Sarcosine as a marker in prostate cancer progression: a rapid and simple method for its quantification in human urine by solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry

Anal Bioanal Chem. 2011 Jul;400(9):2903-12. doi: 10.1007/s00216-011-4960-0. Epub 2011 Apr 15.

Abstract

Sarcosine is an amino acid derivative of N-methylglycine and is involved in the amino acid metabolism and methylation processes that are enriched during prostate cancer progression. It could also serve as a new target to be measured during therapeutic interventions and help in the identification of aggressive tumors for radical treatment. In this study, we present a new urine test that can help early diagnosis of prostate cancer. The method for the quantification of sarcosine in urine consists of a solid-phase microextraction (SPME) step followed by gas chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry analysis. We used a preliminary derivatization step with ethyl chloroformate/ethanol and the corresponding ester was then extracted by SPME in immersion mode. Several fibers were evaluated and the optimization of the parameters affecting the SPME process was carried out using an experimental design. The optimal values were 20 min extraction time, 10% NaCl, and 270°C using a divinylbenzene/Carboxen/polydimethylsiloxane fiber. The triple quadrupole analyzer acquired data in selected reaction monitoring mode, allowing us to obtain reconstructed chromatograms with well-defined chromatographic peaks. The accuracy and precision of this method were evaluated at concentrations of 70, 250, and 800 ng/ml and were found to be acceptable. Very satisfactory values (0.10 and 0.16 ng/ml, respectively) were also achieved for the limit of detection and the limit of quantification. The proposed protocol represents a rapid, simple, selective, and sensitive tool to quantify sarcosine in urine samples for prostate cancer diagnosis and for a screening test.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / economics
  • Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / methods*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / urine*
  • Sarcosine / urine*
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Solid Phase Microextraction / economics
  • Solid Phase Microextraction / methods*
  • Time Factors
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Sarcosine