Focused metabolomics using liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry for analysis of urinary conjugated cholesterol metabolites from patients with Niemann–Pick disease type C and 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase deficiency

BackgroundVarious conjugated cholesterol metabolites are excreted in urine of the patients with metabolic abnormalities and hepatobiliary diseases. We aimed to examine the usefulness of precursor ion scan and neutral loss scan for the characterization of conjugated cholesterol metabolites in urine.MethodsA mixture of authentic standards of conjugated cholesterol metabolites was used for investigating the performance of the present method. The urine of patients with Niemann–Pick diseases type C and 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase deficiency were analysed by precursor ion scan of m/z 97, 74, and 124.ResultsA precursor ion scan of m/z 97 was effective for identifying conjugates with ester sulphates on hydroxyl groups whereas ester sulphates on phenolic alcohols were signalled by a neutral loss scan of 80 Da. Monosaccharide-conjugated cholesterol metabolites were signalled by a precursor ion scan of m/z 113. Although precursor ion scan of m/z 74 and 124 was effective for finding glycine- and taurine-conjugate...