Microdetermination of glucose content of plasma and its isotopic enrichment using capillary gas chromatography/ammonia chemical-ionization mass spectrometry.

A new sensitive and precise method for the determination of the isotopic enrichment of [6,6-D2]glucose and concentration of glucose in plasma microsamples (20 microL) has been developed. Glucose was extracted from plasma samples by anion-cation column-exchange with absolute ethanol, derivatized as 1,2:3,5-bis(butylboronate)-6-acetyl-alpha-D-glucofuranose, and analysed by capillary gas chromatography/ammonia chemical-ionization mass spectrometry. This method gives a better reproducibility and precision (variation coefficient below 1%) than methods using isobutane chemical ionization. Stable isotopes are being used increasingly to investigate energy metabolism in vivo. Recent work has involved the development of methodologies, especially mass spectrometry, to perform tracer experiments using the stable isotopes 3H, 13C, or 13N(1-4). Chemical-ionization mass spectrometry is extensively used for the analysis of isotopically labelled amino acids. In neonates and children, "true" glucose production can be measured by the continuous infusion of the stable isotopically labelled tracer 6,6-dideutero-glucose (6,6-D2-glucose), and analytical measurement is performed using gas chromatography/electron-ionization mass spectrometry (GC/EIMS). Herein, we present a new, simple and sensitive method for the determination of the isotopic enrichment of [6,6-D2]glucose and measurement of the concentration of glucose in plasma microsamples (20 microL), based on the use of capillary gas-chromatography/ammonia chemical-ionization mass spectrometry of 1,2:3,5-bis(butylboronate)-6-acetyl-alpha-D-glucofuranose.