Analysis of purine and pyrimidine bases, nucleosides and deoxynucleosides in brain microsamples (microdialysates and micropunches) and cerebrospinal fluid.

A new chromatographic method is reported for the synchronous analysis of endogenous purine and pyrimidine bases, ribonucleosides, and deoxyribonucleosides in brain samples. An optimized gradient chromatography system with a cooled reversed-phase column allows the detection of these compounds in very low concentrations in microsamples (microdialysates and micropunches). Chromatographic peaks were identified via the retention times of known standards, with detection at two wavelengths, and also by electrospray tandem mass spectrometry, which permits the identification of certain compounds at extremely low concentrations. The method was tested on in vivo brain microdialysis samples, micropunch tissue sample and cerebrospinal fluid of rats. Extracellular concentrations of pyrimidine metabolites in brain samples and of various purine metabolites in thalamic samples are reported here first. A comparison of the results on microdialysis and cerebrospinal fluid samples suggests that the analysis of cerebrospinal fluid provides limited information on the local extracellular concentrations of these compounds. Basic dialysis experiments revealed temporarily stable baseline levels one hour after implantation of the microdialysis probes. An elevated potassium concentration in the perfusion solution caused increases in the extracellular levels of adenosine and its metabolites, and of guanosine and the pyrimidine nucleoside uridine.