Chromatographic and electrophoretic analysis of biomedically important retinoids

A meta-analysis of studies examining associations between resonance Raman spectroscopy-assessed skin carotenoids and plasma carotenoids among adults and children

CONTEXT

No meta-analyses appeared to have been conducted to examine overall correlations between resonance Raman spectroscopy (RRS)-assessed skin carotenoids and plasma/serum carotenoids.

OBJECTIVE

To review the available literature and quantify the association between RRS-assessed skin carotenoids and plasma/serum carotenoids via a meta-analysis of observational studies.

DATA SOURCES

To identify relevant publications, we searched the PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, ProQuest, and Scopus databases in April 2020 for items combining 3 concepts: Raman spectroscopy, skin, and plasma or serum.

DATA EXTRACTION

Criteria for inclusion were publication in a peer-reviewed journal between 1990 and 2020, available in English language, and results reported as a baseline Pearson correlation coefficient. In teams of 2, the researchers independently reviewed titles and abstracts of 2212 nonduplicate papers with initial screening yielding 62 papers for full-text review, of which 15 were deemed eligible for inclusion.

DATA ANALYSIS

A random-effects model in R (version 4.0.0) "meta" package was used to analyze the correlation between RRS-assessed skin and plasma/serum carotenoids. A subgroup analysis was conducted for studies involving adults and children, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The 15 studies included 1155 individuals: 963 adults and 192 children. One study included children and adults. The random-effects model yielded an overall correlation of 0.68 (95%CI, 0.61-0.74; I2 = 74%; P < 0.01). The results were similar when grouped by adults and children. Among 963 adults, the correlation in the random-effects model was 0.69 (95%CI, 0.61-0.75; I2 = 78%; P < 0.01). Among 192 children, the correlation in the random-effects model was 0.66 (95%CI, 0.52- 0.77; I2 = 55%; P = 0.06). Overall, there was a positive, statistically significant correlation between RRS-assessed skin carotenoids and plasma/serum carotenoids in a pooled meta-analysis of 15 studies.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

PROSPERO (record number 178835).

Retinoid Expression in Onchocercal Skin Disease: Pilot Study

Based on the observation that the parasite Onchocerca volvulus selectively absorbs vitamin A from the host, and the known toxicity of vitamin A in higher concentration, it was hypothesized that dying microfilariae (mf) release their stores of vitamin A (retinoids) into the host circulation in toxic concentrations, inducing the signs and symptoms of onchocerciasis. We conducted a pilot study to test the hypothesis in Songea communities in Southern Tanzania, where mass drug administration with ivermectin had not been implemented by the time of the survey. The specific aim was to evaluate the correlation between the diagnosis of onchocerciasis and increased levels of retinoic acid at infection sites. The analysis was performed by determining copy numbers of a genome of O volvulus present in skin snip samples of persons with onchocerciacis, and correlating these numbers with expression levels of retinoic acid receptor-α (RAR-α), which is inducible by retinoic acid. Total DNA and RNA were extracted from each of 25 mf-positive and 25 mf-negative skin samples and evaluated using quantitative polymerase chain reaction with appropriate negative controls. Analysis of the samples, adjusted with glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase gene levels, revealed that most samples with detectable RAR-α transcripts had higher levels of RAR-α expression than the assay control. However, the quality and number of samples were insufficient for statistical analysis. Fold data on the expression levels of both O volvulus DNA and RAR RNA suggested a possible trend toward higher relative RAR-α expression in samples with higher levels of O volvulus DNA ( r² = 0.25, P  = .079). Evidence of a contribution of vitamin A to the pathology of onchocerciasis thus remains elusive. Future studies on the role of retinoids in onchocerciasis will require larger groups of participants as well as careful monitoring of the cold chain and tissue storage procedures in view of the sensitivity of vitamin A to heat and light.

Analysis of fenretinide and its metabolites in human plasma by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and its application to clinical pharmacokinetics

A simple and accurate high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed for the determination of N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)retinamide (fenretinide, 4-HPR) and its metabolites, 4-oxo-N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)retinamide (4-oxo-4-HPR) and N-(4-methoxyphenyl)retinamide (4-MPR), in human plasma. Plasma samples were prepared using protein precipitation with ethanol. Chromatographic separation of the three analytes and N-(4-ethoxyphenyl)retinamide (4-EPR), an internal standard, was achieved on a Zorbax SB-C18 column (3.5μm, 50×2.1mm) using gradient elution with the mobile phase of 0.1% formic acid in water and acetonitrile (pH* 2.4) at a flow rate of 0.5mL/min. Electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry was operated in the positive ion mode with multiple reaction monitoring (MRM). The calibration curves obtained were linear over the concentration range of 0.2-50ng/mL with a lower limit of quantification of 0.2ng/mL. The relative standard deviation of intra-day and inter-day precision was below 7.64%, and the accuracy ranged from 94.92 to 105.43%. The extraction recoveries were found to be higher than 90.39% and no matrix effect was observed. The analytes were stable for the durations of the stability studies. The validated method was successfully applied to the analyses of the pharmacokinetic study for patients treated with 4-HPR in a clinical trial.

Analysis of circulating lipid-phase micronutrients in humans by HPLC: review and overview of new developments

Retinol, tocopherols, coenzyme Q10, carotenoids, and vitamin D are lipophilic compounds shown to function as important health-protective agents by mitigating the damaging effects of oxidative and other injury. Scientific interest in evaluating these compounds has resurfaced in recent years, particularly in the nutritional, clinical and epidemiologic fields, and has precipitated the development of a multitude of new analytical techniques. This review considers recent developments in HPLC-based assays since 2007 for the simultaneous determination of these lipid-phase compounds utilizing exclusively serum or plasma as these matrices are mostly used in clinical and epidemiological investigations. We also provide an overview of blood measurements for selected carotenoids, tocopherols, coenzyme Q10 and retinol from the last 15years of healthy umbilical cord blood, children, and adults.

Analysis, occurrence, and function of 9-cis-retinoic acid

Metabolic conversion of vitamin A (retinol) into retinoic acid (RA) controls numerous physiological processes. 9-cis-retinoic acid (9cRA), an active metabolite of vitamin A, is a high affinity ligand for retinoid X receptor (RXR) and also activates retinoic acid receptor (RAR). Despite the identification of candidate enzymes that produce 9cRA and the importance of RXRs as established by knockout experiments, in vivo detection of 9cRA in tissue was elusive until recently when 9cRA was identified as an endogenous pancreas retinoid by validated liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) methodology. This review will discuss the current status of the analysis, occurrence, and function of 9cRA. Understanding both the nuclear receptor-mediated and non-genomic mechanisms of 9cRA will aid in the elucidation of disease physiology and possibly lead to the development of new retinoid-based therapeutics. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Retinoid and Lipid Metabolism.

HPLC method for simultaneous determination of retinoids and tocopherols in human serum for monitoring of anticancer therapy

A simple and rapid HPLC method requiring small volumes (250 microL) of human serum after C18 SPE sample preparation was developed using monolithic technology for simultaneous determination of all-trans-retinoic acid, 13-cis-retinoic acid, retinol, gamma- and alpha-tocopherol. The monolithic column, Chromolith Performance RP-18e (100x4.6 mm), was operated at ambient temperature. The mobile phase consisted of a mixture of acetonitrile (ACN) and 1% ammonium acetate in water (AMC) at pH 7.0. The mobile phase started at 98:2 (v/v) ACN/AMC (column pre-treatment) at a flow rate of 2 mL/min, then changed to 95:5 (v/v) ACN/AMC for 4 min at a flow rate of 1.5 mL/min and a further 3 min at a flow rate of 3.2 mL/min. Detection and identification were performed using a photodiode array detector. Retinol, 13-cis- and all-trans-retinoic acid were monitored at 325 nm. Both alpha- and gamma-tocopherol were detected at 295 nm. The total analysis time was 7.2 min. Tocol (synthesized tocopherol, not occurring in humans) was used as internal standard. The method was linear in the range of 0.125-10.00 micromol/L for all-trans-retinoic acid, 0.125-5.00 micromol/L for 13-cis-retinoic acid, 0.25-10.00 micromol/L for retinol, 0.5-50.00 micromol/L for gamma-tocopherol, and 0.5-50.00 micromol/L for alpha-tocopherol. The present method may be useful for monitoring of retinoids and tocopherols in clinical studies.

Method to determine 4-oxo-retinoic acids, retinoic acids and retinol in serum and cell extracts by liquid chromatography/diode-array detection atmospheric pressure chemical ionisation tandem mass spectrometry

Retinoic acid isomers, 4-oxo-retinoic acid isomers and retinol are present in the serum of mammals. In this study a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) separation, sample preparation and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) method was established for quick and easy sample preparation and sensitive determination of retinoids such as all-trans-4-oxo-retinoic acid, 13-cis-4-oxo-retinoic acid, 13-cis-retinoic acid, 9-cis-retinoic acid, all-trans-retinoic acid and retinol in serum and cell extracts. Serum samples were simply treated with three times the volume of isopropanol, dried under vacuum, taken up in the HPLC solvent and immediately put into the autosampler for an automated single-run HPLC analysis. With this MS/MS method we were able to detect 7 pg and quantify 20 pg of all-trans-retinoic acid, 4-oxo-all-trans-retinoic acid and retinol directly on-column and were able to determine a concentration as low as 0.2 ng/mL in ethanolic standards and in biological samples. This method allows ultra-sensitive detection, excellent selectivity and a very simple sample preparation to determine retinoic acids, 4-oxo-retinoic acids and retinol in serum and cell extracts for the study of endogenous retinoids.

Utility of porous graphitic carbon stationary phase in quantitative liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry bioanalysis: quantitation of diastereomers in plasma

A major challenge in selecting an appropriate stationary phase for diastereomeric separation is that it is difficult to predict which of the commercially available stationary phases could achieve the required liquid chromatographic (LC) separation. This work describes the selection and evaluation of a porous graphitic carbon (PGC) column coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) for the simultaneous quantitation of an experimental drug candidate (I), its two diastereomeric metabolites (II and III), and its demethylated metabolite (IV) in rat plasma. In addition, we investigated the PGC column for the separation of another drug candidate (VI), its two diastereomeric metabolites (VII and VIII) and its ketone metabolite (IX). The PGC column showed excellent chromatographic resolution for the two diastereomers II and III, as well as for VII and VIII. In contrast, the required resolution for the diastereomers II and III could not be achieved using silica-bonded C(18), C(30), phenyl, perfluorinated, polar embedded and polar end-capped phases. The PGC column showed ruggedness with excellent reproducibility of retention times, peak symmetry and response over a period of more than 400 injections of a plasma acetonitrile-precipitation extract. Excellent accuracy and precision were achieved, with accuracy of 94-108% and intra- and inter-run precision within 9%. This work indicates that PGC is a valuable addition to the repertoire of LC columns used for quantitative LC/MS/MS bioanalysis, especially where the separation and quantitation of diastereomeric analytes is involved.

Letter: radical ion and protonated molecule formation with retinal in electrospray and nanospray

This paper reports a preliminary study of the nanospray ionisation mass spectrometry analyses of retinoic acid and retinal. The results are compared and contrasted to the results normally observed with electrospray ionisation. A significant difference in behaviour was observed for the balance between radical ion formation and protonated molecule formation for retinal. The results suggest that the influence of the very different ionisation conditions present in nanospray is very important in determining how ionisation is achieved and has potentially wide ranging applications in the fields of mass spectral analysis of biological and medical extracts.

Negatively charged sol-gel column with stable electroosmotic flow for online preconcentration of zwitterionic biomolecules in capillary electromigration separations

A negatively charged sol-gel coating was developed for on-line preconcentration of zwitterionic biomolecules in capillary electrophoresis (CE), using asparagine and myoglobin as representative zwitterionic bioanalytes. The sol-gel coating was created by using a solution containing three precursors: mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane (MPTMS), tetramethoxysilane (TMOS), and n-octadecyltriethoxysilane (C18-TEOS). The resulting sol-gel coating contained chemically bonded mercaptopropyl functional groups that were further oxidized by hydrogen peroxide to the corresponding sulfonic acid moieties. Such a surface-bonded sol-gel coating can carry a negative charge over a wide range of pH due to the presence of deprotonated sulfonic acid groups. Under favorable pH conditions, the negatively charged sol-gel coating can facilitate the extraction of positively charged analytes from a zwitterionic sample through electrostatic interaction. This principle was employed to extract myoglobin and asparagine by passing aqueous samples of these zwitterionic analytes through a negatively charged sol-gel column. The extracted analytes were then desorbed and focused via local pH change and stacking. The local pH change was accomplished by passing a buffer solution with a pH above the solute p/ value, while a dynamic pH junction between the sample solution and the background electrolyte was utilized to facilitate solute focusing. The sorption/desorption phenomena could, perhaps, also be explained on the basis of ion-exchange and local pH junction effects. On-line preconcentration and analysis results obtained on sulfonated sol-gel columns were compared with those obtained on an uncoated fused silica capillary of identical dimensions using conventional sample injections. Using UV detection, the presented sample preconcentration technique provided a sensitivity enhancement factor (SEF) on the order of 3 x 10(3) for myoglobin, and 7 x 10(3) for asparagine.

Separation and detection of the isomeric equine conjugated estrogens, equilin sulfate and Δ8,9-dehydroestrone sulfate, by liquid chromatography–electrospray-mass spectrometry using carbon-coated zirconia and porous graphitic carbon stationary phases

Equilin-3-sulfate and delta8,9-dehydroestrone-3-sulfate are two isomers found in equine conjugated estrogens that differ in structure only by the position of a double bond in the steroid B-ring. These geometric isomers were not resolved on a C18 column during the analysis of conjugated estrogen drug products by LC-MS using acetonitrile-ammonium acetate buffer as the mobile phase. While no separations of these two isomers were observed on C18 or other alkyl-bonded silica based phases using a variety of mobile phase conditions, partial separations were achieved on phenyl bonded silica phases with a resolution of 1.5 on a diphenyl phase, and baseline separations were readily achieved on two carbonaceous phases with resolutions routinely exceeding three on graphitic carbon-coated zirconia (Zr-CARB) and resolutions as high as 19 on porous graphitic carbon (Hypercarb). An examination of a selected few conjugated estrogens in the complex drug substance by LC-MS on Hypercarb is presented.

Nuclear magnetic resonance and high-performance liquid chromatographic evaluation of polymer-based stationary phases immobilized on silica

Three poly(ethylene-co-acrylic) acid copolymers (-CH(2)CH(2)-)(x)[CH(2)CH(CO(2)H)-](y) with different chain lengths and mass fractions of acrylic acid were covalently immobilized as stationary phases on silica via two variants of spacer molecules (3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane and 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane). Different mobilities of the alkyl chains in the stationary phases were observed using (13)C solid-state NMR spectroscopy. The stationary phases with more rigid trans-ordered alkyl chains had better selectivity for geometric beta-carotene and xanthophyll isomers (provitamin A derivatives). Also, all the separations of the analytes were affected by polar interactions with the chromatographic sorbent. This was further proved by separating more polar cis/trans retinoic acid isomers (vitamin A derivatives). (13)C high-resolution/magic-angle spinning (HR/MAS) NMR measurements of the chromatographic sorbents suspended in the mobile phase confirmed a dependence of molecular shape recognition ability on alkyl chain conformation.

Traced studies on metabolism of astaxanthin in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)

The present studies were performed to investigate the metabolism of astaxanthin (Ax) in Atlantic salmon, especially in the liver of salmon. The investigations were undertaken in vivo salmon that were fed a diet containing 60 ppm 15, 15' 14C-labelled Ax prior to sacrifice. The samples of blood, bile, liver, gastrointestinal tract and contents, muscle, skin, remaining carcass and feces were taken for scintillation counting. The highest radioactivity (71.36%) of 14C-labelled Ax was found in the gastrointestinal contents and feces, 7.13% in the bile and 10.68% in the samples of liver, muscle, and skin at the end of the experiments. The metabolites of 14C-labelled Ax were extracted from the bile of the salmon and analyzed using thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Predominant 14C-labelled Ax and its cis-isomers were found and no conjugation of 14C-labelled Ax was observed. These results indicate that 14C-labelled Ax was not conjugated into larger colorless compound in Atlantic salmon liver.

Automated solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatographic method for retinoid determination in biological samples

In this study, a method for partly automated sample preparation and fully automated solid-phase extraction method for plasma, kidney and liver samples for various retinoids like all-trans-4-oxo-retinoic acid, 13-cis-4-oxo-retinoic acid, 13-cis-retinoic acid, 9-cis-retinoic acid, all-trans-retinoic acid, retinol and retinyl palmitate was established. Plasma, embryo-, kidney-and liver-homogenates were automatically mixed and extracted on multiple usage solid-phase (C2) extraction cartridges immediately before HPLC analysis. Automated cleaning, preconditioning and incorporation of the loaded cartridge to fully automated HPLC separation and quantification of the various retinoids in a single HPLC run was established. The recovery of the retinoids was generally between 80 and 90%. Intra-day repeatability was < 11.7%. As little as 1.2 ng/ml could be quantified in lipid-mixture standard samples. This method allows a highly automated sample preparation and a fully automated solid-phase extraction with good selectivity for the study of endogenous retinoids and retinoids after nutritional supplementations and pharmacological applications in several biological samples.

Quantitative analysis of vitamin A degradation by Raman spectroscopy

Vitamin A is known to support cell growth promotion, maintenance, and differentiation of epithelial tissues. Retinol is currently used in cosmetic formulations and products to deliver these and other benefits to the skin. However, retinol is known to be unstable and, therefore, remains of great concern to the cosmetic industry. The decomposition pathways of the retinoids in general have been previously postulated and investigated mostly by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with UV/Vis spectroscopy. In our studies, we examined specific conditions at which retinol degrades and subsequently identified and quantified the products of retinol decomposition by Raman spectroscopy. We reveal which experimental settings and computational tools allow monitoring of in situ evolution of an all-trans retinol solution when submitted to UV light in the presence of oxygen.

Chromatographic analysis of endogenous retinoids in tissues and serum

We present a reliable, highly sensitive, and versatile method for the simultaneous determination of endogenous polar (acidic) and apolar (retinol, retinal, and retinyl esters) retinoids in various biological matrices. Following a single liquid extraction of retinoids from tissues or plasma with isopropanol, polar retinoids are separated from apolar retinoids and neutral lipids via automated solid-phase extraction using an aminopropyl phase. After vacuum concentration to dryness and reconstitution of the residue in appropriate solvents, the obtained fractions are injected onto two different high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-systems. Polar retinoids are analyzed on a RP18 column (2.1mm ID) using a buffered gradient composed of methanol and water and on-column-focusing large-volume injection. Apolar retinoids are separated on a normal-bore RP18 column using a nonaqueous gradient composed of acetonitrile, chloroform, and methanol. Both HPLC systems are coupled with UV detection, and retinoids are quantitated against appropriate internal standards. The method was validated with regard to recovery, precision, robustness, selectivity, and analyte stability. Using 400 microl serum or 200mg tissue, the limits of detection for all-trans-retinoic acid were 0.15ng/ml or 0.3ng/g, respectively. The corresponding values for retinol were 1.2ng/ml or 2.4ng/g, respectively. This method was successfully applied to mouse, rat, and human tissue and serum samples.

Carotenoids: separation methods applicable to biological samples

Epidemiologic and clinical studies have shown that a high intake of vegetables and fruit, with consequently high intakes and circulating concentrations of carotenoids, is associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular and other chronic diseases. The antioxidant properties of carotenoids are thought to contribute to these effects. The analysis of carotenoids in plasma, foods and tissues has thus become of interest in studies examining the role of diet in chronic disease prevention and management. High-performance liquid chromatography with ultra-violet or photodiode array detection is most often employed in routine use. We review these and other current methods for carotenoid analysis and information on sample stability relevant to epidemiological studies. The carotenoids remain an important and intriguing subject of study, with relevance to prevention of several important "lifestyle-related" diseases. Research into their physiological functions and their use as dietary markers requires sensitive, accurate and precise measurement. Further advances in these methodological areas will contribute to basic, clinical and public health research into the significance of carotenoid compounds in disease prevention.

Development and validation of a fast and sensitive chromatographic assay for all-trans-retinol and tocopherols in human serum and plasma using liquid-liquid extraction

A sensitive HPLC assay for all-trans-retinol, alpha-tocopherol, and gamma-tocopherols in human serum and plasma is reported. Sample preparation is performed in one step and involves precipitation of proteins and extraction of lipids with two volumes of an ethanol-chloroform mixture (3:1, v/v) without I.S. addition. After removal of the precipitated protein, 20 microl aliquots of the supernatant (equivalent to 6.7 microl of serum or plasma) were injected into the HPLC system and analyzed using fluorometric detection. RP-HPLC was performed using a C(18) S3 ODS2 column with a methanol-water step gradient (97:3 to 100) at 1.0 ml/min. The quantification limit expressed as nanograms of analyte per milliliter of serum or plasma was approximately 30 ng for all-trans-retinol, 300 ng for alpha-tocopherol and 250 ng for gamma- and delta-tocopherol. The method was validated and applied to human serum and plasma from a total of 120 subjects. This procedure requires a small volume of serum or plasma and can therefore be a valuable tool for measuring low concentrations of these vitamins in preterm infants with sensitivity, precision and accuracy.

Determination of endogenous levels of retinoic acid isomers in type II diabetes mellitus patients. Possible correlation with HbA1c values

A sensitive HPLC method for simultaneous determination of endogenous levels of all-trans-(ATRA), 13-cis-(13cRA), and 9-cis-retinoic acids (9cRA) was applied to serum samples from healthy volunteers and type II diabetes mellitus patients. Levels of 9cRA (around 0.2 ng/ml in both groups) were below the limit of quantification. The concentrations of ATRA and 13cRA were reliably quantified, and the within-day and between-days variances indicated that they were well maintained with little variation. Concentrations of serum ATRA and 13cRA of diabetic patients (ATRA: 1.76 +/- 0.54 ng/ml; 13cRA: 1.77 +/- 0.39ng/ml, n=13) were rather lower than those of healthy subjects (ATRA: 2.08 +/- 0.53 ng/ml; 13cRA: 2.05 +/- 0.26 ng/ml, n = 18), but the differences were not significant, except for the sum of ATRA and 13cRA (p = 0.033). Interestingly, the serum levels of retinoic acids in diabetic patients correlated positively with the hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) values (ATRA: r = 0.57, p < 0.05; 13cRA: r = 0.62, p < 0.05). The results warrant further studies on the possible involvement of uncontrolled serum retinoic acids levels in the pathogenesis and/or treatment of diabetes mellitus.

Qualitative and quantitative liquid chromatographic determination of natural retinoids in biological samples

Liquid chromatography continues to be the preferred method for determining retinoids in biological samples. The highly unstable nature of retinoids and the real possibility of artifacts or erroneous results have led to the development of rapid and highly automated protocols for retinoid extraction, separation and detection. Due to strong light absorbance in the ultraviolet region, UV detectors still predominate although mass spectrometric detection is gaining increased popularity. This paper reviews recent advances and provides major guidelines for using liquid chromatography to identify and quantify retinoids in biological samples.

The effects of 3,4,3'-triiodo-l-thyronine on didehydroretinol synthesis by isolated coho salmon retinal pigment epithelial cells

The effects of thyroid hormone on the production of vitamin A(2) retinoids from vitamin A(1) precursor were investigated in retinal pigmented epithelial (RPE) cells obtained from juvenile coho salmon. Specifically, changes in the production of both the storage and the free forms of radiolabeled 3,4-didehydroretinoids were measured after 24 and 48 h incubation with [11,12-(3)H]all-trans-retinol with (or in the absence of) exogenous 3,4,3'-triiodo-l-thyronine (T(3)). RPE cells incubated with radiolabeled all-trans-retinol showed double the production of radiolabeled 3,4-didehydroretinoids (both storage and free forms) after 48 h compared to 24 h incubation. The addition of T(3) had no significant effect on the production of didehydroretinyl esters (storage form) after 24 h incubation, but did have a significant effect after 48 h, with a ca. 50% reduction in the amount of labeled didehydroretinyl produced compared to the amount produced by the controls after 48 h. Essentially the same observation was made for the production of radiolabeled didehydroretinol (free form) where, after 48 h of incubation with T(3), there was a ca. 50% reduction in the amount of labeled didehydroretinol produced compared to the amount produced by the controls after 48 h. The reduction in both the storage and the free forms of didehydroretinoids indicates that T(3) probably had the effect of altering the activity of the "terminal ring dehydrogenase" enzyme which acts on the outer ring of retinoids. The scope of this experiment, however, does not indicate whether the production of didehydroretinoids is specific to the free or to the storage forms as retinoids within the RPE can shuttle between both forms. The results of this experiment do indicate that the in vitro observations of this experiment may be extended to in vivo and field observations. In vitro, T(3) by itself altered the production of didehydro-derivatives of retinoids. The changes in visual pigment complement seen in salmonids, which are due to changes in relative proportions of 11-cis-retinal and 11-cis-3,4-didehydroretinal in the photoreceptors, may also be the result of T(3) acting by itself on the RPE cells.

Determination of retinol and retinyl esters in human plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography with automated column switching and ultraviolet detection

A HPLC method with automated column switching and UV detection is described for the simultaneous determination of retinol and major retinyl esters (retinyl palmitate, retinyl stearate, retinyl oleate and retinyl linoleate) in human plasma. Plasma (0.2 ml) was deproteinized by adding ethanol (1.5 ml) containing the internal standard retinyl propionate. Following centrifugation the supernatant was directly injected onto the pre-column packed with LiChrospher 100 RP-18 using 1.2% ammonium acetate-acetic acid-ethanol (80:1:20, v/v) as mobile phase. The elution strength of the ethanol containing sample solution was reduced by on-line supply of 1% ammonium acetate-acetic acid-ethanol (100:2:4, v/v). The retained retinol and retinyl esters were then transferred to the analytical column (Superspher 100 RP-18, endcapped) in the backflush mode and chromatographed under isocratic conditions using acetonitrile-methanol-ethanol-2-propanol (1:1:1:1, v/v) as mobile phase. Compounds of interest were detected at 325 nm. The method was linear in the range 2.5-2000 ng/ml with a limit of quantification for retinol and retinyl esters of 2.5 ng/ml. Mean recoveries from plasma were 93.4-96.5% for retinol (range 100-1000 ng/ml) and 92.7-96.0% for retinyl palmitate (range 5-1000 ng/ml). Inter-assay precision was < or =5.1% and < or =6.3% for retinol and retinyl palmitate, respectively. The method was successfully applied to more than 2000 human plasma samples from clinical studies. Endogenous levels of retinol and retinyl esters determined in female volunteers were in good accordance with published data.

Simple method for clinical determination of 13 carotenoids in human plasma using an isocratic high-performance liquid chromatographic method

We report a reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography method which resolves 13 identified carotenoids and nine unknown carotenoids from human plasma. A Nucleosil C18 column and a Vydac C18 column in series are used with an isocratic solvent system of acetonitrile-methanol containing 50 mM acetate ammonium-dichloromethane-water (70:15:10:5, v/v/v/v) as mobile phase at a flow-rate of 2 ml/min. The intra-day (4.5-8.3%) and inter-day (1.3-12.7%) coefficients of variation are suitable for routine clinical determinations.

Application of micellar electrokinetic chromatography for the separation of retinoids

The applicability of micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) using sodium dodecylsulphate (SDS) as pseudo-stationary phase for the separation of five retinoids (retinol, retinal, retinyl acetate, retinyl palmitate, retinoic acid), was investigated. The effects of the acetonitrile content, the SDS concentration, the pH and the addition of Brij 35 to the background electrolyte on the migration behaviour of the retinoids were determined. It was found that the effective mobilities of retinol, retinal and retinyl acetate could be easily regulated through the ACN content and the SDS concentration of the BGE. The electrophoretic behaviour of the very hydrophobic retinyl palmitate was abnormal. Under various conditions this compound showed up as a late, very sharp peak. A strong indication was found that the retinyl palmitate forms a stable, charged complex with SDS during sample preparation. The mobility of the retinyl palmitate peak could be regulated, independently from the other peaks, through the Brij concentration of the BGE. Using a running buffer consisting of Tris buffer (pH 8), 20 mmol l(-1) SDS, 1 mmol l(-1) Brij 35 and 35% (v/v) acetonitrile, a complete separation of the five retinoids could be realised in less than 20 min.

A reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic method to analyze retinal isomers

A high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) procedure was developed to separate all-trans-, 13-cis-, 11-cis- and 9-cis-retinal isomers. Two reversed-phase Vydac C18 columns in series were used with an isocratic solvent system of 0.1 M ammonium acetate-acetonitrile (40:60, v/v) as mobile phase and all-trans-9-(4-methoxy-2,3,6-trimethylphenyl)-3,7-dimethyl-2,4,6,8-no natetraene-1-ol (TMMP) as internal standard. Prior to HPLC, the retinal isomers were efficiently extracted in their original isomeric conformation using dichloromethane-n-hexane in the presence of formaldehyde. This technique is suitable for the assay of 11-cis- and all-trans-retinal isomers in retina.

Ultrasensitive determination of beta-carotene in fish oil-based supplementary drugs by HPLC-TLS

This research study demonstrates that thermal lens spectrometry (TLS) combined with efficient isocratic HPLC separation provides an excellent analytical means to profile and quantify carotenes in fish body oils and possibly also in vegetable oils. In particular, a highly sensitive, selective, simple and rapid method for the determination of ultratraces of beta-carotene in fish oil-based supplementary drugs has been proposed. The analyte could be determined reliably and precisely in the presence of a complex matrix including other fat-soluble vitamins (A, D and E), polyunsaturated fatty acids, sterols and other pigments by matrix-matched calibration in cod liver oil. The suitability of the method is also evidenced by favourable analytical figures of merit for beta-carotene such as a linearity range of 1-120 ng ml(-1), LOD of 0.58 ng ml(-1), recovery of 101.4+/-3.3% and measurement repeatability of 4.1%.

On-line solid-phase extraction and isocratic separation of retinoic acid isomers in microbore column switching system

On-line solid-phase extraction coupled with micro-HPLC by column switching is an ideal technique for the analysis of retinoic acid in serum or plasma. The advantages are mainly contributed to an automated sample workup and low detection limits. On-line processing of the sample ensures minimal losses and full light protection during the entire procedure. Critical steps such as evaporation, extraction, and multiple transfers are avoided. Furthermore, the precision of highly automated methods is generally better than manual methods. We have successfully coupled a 2.1-mm I.D. analytical column with a 2.1-mm extraction column. This setup allows for large amounts of supernatant to be injected onto precolumns for concentration and cleanup. By means of column switching, this concentrate is transferred to the microcolumn with a highly reduced volume. The reduced diameter of the analytical column and the on-line solid-phase extraction allow for the fully automated quantification of as little as 100 fmol all-trans-retinoic acid in human serum. The detection limits obtained with these column switching techniques can compete with LC-MS. This new micro-HPLC method will be useful for the quantitation of endogenous retinoic acid metabolites, which are present at very low concentrations in biological material. Furthermore, more sensitive methods might also lead to the discovery of hitherto unknown retinoic acid metabolites. The combination of on-line SPE and micro-HPLC has, to our knowledge, not been used previously for retinoic acid analysis. The development of isocratic separation methods for retinoic acid isomers made this possible.

Quantitative determination of endogenous retinoids in mouse embryos by high-performance liquid chromatography with on-line solid-phase extraction, column switching and electrochemical detection

An isocratic high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of 9-cis-retinoic acid, 13-cis-retinoic acid, all-trans-retinoic acid and all-trans-retinol in mouse embryos using on-line solid-phase extraction and column switching in combination with electrochemical detection has been developed. The method was validated using retinoids in albumin solutions and 13-cis-acitretin was used as internal standard. About 370 microliters of albumin solution was injected on a 10 x 2.1-mm I.D. pre-column packed with Bondapak C18, 37-53-micron particles. The proteins were washed to waste within 5 min using as mobile phase, a 1:3 dilution of mobile phase 2, which consisted of acetonitrile-methanol-2% ammonium acetate-glacial acetic acid (79:2:16:3, v/v). Components retained on the pre-column were back-flushed to and separated on the 250 x 4.6-mm I.D. Suplex pKb-100 analytical column using mobile phase 2. The retinoids were detected electrochemically at +750 mV using a coulometric electrochemical detector. The total analysis time was about 20 min. Recoveries were in the range of 86-103%. The mass limits of detection were about 10 pg and 25 pg for the retinoic acids and all-trans-retinol, respectively. The intra-assay precision, reported as relative standard deviation, was in general better than 4% (n = 6) for the four retinoids. Inter-assay precision was in the range 3-4% (n = 10). The method was applied for determination of endogenous retinoids in 9.5 day-old mouse embryos. A 340-microliter solution containing 100 microliters of embryo homogenate (1.64 embryos) was analyzed. The concentrations of all-trans-retinol and all-trans-retinoic acid were found to be 279 pg per embryo and 75.8 pg per embryo, respectively. The amount of 13-cis-retinoic acid and 9-cis-retinoic acid was below the detection limit.

Determination of 13-cis-3-hydroxyretinoic acid, all-trans-3-hydroxyretinoic acid and their 4-oxo metabolites in human and animal plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography with automated column switching and UV detection

A high-performance liquid chromatographic method with automated column switching was developed for the simultaneous determination of 13-cis-3-hydroxyretinoic acid, all-trans-3-hydroxyretinoic acid and their metabolites 13-cis-3-hydroxy-4-oxo-retinoic acid and all-trans-3-hydroxy-4-oxo-retinoic acid in plasma samples from man, rat, dog, rabbit and mouse. The method consists of deproteination of plasma (0.4 ml) with ethanol (1.5 ml), containing the internal standard Ro 12-7310. After centrifugation, 1.4 ml of the supernatant was directly injected onto the precolumn (PC) (4 x 4 mm) packed with LiChrospher 100 RP-18 (5 microm). Ammonium acetate (0.02%)-acetic acid-ethanol (100:3:4, v/v/v) was used as mobile phase M1A during injection, as well as to decrease the elution strength of the injection solution by on-line addition using a T-piece (M1B). After valve switching, the retained components were transferred to the analytical column (AC), separated by gradient elution and detected at 360 nm. Two coupled Purospher 100 RP-18 endcapped columns (both 250 x 4 mm) were used for the separation, together with a mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile-water-10% ammonium acetate-acetic acid, (A), 540:450:2:30 (v/v/v/v), (B), 600:350:2:30 (v/v/v/v), and (C), 950:40:2:30 (v/v/v/v). The method was linear in the range 1-500 ng ml(-1), at least, with a quantification limit of 1 ng ml(-1). The mean recoveries from human plasma were 100-107% and the mean inter-assay precision was 2.0-4.7% (range 1-500 ng ml(-1)). Similar results were obtained for animal plasma. The analytes were stable in the plasma of all investigated species stored at -20 degrees C for 3 months, at least. The method was successfully applied to clinical and toxicokinetic studies.

Column liquid chromatography determination of vitamins A and E in powdered milk and local flour: a validation procedure

A high-performance liquid chromatography method was developed for the simultaneous routine determination of vitamins A and E in powdered milk and flour made from local plants and purchased from open markets in the Ivory Coast. The method involves saponification followed by extraction with a mixture of organic solvents. The vitamins were resolved by reversed-phase HPLC and detection at a single wavelength. The main tests of method validation were applied to the procedure. The results show the reliability of the analytical method for the intended application.

Advances in separation science relating to clinical nutrition

Advances in separation science are leading to more sensitive and more specific analysis of the complex mixtures of metabolites, vitamins and nutrients found in biofluids. Recent developments include capillary electrokinetic separations such as capillary electrophoresis, and the linking of separation methods to new forms of mass spectrometry.

Rapid determination of vitamins A and E in serum with surfactant as a diluent by column-switching high-performance liquid chromatography

The rapid and simple determination of fatty vitamins (vitamins A and E) in serum by high-performance liquid chromatography with a column-switching technique was investigated. The dilution of serum with an aqueous solution containing surfactant and organic solvent and the use of an aqueous solution with organic solvent as a sample pretreatment were an effective means of improving the sample recovery. To prevent sample decomposition during storage, the addition of an antioxidant reagent into the diluent was required. Under the optimal conditions, the relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) values against the standard samples were 1.12% (16.7 I.U./dl), 0.25% (333 I.U./dl) for vitamin A, and 1.02% (0.43 microgram/ml), 0.45% (8.5 micrograms/ml) for vitamin E, respectively. The relative coefficients (r2) between the sample amounts in serum and the peak areas were 1.0000 in the range from 16.7 to 667 I.U./dl (for vitamin A) and 0.9998 from 0.434 to 17.46 micrograms/ml (for vitamin E). The recoveries of vitamins from spiked serums were ca. 100% (vitamin A) and ca. 86% (vitamin E), respectively. By the combination of an on-line deproteination column and diluting solution, the simple and rapid determination of fatty vitamins could be routinely achieved in 18-min intervals.

Determination of several N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor blockers in plasma and brain by a selective high-performance liquid chromatographic method with column switching

A general procedure is presented for the determination of several N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor open-channel and subtype-selective blockers, which have been evaluated and developed as neuroprotective drugs for the treatment of brain stroke and trauma. The method involves deproteination of plasma with ethanol, or homogenization of brain samples in ethanol, dilution of the supernatant with ammonium acetate and direct injection into an HPLC column-switching system. Although the investigated NMDA receptor blockers are all tertiary amines, they have quite different structures. However, they are all concentrated on the first column (Purospher RP-18, 125 x 4 mm), whereas polar interfering compounds are washed out with 1% ammonium acetate-acetic acid-acetonitrile (100:1:5, v/v/v). Due to the special selectivity of the Purospher RP-18 material, the analytes and the internal standard are then selectively eluted with 25% acetonitrile (without any buffer in the mobile phase) and transferred to the analytical column (Superspher 60 RP-select B, 250 x 4 mm), where they are separated by gradient elution and detected by UV or fluorescence detection. The low degree of interference allowed the development of sensitive methods with quantification limits of 5 ng/ml for animal plasma (0.4 ml used), 0.5 ng/ml for human plasma (1 ml used) and 50 ng/g for brain tissue (200 mg used).

Development of a method for quantitation of retinol and retinyl palmitate in human serum using high-performance liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-mass spectrometry

A method for the quantitative analysis of the vitamin A compounds all-trans-retinol and all-trans-retinyl palmitate was developed using high-performance liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-mass spectrometry (APCI-LC-MS). Unlike previous quantitative mass spectrometric methods for vitamin A, HPLC separations were carried out using a C30 reversed-phase column instead of GC separation. Because no sample hydrolysis or derivatization was necessary, retinyl palmitate was preserved for analysis instead of being hydrolyzed to retinol. Human serum was analyzed following simple hexane extraction without saponification or any additional purification. A comparison of APCI and electrospray ionization showed that only APCI produced a linear response over all four orders of magnitude of retinol and three orders of magnitude of retinyl palmitate concentrations. Selected ion monitoring of the fragment ion of m/z 269 was used for APCI quantitation of both retinol and retinyl palmitate, since it was the base peak and the only abundant ion in the mass spectra of both compounds and the internal standard, retinyl acetate. The ion of m/z 269 corresponded to loss of water, loss of palmitic acid, or elimination of acetic acid from the protonated molecules of retinol, retinyl palmitate and retinyl acetate, respectively. The limit of detection of APCI-LC-MS for all-trans-retinol and all-trans-retinyl palmitate was determined to be approximately 34 fmol/microliter and 36 fmol/microliter (0.670 pmol all-trans-retinol and 0.720 pmol all-trans-retinyl palmitate injected in 20 microliters on-column), respectively. The limit of quantitation was approximately 500 fmol/microliter and 250 fmol/microliter (10 pmol and 5 pmol injected in 20 microliters on-column) for retinol and retinyl palmitate, respectively.

Determination of endogenous levels of 13-cis-retinoic acid (isotretinoin), all-trans-retinoic acid (tretinoin) and their 4-oxo metabolites in human and animal plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography with automated column switching and ultraviolet detection

A highly sensitive HPLC method with automated column switching was developed for the simultaneous determination of endogenous levels of 13-cis-retinoic acid (isotretinoin), all-trans-retinoic acid (tretinoin) and their 4-oxo metabolites in plasma samples from man, Cynomolgus monkey, rabbit, rat and mouse. Plasma (0.4 ml) was deproteinated by adding ethanol (1.5 ml) containing the internal standard acitretin. After centrifugation, 1.4 ml of the supernatant were directly injected onto the precolumn packed with LiChrospher 100 RP-18 (5 microm). 1.25% ammonium acetate and acetic acid-ethanol (8:2, v/v) was used as mobile phase during injection and 1% ammonium acetate and 2% acetic acid-ethanol (102:4, v/v) was added, on-line, to decrease the elution strength of the injection solution. After backflush purging of the precolumn, the retained components were transferred to the analytical column in the backflush mode, separated by gradient elution and detected at 360 nm. Two coupled Superspher 100 RP-18 endcapped columns (both 250x4 mm) were used for the separation, together with a mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile-water-10% ammonium acetate-acetic acid: (A) 600:300:60:10 (v/v/v/v), (B) 950:20:5:20 (v/v/v/v), and (C) 990:5:0:5 (v/v/v/v). The method was linear in the range 0.3-100 ng/ml, at least, with a quantification limit of 0.3 ng/ml. The mean recoveries from human plasma were 93.2%-94.4% and the mean inter-assay precision was 2.8%-3.2% (range 0.3-100 ng/ml). Similar results were obtained for animal plasma. The analytes were found to be stable in the plasma of all investigated species stored at -20 degrees C for 4.3 months and at -80 degrees C for 9 months, at least. At this temperature, human plasma samples were even stable for 2 years. The method was successfully applied to more than 6000 human and 1000 animal plasma samples from clinical and toxicokinetic studies. Endogenous levels determined in control patients and pregnant women were similar to published data from volunteers.

Simultaneous analysis of retinol, all-trans- and 13-cis-retinoic acid and 13-cis-4-oxoretinoic acid in plasma by liquid chromatography using on-column concentration after single-phase fluid extraction

A reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the simultaneous analysis of retinol, all-trans-retinoic acid, 13-cis-retinoic acid and 13-cis-4-oxoretinoic acid in human plasma and cell culture medium is described. Sample preparation involves precipitation of proteins and extraction of retinoids with 60% acetonitrile. After centrifugation, the acetonitrile content of the supernatant is reduced to 45%, allowing on-column concentration of analytes. Injection volumes up to 2.0 ml (equivalent to 0.525 ml of sample) can be used without compromising chromatographic resolution of all-trans-retinoic acid and 13-cis-retinoic acid. Retinoids were stable in this extract and showed no isomerization when stored in the dark in a cooled autosampler, allowing automated analysis of large series of samples. Recoveries from spiked plasma samples were between 95 and 103%. Although no internal standard was used, the inter-assay precision for all retinoids was better than 6% and 4% at concentrations of 30 nM and 100 nM, respectively. The method is a valuable tool for the study of cellular metabolism of all-trans-retinoic acid, as polar metabolites of this compound can be detected with high sensitivity in cell culture media.

Simultaneous determination of all-trans-, 13-cis- and 9-cis-retinoic acid, their 4-oxo metabolites and all-trans-retinol in human plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography

All-trans-retinoic acid (all-trans-RA) and 13-cis-retinoic acid (13-cis-RA), due to their effects on cell differentiation, proliferation and angiogenesis, improved treatment results in some malignancies. Pharmacokinetic studies of all-trans-RA and 13-cis-RA along with monitoring of retinoic acid metabolites may help to optimize retinoic acid therapy and to develop new effective strategies for the use of retinoic acids in cancer treatment. Therefore, we developed a HPLC method for the simultaneous determination in human plasma of the physiologically important retinoic acid isomers, all-trans-, 13-cis- and 9-cis-retinoic acid, their 4-oxo metabolites, 13-cis-4-oxoretinoic acid (13-cis-4-oxo-RA) and all-trans-4-oxoretinoic acid (all-trans-4-oxo-RA), and Vitamin A (all-trans-retinol). Analysis was performed on a silica gel column with UV detection at 350 nm using a binary multistep gradient composed of n-hexane, 2-propanol and glacial acetic acid. For liquid-liquid extraction a mixture of n-hexane, dichloromethane and 2-propanol was used. The limits of detection were 0.5 ng/ml for retinoic acids and 10 ng/ml for all-trans-retinol. The method showed good reproducibility for all components (within-day C.V.: 3.02-11.70%; day-to-day C.V.: 0.01-11.34%). Furthermore, 9-cis-4-oxoretinoic acid (9-cis-4-oxo-RA) is separated from all-trans-4-oxo-RA and 13-cis-4-oxo-RA. In case of clinical use of 9-cis-retinoic acid (9-cis-RA) the pharmacokinetics and metabolism of this retinoic acid isomer can also be examined.

Quantification of retinoyl-beta-glucuronides in rat urine by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection

A method is presented for the quantitation of the glucuronide conjugates of 4-oxo-all-trans-, 4-oxo-13-cis-, 13-cis-, 9-cis- and all-trans-retinoic acids in rat urine utilizing solid-phase extraction and gradient reversed-phase HPLC. The range of the R.S.D. (relative standard deviation) for both the inter- and intra-assay precision was 1.45-11.60%. The recovery of all retinoyl-beta-glucuronides from rat urine ranged between 89 and 99%. The limit of detection was 0.01 microgram/ml using 5 ml of rat urine. This method was applied to quantitate the amount of retinoyl-beta-glucuronides produced in urine after the single and multiple oral administration of 13-cis-, 9-cis- and all-trans-retinoic acids to rats.

Isocratic reversed-phase liquid chromatography of all-trans-retinoic acid and its major metabolites in new potential supplementary test systems for developmental toxicology

An isocratic reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic procedure for the determination of all-trans-retinoic acid (all-trans-RA) and its metabolites, all-trans-4-oxo-RA, 5,6-epoxy-RA, 9-cis-RA and 13-cis-RA, in mouse plasma and embryo and in new in vitro potential test systems for developmental toxicology has been developed. These compounds, their biological precursor retinol (vitamin A) and the internal standard were resolved on a Spherisorb ODS-2 (5 microns) column (250 x 4.6 mm I.D.) with acetonitrile-water-methanol-n-butyl alcohol (56:37:4:3, v/v) containing 100 mM ammonium acetate and 70 mM acetic acid as the elution system, with a total run time of 23 min. The assay was linear over a wide range, with a lower limit of quantitation of 50 ng/ml or 10 ng/mg of protein for all-trans-RA, 13-cis-RA and 9-cis-RA and of 25 ng/ml or 5 ng/mg protein for the 4-oxo- and 5,6-epoxy-metabolites. At these concentrations, intra-assay coefficients of variation (C.V.) of the retinoids were 3-9%. Mean intra-assay C.V. averaged 5-7% in the tissues studied. Its use is discussed for RA measurements in some of the new test systems--Drosophila melanogaster, sea urchin embryos and cultured human keratinocytes--that have to be evaluated in toxicological testing, supplementary to standard assays in mammals.

Determination of the arotinoid mofarotene in human, rat and dog plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography with automated column switching and ultraviolet detection

A sensitive and specific high-performance liquid chromatographic method was developed and validated for the determination of the third-generation retinoid (arotinoid) mofarotene (Ro 40-8757) in human, rat and dog plasma, using direct injection of deproteinated plasma samples, automated column switching (on-line solid-phase extraction) and ultraviolet detection. Plasma (0.5 ml) was deproteinated by adding ethanol (1 ml) containing the internal standard Ro 42-8659 (200 ng/ml). After centrifugation, 0.9 ml of the supernatant were directly injected onto a precolumn packed with C18 Corasil 37-50 microns. Polar plasma components were washed out from the precolumn using 1% ammonium acetate-acetic acid-acetonitrile (900:9:100, v/v/v). After valve switching, the pre-concentrated compounds were transferred to the analytical column (C18) in the backflush mode, separated by gradient elution and detected at 300 nm. The retention times (total run times) were approximately 15 and 20 min for the internal standard and mofarotene, respectively. The method was linear in the range 10-1000 ng/ml with a limit of quantification of 10 ng/ml. The mean recoveries were 80.4%, 81.7% and 77.8% (range 10-1000 ng/ml) and the inter-assay precision was 2.7% (range 20-1000 ng/ml), 1.5% and 2.0% (both range 100-1000 ng/ml) for human, rat and dog plasma, respectively. Mofarotene was found to be stable in human, rat and dog plasma stored at -20 degrees C for 3 months and 22 degrees C for 24 h. The method was successfully applied to clinical, pharmacokinetic and toxicokinetic studies.