LOCALISATION OF ADENINE NUCLEOTIDES IN MOUSE BRAIN USING ION MOBILITY ENABLED MALDI IMAGING

摘要

1. Combining ion mobility separation with MS/MS fragmentation provides a selective method for the identification of ATP, ADP and AMP in mouse brain. 2. Inclusion of an ice-cold ethanol wash step prior to defrosting tissue allows for the successful localisation of all three adenine nucleotides in mouse brain by MALDI imaging. 3. This provides a significant step forward from previous work, where localisation images of ATP in rat brain were not achieved. 4. A selective and reproducible method for the identification and localisation of ATP, ADP and AMP from tissue has been established. 5. Due to rapid changes in the levels of adenine nucleotides after death, differences cannot currently be detected between normal and metabolically stressed brain sections. 6. Tissue fixation at the point of dissection or at the point of sacrifice needs to be considered to prevent rapid post-mortem changes in adenine nucleotide levels. 7. Mass spectrometry compatible tissue fixation methods will also be evaluated, with the aim to localise biologically relevant distributions and levels of adenine nucleotides in brain by MALDI imaging. 8. Once a method has been established that provides biologically relevant distributions, comparisons of these distributions between control and stressed sections can addressed.