Quantitative LC-MS/MS analysis kit for total homocysteine in human plasma samples.

Homocysteine is a non-protein amino acid. It is biosynthesised from methionine by the removal of its terminal methyl group. Homocysteine can be re-cycled into methionine or converted into cysteine with the aid of B-vitamins. According to recent studies, the elevated plasma concentration of homocysteine is related to cardiovascular and venous diseases. Dysfunctional enzyme as a result of genetic mutation or deficiency of the essential B vitamins folic acid, B12, and B6 can tend to hyper homocysteinemia. Oxidised forms of homocysteine are 98–99% of total plasma homocysteine. Mildly increased homocysteine causes dysfunctional vascular endothelium. Intervention studies are urgently needed to determine if lowering homocysteine is effective in decreasing the morbidity and mortality of cardiovascular disease.

Factors that may influence and increase plasma homocysteine include:

• Age
• Smoking
• Hypothyroidism
• Poor diet/cofactor deficiencies
• Chronic kidney disease/renal disease

Homocysteine levels can be measured by HPLC and immunoassays. However, in recent years liquid chromatography combined with mass spectrometry systems have gained a significant role with very short analysis run time. These LC-MS/MS analysis systems decrease the run time, labour cost and give more reliable and sensitive results.

Zivak Total Plasma Homocysteine LC-MS/MS Analysis Kit was developed for rapid, sensitive and reliable quantitative detection of the total homocysteine concentrations in human plasma samples and it gives results in 5 minutes with minimal sample preparation. Main methods and procedures that have been selected are based on EN ISO 13485 and 98/79/EC