MSACL 2023 Abstract

Pre-analytical Pitfalls in Lipid-centered Clinical LC-MS Studies: Database-driven Web Application for Providing Suitable Plasma and Serum Sampling Protocols

Robert Gurke (1,2), Samuel Rischke (2), Alena Sens (2), Lisa Hahnefeld (1,2)
1 Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP, and Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence for Immune Mediated Diseases CIMD, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany 2 pharmazentrum frankfurt/ZAFES, Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Theodor Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Robert Gurke, PhD (Presenter) Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP >> POSTER (PDF)

Presenter Bio: Robert Gurke received his diploma in chemistry at the Humboldt-University zu Berlin, Germany in 2012 followed by his doctoral thesis at the Technische Universität Dresden in 2016. After a short period as study director in a GLP-compliant bioanalytical company in Berlin he started working as research associate at the Institute of Clinical Pharmacology as well as the Fraunhofer ITMP in Frankfurt under the guidance of Prof. Geisslinger. Robert Gurke is head of the LC-MS analytics group in both institutions since 2021. Mr Gurke is performing LC-MS/MS analysis since starting his doctoral thesis and gained broad experience in the field of developing and validating methods for the determination of exogenous and endogenous small molecules in different complex matrices.

Relevant Financial Disclosures (within past 24 months, reported on Mar 07, 2023) No relevant financial relationship(s) to disclose. Conflict mitigation NOT REQUIRED.

Introduction:
Studies on pre-analytic sample stability in LC-MS based lipidomics rarely result in tangible recommendations for clinical sample handling. When they do, they usually strive for highly strict sampling protocols. For more stable lipid classes, like ceramides or triglycerides, this might place unnecessary burdens on those responsible for sampling, while being highly appropriate for more instable lipid classes like endocannabinoids or lysophosphatidic acids.

Objectives:
Here, an application for lipid stability evaluation and research is presented that facilitates insight into experiment based stability information to provide easy accessible and analyte specific pre-analytical sample handling recommendations.

Methods:
The web application is rooted in a database currently consisting of nine major LC-MS-based publications on pre-analytical lipid and metabolite stability covering more than 1000 lipids and metabolites and a total of more than 23000 fold changes, which is the basis for evaluation of analyte stability under different pre-analytical sample processing conditions. The application recommends sampling protocols in respect to the stability of investigated analytes, considering less stringent sampling conditions for resilient analytes and stricter protocols for instable substances.

Results:
Users are able to intuitively obtain pre-analytical information, by using three different search modes. First off, prospective study planning is support, where the researcher has decided to focus on one or multiple lipid classes and needs a recommendation of a specific sampling protocol for the pending study. When samples have been taken previous to querying the application, the application offers researchers to enter their sampling protocol in order to obtain an assessment of the stability of lipid classes of their interest. Finally, an aggregated and detailed stability information on analyte level is offered.

Conclusion:
With the presented instance of the app we aim to provide accessible insight into pitfalls of pre-analytical stability and aid decision making in lipid-centered clinical LC-MS studies.