Validation of malondialdehyde and 4-hydroxy-2-trans-nonenal measurement in plasma by NICI-GC-MS

Measurement of the concentrations of aldehydes in biological samples has become the object of much effort due to their relevance in relation to the toxic effects of lipid peroxidation, through which a number of aldehydes are derived. We have reconsidered a previously proposed method based on gas chromatographic mass spectrometric analysis of derivatives obtained by the treatment of aldehydes with O-pentafluorobenzyl hydroxylamine followed by a trimethylsilylating agent. In view of the possible use of the method for the simultaneous evaluation of the plasma levels of malondialdehyde and 4-hydroxy-2-trans-nonenal, we have studied the linearity of the analysis using various internal standards. Commercially available, inexpensive 2,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde gave optimal results, the correlation coefficient of the calibration curve for plasma being r > 0.995 in the 0.1-5 microM range for both the tested aldehydes. The between-day imprecision (%CV) and accuracy (%bias) of the procedure determined using plasma samples spiked with the two aldehydes and with an internal standard reached maximum values of 3 and 8%, and 5 and 12% for HNE and MDA, respectively. The results obtained on analysis of plasma samples before and after oxidation with copper ions indicate the flexibility of the method for evaluation of the levels of MDA and HNE in plasma samples both under basal conditions and after an oxidative burst.