Gold nanoparticles modified porous silicon chip for SALDI-MS determination of glutathione in cells.

The gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) modified porous silicon chip based surface assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (SALDI-MS) was developed to capture and analyze glutathione (GSH) in cells. With silver-assisted chemical etching, Ag nanoparticles (Ag NPs) were generated and deposited on the silicon surface and the nanopores were etched on silicon substrate. Then Au NPs were in-situ synthesized on the ridges of silicon nanopores. This Ag-Au NPs modified porous silicon surface could specially capture and enrich thiol compounds through Au-S binding, and it could also function as matrix to assist ionization for SALDI-MS. The silicon chip was array patterned for high throughput SALDI-MS detection. GSH and cysteine could be distinguished without the interference from matrix signals. This approach was successfully applied to preconcentration and detection of GSH in Caco-2 cells. The GSH alterations in cells under drug stimulation were investigated. This invented silicon chip showed great potential for more efficient analysis of small thiol biomarkers in complex biological samples.