High-Specificity and Sensitivity Imaging of Neutral Lipids Using Salt-Enhanced MALDI TIMS.

ABSTRACT: Neutral lipids are vital to various cellular processes and disease pathologies. However, their characterization by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization imaging mass spectrometry (MALDI IMS) remains challenging due to poor ionization efficiency and difficulties distinguishing subtle structural differences among numerous isomeric and isobaric species. In this study, we enhanced neutral lipid detection by incorporating isotonic metal-cation washes into our MALDI IMS sample preparation workflow. Resulting salt adducts improved neutral lipid isobar and isomer separation by using trapped ion mobility spectrometry (TIMS). This approach increased both sensitivity and specificity for neutral lipid IMS experiments across multiple organ types, including murine brain, rabbit adrenal gland, huma

SUBMITTER: Molloy KR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12492385 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature