A group of almost 100 international experts, including three from Aston University, has developed recommendations for good practice in the analysis of oxylipins, fatty molecules that play central roles in human health and disease, using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS).
Analysing oxylipins to understand their roles in common diseases, including inflammation, cancer, dementia and cardiovascular disease, is rapidly gaining in interest worldwide, but presents particular technical challenges.
The importance of these lipids for human health and disease is well-established. For example, preventing their formation is how common non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and aspirin work.
The Oxylipin Analysis interest group of the International Lipidomics Society (ILS), led by Professors Valerie O’Donnell (Cardiff University, UK) and Nils Helge Schebb (University of Wuppertal, Germany), has now completed an initiative where almost 100 researchers from more than 70 institutions developed detailed recommendations for oxylipin analysis.
Dr Irundika Dias, Professor Corinne Spickett and Dr Ivana Milic (shown left to right), who are all members of the Aston Institute for Membrane Excellence, were amongst the experts consulted.
They said: “Researchers at Aston have been working on oxylipins and oxysterol analysis for more than 15 years and are delighted to have been part of this important international standards initiative through our European collaborations."
"We are applying these and similar approaches to measure specialised pro-resolving mediators and oxysterols in inflammatory conditions and wound healing.”
Oxylipins were first discovered in the 1930s, but the biological functions of many oxylipins are not yet fully understood. Therefore, researchers need to have access to robust analytical methods that allow for their sensitive and selective quantification.
During the past two decades, the state-of-the-art techniques such as targeted liquid chromatography (LC) tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) have been developed that enable the routine analysis of up to 200 individual molecular species in small quantities in a single analytical run.
However, given the inherent complexity of oxylipin analysis, there is a need for sharing best practice and providing advice, particularly for researchers who are new to this field.
Valerie O’Donnell said: “In response to a recognised need for expert guidance for oxylipin analysis, we were delighted with the input and feedback we had from such a large number of our colleagues worldwide.”
Nils Helge Schebb said: “These recommendations now represent the benchmark for the field, which we hope will lead to reproducible studies improving our understanding of the role of oxylipins in health and disease.”