Simultaneous Quantification of Carboxylate Enantiomers in Multiple Human Matrices with the Hydrazide-Assisted Ultrahigh-Performance Liquid Chromatography Coupled with Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Abstract

Many chiral carboxylic acids with α-amino, α-hydroxyl, and α-methyl groups are concurrently present in mammals establishing unique molecular phenotypes and multiple biological functions, especially host-microbiota symbiotic interactions. Their chirality-resolved simultaneous quantification is essential to reveal the biochemical details of physiology and pathophysiology, though challenging with their low abundances in some biological matrices and difficulty in enantiomer resolution. Here, we developed a method of the chirality-resolved metabolomics with sensitivity-enhanced quantitation via probe-promotion (Met-SeqPro) for analyzing these chiral carboxylic acids. We designed and synthesized a hydrazide-based novel chiral probe, (S)-benzoyl-proline-hydrazide (SBPH), to convert carboxylic acids into amide diastereomers to enhance their retention and chiral resolution on common C₁₈ columns. Using the d₅-SBPH-labeled enantiomers as internal standards, we then developed an optimized ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) method for simultaneous quantification of 60 enantiomers of 30 chiral carboxylic acids in one run. This enantiomer-resolved method showed excellent sensitivity (LOD < 4 fmol-on-column), linearity (R² > 0.992), precision (CV < 15%), accuracy (|RE| < 20%), and recovery (80−120%) in multiple biological matrices. With the method, we then quantified 60 chiral carboxylic acids in human urine, plasma, feces, and A549 cells to define their metabolomic phenotypes. This provides basic data for human phenomics and a promising tool for investigating the mammal-microbiome symbiotic interactions.