Simplified Method for Quantifying Sulfur Mustard Adducts to Blood Proteins by Ultrahigh Pressure Liquid Chromatography−Isotope Dilution Tandem Mass Spectrometry.

Sulfur mustard binds to reactive cysteine residues, forming a stable sulfur-hydroxyethylthioethyl [S-HETE] adduct that can be used as a long-term biomarker of sulfur mustard exposure in humans. The digestion of sulfur mustard-exposed blood samples with proteinase K following total protein precipitation with acetone produces the tripeptide biomarker [S-HETE]-Cys-Pro-Phe. The adducted tripeptide is purified by solid phase extraction, separated by ultrahigh pressure liquid chromatography, and detected by isotope dilution tandem mass spectrometry. This approach was thoroughly validated and characterized in our laboratory. The average interday relative standard deviation was ≤9.49%, and the range of accuracy was between 96.1 and 109% over a concentration range of 3.00 to 250. ng/mL with a calculated limit of detection of 1.74 ng/mL. A full 96-well plate can be processed and analyzed in 8 h, which is 5 times faster than our previous 96-well plate method and only requires 50 μL of serum, plasma, or whole blood. ...