A microbore high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method is presented allowing rapid and sensitive mass analysis of inositol phosphates from cells and tissues. An analysis starting from inorganic phosphate up to inositol hexakisphosphate displaying a similar isomer selectivity as compared to the standard metal-dye detection system takes about 15 min. The detection sensitivity was about 15 pmol for inositol trisphosphate, about 10 pmol for inositol tetrakisphosphate, about 5 pmol for inositol pentakisphosphate and less than 5 pmol for inositol hexakisphosphate. The method was validated regarding day-to-day variations and variations at the same day of retention times and peak areas of standard inositol phosphates. Standard deviations of retention times ranged from 0.25 to 0.62% (same day) and from 0.64 to 1.61% (day-to-day variations). Ranges of standard deviations of peak areas were between 2.24% and 3.91% (same day) and 6.13% and 13.8% (day-to-day variations). Linearity of the post-column complexometric metal-dye detection system was demonstrated in the range of a few picomoles and at least 800 pmol. The method was applied to the analysis of inositol phosphates in Jurkat T-lymphocytes and assays from minute amounts of enzymes interconverting inositol phosphates. While measurements of inositol phosphates from cell extracts are now possible using significantly reduced cell numbers, micro-enzyme assays are feasible in reasonable repeated analysis times and with sufficient isomer selectivity. In conclusion, a substantial improvement towards speed of analysis and detection sensitivity of inositol phosphate mass analysis was achieved by microbore metal-dye detection HPLC.
