Mass spectrometry imaging using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization and desorption electrospray ionization has recently been employed to investigate the distribution of neurotransmitters, including biogenic amines and amino acids, directly in brain tissue sections. Ionization is facilitated by charge-tagging through pyrylium derivatization of primary amine containing neurotransmitters directly in tissue sections, significantly improving the limit of detection. Since the derivatization adds carbon and hydrogen to the target compounds, the resulting isotopic patterns of the products are not distinctive from those of the nonderivatized species. Here, we describe an approach for chemically modifying the reactive pyrylium ion to introduce the distinct isotopic signature of bromine in mass spectra of chemically derivatized substances in tissue sections. The method enables monoamine compounds to be distinguished directly in tissue sections, facilitating their identification.

中文翻译：

---

Bromopyrylium 衍生化有助于通过质谱成像对单胺神经递质和小分子神经活性化合物进行鉴定。

使用基质辅助激光解吸/电离和解吸电喷雾电离的质谱成像最近被用来研究神经递质的分布，包括生物胺和氨基酸，直接在脑组织切片中。通过直接在组织切片中对含伯胺的神经递质进行吡喃衍生化的电荷标记来促进电离，从而显着提高检测限。由于衍生化将碳和氢添加到目标化合物中，因此所得产物的同位素模式与非衍生化物种的同位素模式没有区别。这里，我们描述了一种化学修饰反应性吡喃离子的方法，以在组织切片中化学衍生物质的质谱中引入溴的独特同位素特征。该方法能够在组织切片中直接区分单胺化合物，从而促进其识别。