Imaging with mass spectrometry, the next frontier in sphingolipid research? A discussion on where we stand and the possibilities ahead. (March 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Luberto, Chiara; Haley, John D.; Del Poeta, Maurizio
• Is Part Of: Chemistry and physics of lipids. Volume 219(2019)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 14
• Publication Date: 2019-03
• Subjects: Mass spectrometry imaging -- MSI -- Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization -- MALDI -- Secondary ion mass spectrometry -- SIMS -- Desorption electrospray ionization -- DESI -- Sphingolipids -- Ceramide -- Sphingomyelin -- Ceramide-1-phosphate -- Sphingosine-1-phosphate; Lipids -- Periodicals; Lipids -- Periodicals; Lipides -- Périodiques; Lipids; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 547.77
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemphyslip.2019.01.001
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0009-3084

Abstract

Highlights: Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) for sphingolipids (SPLs) has been most commonly performed using MALDI, SIMS or DESI. MSI has revealed unique distribution of specific SPLs within tissues, cells and model membranes. The next challenge is to understand the implications of the specific patterns of SPLs within biological specimens. Abstract: In the last ten years, mass spectrometry (MS) has become the favored analytical technique for sphingolipid (SPL) analysis and measurements. Indeed MS has the unique ability to both acquire sensitive and quantitative measurements and to resolve the molecular complexity characteristic of SPL molecules, both across the different SPL families and within the same SPL family. Currently, two complementary MS-based approaches are used for lipid research: analysis of lipid extracts, mainly by infusion electrospray ionization (ESI), and mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) from a sample surface (i.e. intact tissue sections, cells, model membranes, thin layer chromatography plates) (Fig. 1). The first allows for sensitive and quantitative information about total lipid molecular species from a given specimen from which lipids have been extracted and chromatographically separated prior to the analysis; the second, albeit generally less quantitative and less specific in the identification of molecular species due to the complexity of the sample, allows for spatial information of lipid molecules from biological specimens. In the field of SPL research, MS analysis of lipid extracts from biological samples has been commonly utilized to implicate the role of these lipids in specific biological functions. On the other hand, the utilization of MSI in SPL research represents a more recent development that has started to provide interesting descriptive observations regarding the distribution of specific classes of SPLs within tissues. Thus, it is the aim of this review to discuss how MSI technology has been employed to extend the study of SPL metabolism and the type of information that has been obtained from model membranes, single cells and tissues. We envision this discussion as a complementary compendium to the excellent technical reviews recently published about the specifics of MSI technologies, including their application to SPL analysis (Fuchs et al., 2010; Berry et al., 2011; Ellis et al., 2013; Eberlin et al., 2011; Kraft and Klitzing, 2014).