Arginine, a pivotal ingredient in many biochemical synthetic pathways, can be used as a biomarker for many oral care clinical applications. It is still a challenge to develop a sensitive and reliable chromatographic method to quantify arginine as a biomarker in saliva, with or without arginine product pretreatment. The current method solved two critical issues for arginine quantitation in human saliva.The first issue was how to optimize arginine peak shape. A hydrophilic interaction chromatography method based on the column selection, pH and pK a relationship, mobile phase ionic strength, organic solvent consideration, and temperature effects was developed. An optimized chromatographic condition for arginine quantitation in the saliva matrix was obtained. The second issue was how to build confidence in the use of a simple surrogate matrix methodology to replace the more complex traditional standard addition methodology. The surrogate matrix methodology we developed is applicable to the measurement of arginine as a potential non-invasive biomarker in human saliva. The method detection and quantification limit reached 2 and 6 ng/mL. The tailing factor was within the 0.9-1.1 range even though arginine had three pK a values at 2.18, 9.09, and 13.2.
K E Y W O R D Sarginine, hydrophilic interaction chromatography, retention mechanism, saliva, surrogate matrix method
INTRODUCTIONArginine (2-amino-5-guanidinovaleric acid) has been studied for over 100 years since it was first isolated from lupin seedlings in 1886 [1]. Based on current understanding, arginine is considered a semi or conditionally essential amino acid to human beings. The term semi-essential is Article Related Abbreviations: HRMS, high-resolution mass spectrometry; SAM, standard addition method; SLS, sodium lauryl sulfate; SMM, surrogate matrix method commonly applied to amino acids that are produced from other essential amino acids and these amino acids may be acquired from the diet if there is not a sufficient amount of precursors or if the biosynthetic system is defective. Arginine occupies a central position in multiple biosynthetic pathways including protein synthesis, the urea/ornithine cycle, polyamine synthesis, and nitric oxide production [1,2]. Arginine has been involved in diverse cellular processes ranging from redox balance to cell cycles, and processes for clinical applications [3], such as in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases, Type II diabetes, 3580