Optimization of SELDI for biomarker detection in plasma.

The surface-enhanced laser desorption ionization (SELDI) technology is a promising approach not only for the research of biomarkers in the blood of patients in clinical applications but also in preclinical studies to assess the drug-induced toxicities. The optimization of the SELDI platform is a crucial step before running plasma samples from preclinical toxicity studies. First, mass spectrometer parameters such as the laser energy and ion focus mass values should be assessed in order to obtain the highest quality of spectra. Second, the coefficient of variation of the intensity, resolution, and signal-to-noise ratio of the peaks detected in reference samples should be evaluated and used as quality control criteria. Last, a systematic evaluation of technical bias such as the spot and chip position and the bioprocessor sequence number may be achieved using the appropriate multivariate statistical analyses.