A Simple Sonication Improves Protein Signal in Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Imaging

作者：Lin Li En; Su Pin Rui; Wu Hsin Yi; Hsu Cheng Chih^*

来源：Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry, 2018, 29(4): 796-799.

DOI：10.1007/s13361-018-1889-y

• Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization
• Mass spectrometry imaging
• sample preparation
• protein

Proper matrix application is crucial in obtaining high quality matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry imaging (MSI). Solvent-free sublimation was essentially introduced as an approach of homogeneous coating that gives small crystal size of the organic matrix. However, sublimation has lower extraction efficiency of analytes. Here, we present that a simple sonication step after the hydration in standard sublimation protocol significantly enhances the sensitivity of MALDI MSI. This modified procedure uses a common laboratory ultrasonicator to immobilize the analytes from tissue sections without noticeable delocalization. Improved imaging quality with additional peaks above 10 kDa in the spectra was thus obtained upon sonication treatment.

• 出版日期2018-4