A new HPLC method for serum neopterin measurement and relationships with plasma thiols levels in healthy subjects

Biomed Chromatogr. 2004 Jul;18(6):360-6. doi: 10.1002/bmc.325.

Abstract

Neopterin, a pyrazinopyrimidine compound, serves as a marker of cellular immune system activation, and it can be used as a prognostic predictor for certain types of diseases. We propose a new simple HPLC method to measure serum neopterin with highly sensitive fluorimetric detection. After TCA serum protein precipitation, the supernatant was diluted five times, injected into a C18 reversed-phase column and eluted at a flow rate of 1.5 mL/min by an isocratic water-acetonitrile (99:1) mobile phase. The natural fluorescence of the molecule was detected at excitation wavelength 353 nm and emission 438 nm. In these conditions the neopterin retention time was about 4 min. Our proposed method was compared with a validated chromatographic separation, and the obtained data of the serum neopterin from 35 healthy volunteers were analysed by Passing-Bablok regression and Bland-Altman test. Neopterin measurement in healthy subjects was also employed to investigate on its potential relationships with plasma thiols levels.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / methods*
  • Electrophoresis, Capillary / methods
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neopterin / blood*
  • Reference Values
  • Spectrometry, Fluorescence
  • Sulfhydryl Compounds / blood*

Substances

  • Sulfhydryl Compounds
  • Neopterin