successfully quantified 21 acylcarnitines in both serum and dried blood spot samples through a fast, three-step process requiring only 7 min, achieving nearly 1-2 orders of magnitude in sensitivity enhancement compared with conventional methods. The performance was further verified by the recommended liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry procedure. Furthermore, the TFA-doped extraction technique was tested on serum and whole blood samples from six healthy individuals. Mechanistic studies using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy showed that TFA promotes the coprecipitation of proteins and inorganic salts. These findings suggest that TFA-doped extraction with nanoelectrospray ionization mass spectrometry is a rapid, sensitive alternative for acylcarnitine screening, highlighting its considerable potential for clinical newborn IMD screening applications.

MeSH terms

  • Carnitine* / analogs & derivatives
  • Carnitine* / analysis
  • Carnitine* / blood
  • Carnitine* / chemistry
  • Dried Blood Spot Testing / methods
  • Humans
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Metabolic Diseases / blood
  • Metabolic Diseases / diagnosis
  • Nanotechnology
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization* / methods
  • Trifluoroacetic Acid* / chemistry

Substances

  • Carnitine
  • acylcarnitine
  • Trifluoroacetic Acid