Isotope dilution mass spectrometry for the quantification of sulfane sulfurs.
Sulfane sulfurs are one type of important reactive sulfur species. These molecules have unique reactivity that allows them to attach reversibly to other sulfur atoms and exhibit regulatory effects in diverse biological systems. Recent studies have suggested that sulfane sulfurs are involved in signal transduction processes regulated by hydrogen sulfide (H2S). Accurate and reliable measurements of sulfane sulfurs in biological samples are thus needed to reveal their production and mechanisms of actions. Herein we report a convenient and accurate method for the determination of sulfane sulfur concentrations. The method employs a triphenylphosphine derivative (P2) to capture sulfane sulfurs as a stable phosphine sulfide product, PS2. The concentration of PS2 was then determined by isotope dilution mass spectrometry, using a (13)C3-labeled phosphine sulfide, PS1, as the internal standard. The specificity and efficiency of the method were proven by model reactions. It was also applied to the measurement of sulfane sulfurs in mouse tissues including brain, kidney, lung, liver, heart, spleen, and blood.
['Liu|Chunrong|C|', 'Zhang|Faya|F|', 'Munske|Gerhard|G|', 'Zhang|Hui|H|', 'Xian|Ming|M|']
D000818:Animals D005260:Female D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide D007553:Isotope Labeling D051379:Mice D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL D010720:Phosphines D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization D013457:Sulfur Compounds D014018:Tissue Distribution
Mass Sulfane sulfur Reactive sulfur species Free radicals Isotope dilution assay