Mass spectrometry in leukemia research and treatment

Abstract

Mass spectrometry (MS) is a complex analytical chemistry tool that allows qualitative and quantitative assessments of the components of complex chemical compounds. Applications of MS in medicine include the identification and quantification of drugs and metabolites; identification of proteins, biopolymers and disease markers and investigation of differential protein expression and proteins altered by mutations and/or post-translational changes. A variety of MS methods and technologies now play valuable and expanding roles in the diagnosis and monitoring of acute leukemia, as well as in identification of therapeutic targets and biomarkers, drug discovery, and other important areas of leukemia research. The objective of this review is to present a clinically oriented review of the roles of MS in the research, diagnosis and therapy of acute leukemia.

Keywords:

• acute myeloid leukemia
• genotyping
• MALDI-TOF
• mass spectrometry
• myelodysplastic syndrome
• proteomics
• quantification techniques
• tyrosine kinase inhibitors

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending or royalties.

Key issues

• A mass spectrometer analyzes gas-phase ions and provides qualitative and quantitative information about the components of complex biological samples.

• Mass spectrometry (MS)-based techniques can provide data on identification and quantification of drugs and metabolites; identification of proteins, biopolymers and disease markers and investigation of differential protein expression, intracellular signaling cascades and proteins altered by mutations and/or post-translational changes.

• MS-based techniques play valuable and expanding roles in the diagnosis, classification and monitoring of acute leukemia, as well as in identification of therapeutic targets and biomarkers and drug discovery.

• Mass spectrometric genoptyping, MassARRAY, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight and MS-based techniques in quantitative proteomics and phosphoproteomics are especially relevant in leukemia research and already have direct clinical applications, but these have not yet been incorporated into standard practice.