Neurosteroids in rat brain: extraction, isolation, and analysis by nanoscale liquid chromatography-electrospray mass spectrometry.

A method designed for the analysis of sulfated neurosteroids and unconjugated ketonic neurosteroids in rat brain using nanoscale liquid chromatography-electrospray (nano-LC-ES) mass spectrometry is described. Neurosteroids in rat brain tissue were extracted, purified, and separated into two groups, neutral unconjugated steroids and steroid sulfates, by employing solid-phase partition, cation- and anion-exchange chromatography. The steroid sulfate fraction was analyzed by nano-LC-ES mass spectrometry. Contrary to expectations, the sulfates of pregnenolone and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) were not detected. Internal standards, including pregnenolone sulfate, were recovered and the detection limit of the method was 0.3 ng/g of wet brain. Cholesterol sulfate was detected at a level of 1.2 microg/g of wet brain. The neutral unconjugated steroid fraction was derivatized with hydroxylamine hydrochloride to convert oxosteroids into their oximes. The oximes were isolated using cation-exchange chromatography and were analyzed by nano-LC-ES tandem mass spectrometry. The analyses of the neutral unconjugated steroid fraction confirmed the presence in rat brain of pregnenolone, pregnanolone isomers, progesterone, testosterone, and DHEA, which were characterized by their retention times, the mass of the protonated molecules, and characteristic fragment ions. The levels were estimated by addition of [3,4-(13)C(2)]-progesterone as an internal standard and found to be in a range of 0.04-20 ng/g.