Simple and fast quantification of nitisone (NTBC) using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method in plasma of tyrosinemia type 1 patients

Tyrosinemia type 1, which is caused by a deficiency in fumarylacetoacetate hydrolase, is successfully treatable with nitisone (NTBC), an inhibitor of 4-hydroxyphenyl pyruvate dioxygenase. The recommended average dose of NTBC is 1 mg/kg per day. A rapid liquid chromatography (LC) coupled with negative electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry method was developed and validated for the quantification of NTBC in heparinized human plasma. The plasma samples were prepared by precipitation in acetonitrile. NTBC and the internal standard (IS) were chromatographed on a BEH C18 column. Gradient elution was done with a mixture of 10 mM ammonium acetate and methanol. The analyte was analyzed by LC-tandem mass spectrometry with only 2 min run time. Selected reaction monitoring modes for detection of NTBC and the IS were achieved by using m/z 328 > 281 and 234 > 190, respectively. The LC retention times for NTBC and IS were 0.99 and 0.93 min, respectively. The method was linear in the concentration range of 0.75-150 μM with r ≥ 0.998. Thus, this method is suitable for follow-up of patients treated with NTBC, because the current therapeutical concentrations range from 20 to 120 μM.