Simultaneous determination of urinary cystathionine, lanthionine, S-(2-aminoethyl)-L-cysteine and their cyclic compounds using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization.

A measurement system for cystathionine (Cysta) lanthionine (LT), and S-(2-aminoethyl)-L-cysteine (AEC), and reduced products of their ketimines, perhydro-1,4-thiazepine-3,5-dicarboxylic acid (PHTZDC), 1,4-thiomorpholine-3,5-dicarboxylic acid (TMDA) and 1,4-thiomorpholine-3-carboxylic acid (TMA) in the urine samples of a patient with cystathioninuria and normal human subjects has been developed, using column liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The recoveries were about 90-105% for Cysta, LT and AEC, and about 77-87% for PHTZDC, TMDA and TMA after ion-exchange treatment. The concentrations of Cysta and PHTZDC in the urine of a patient with cystathioninuria were much higher compared with those in the urine of normal human subjects. The concentrations of AEC and TMDA were almost the same. LT and TMA could not be detected in the urine samples by this method. This method proved useful for the determination of sulfur-containing amino acids and their cyclic compounds in biological samples.