No / The structural and functional diversity of lipids accounts for their involvement into a wide range of homeostatic processes and disease states, including lifestyle-related diseases as well as genetic conditions. Challenges presented by this diversity have been addressed to a great extent by the development of lipidomics, a platform that makes possible the detailed profiling and characterisation of lipid species present in any cell, organelle, tissue or body fluid, and allows for a wider appreciation of the biological role of lipid networks. Progress in the field of lipidomics has been greatly facilitated by recent advances in MS and includes a range of analytical platforms supporting applications spanning from qualitative and quantitative assessment of multiple species to lipid imaging. Here we review these MS techniques currently in routine use in lipidomics, alongside with new ones that have started making an impact in the field. Recent applications in health, disease and nutrition-related questions will also be discussed with a view to convey the importance of lipidomics contributions to biosciences and food technology.

Platelet exocytosis is essential for hemostasis and for many of its sequelae. Platelets release numerous bioactive molecules stored in their granules enabling them to exert a wide range of effects on the vascular microenvironment. Are these granule cargo released thematically in a context-specific pattern or via a stochastic, kinetically-controlled process? My work describes platelet exocytosis using a systematic examination of platelet secretion kinetics. Platelets were stimulated for increasing times with different agonists (i.e. thrombin, PAR1-agonist, PAR4-agonist, and convulxin) and micro-ELISA arrays were used to quantify the release of 28 distinct α-granule cargo molecules. Agonist potency directly correlated with the speed and extent of release. PAR4-agonist induced slower release of fewer molecules while thrombin rapidly induced the greatest release. Cargo with opposing actions (e.g. pro- and anti-angiogenic) had similar release profiles, suggesting limited thematic response to specific agonists. From the release time-course data, rate constants were calculated and used to probe for underlying patterns. Probability density function and operator variance analyses were consistent with three classes of release events, differing in their rates. The distribution of cargo into these three classes was heterogeneous suggesting that platelet secretion is a stochastic process potentially controlled by several factors such as cargo solubility, granule shape, and/or granule-plasma membrane fusion routes. Sphingosine 1 phosphate (S1P) is a bioactive lipid that is stored in platelets. S1P is essential for embryonic development, vascular integrity, and inflammation. Platelets are an abundant source of S1P due to the absence of the enzymes that degrade it. Platelets release S1P upon stimulation. My work attempts to determine how this bioactive lipid is released from platelets. Washed platelets were stimulated with agonists for defined periods of time and the supernatant and pellet fractions were separated by centrifugation. Lipids were separated by liquid phase extraction and S1P was quantified with a triple quadrapole mass spectrometer. A carrier molecule (BSA) is required to detect release of S1P. Further, there is a dose-dependent increase in total S1P with increasing BSA. S1P release shows characteristics similar to other platelet granule cargo e.g. platelet factor IV (PF4). Platelets from Unc13-d Jinx mice and VAMP8-/- mice, which are secretion-deficient (dense granule, alpha granule and lysosome), were utilized to understand the process of S1P release. S1P release was more affected in Unc13-d Jinx mice mirroring their dense granule secretion defect. Fluorescence microscopy and sub-cellular fractionation were used to examine localization of S1P in platelets. S1P was observed to be enriched in a granule population. These studies indicate the existence of two pools of S1P, a readily extractable agranular pool, sensitive to BSA, and a granular pool that requires the secretion machinery for release. The secretion machinery of platelets in addition to being involved in the release of normal granule cargo is thus proved to be involved in the release of bioactive lipid molecules like S1P.

No / Lipid mediators are produced from the oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids through enzymatic and free radical-mediated reactions. When subject to oxygenation via cyclooxygenases, lipoxygenases, and cytochrome P450 monooxygenases, polyunsaturated fatty acids give rise to an array of metabolites including eicosanoids, docosanoids, and octadecanoids. These potent bioactive lipids are involved in many biochemical and signaling pathways, with inflammation being of particular importance. Moreover, because they are produced by more than one pathway and substrate, and are present in a variety of biological milieus, their analysis is not always possible with conventional assays. Liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray mass spectrometry offers a versatile and sensitive approach for the analysis of bioactive lipids, allowing specific and accurate quantitation of multiple species present in the same sample. Here we explain the principles of this approach to mediator lipidomics and present detailed protocols for the assay of enzymatically produced oxygenated metabolites of polyunsaturated fatty acids that can be tailored to answer biological questions or facilitate assessment of nutritional and pharmacological interventions.