Fast atom bombardment-mass spectrometric identification of molecular species of platelet-activating factor produced by stimulated human polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

Fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry was used to identify molecular species of platelet-activating factor (PAF) produced by stimulated human neutrophilic polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Normal and reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography were employed to separate the individual regions with PAF activity prior to mass spectrometric analysis. The following alkyl chain homologs of acetyl glyceryl ether phosphorylcholine (AGEPC) were found: C16:0, C17:0, C18:0 and C18:1. There was also evidence for the presence of the C15:0 homolog, as well as other species which have not yet been identified.