Visualization of phosphatidylcholine (16:0/16:0) in type II alveolar epithelial cells in the human lung using imaging mass spectrometry |
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Authors: | Nobuya Kurabe Takahiro Hayasaka Hisaki Igarashi Hiroki Mori Keigo Sekihara Hong Tao Hidetaka Yamada Tomoaki Kahyo Ippei Onishi Hiroe Tsukui Akikazu Kawase Shun Matsuura Yusuke Inoue Kazuya Shinmura Kazuhito Funai Mitsutoshi Setou Haruhiko Sugimura |
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Affiliation: | 1. Department of Tumor Pathology, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, , Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan;2. Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, , Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan;3. Department of Pathology, Hamamatsu Medical Center, , Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan;4. Department of Surgery I, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, , Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan;5. Department of Internal Medicine II, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, , Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan |
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Abstract: | Imaging mass spectrometry (MS) is an emerging technique that can detect numerous biomolecular distributions in a non‐targeting manner. In the present study, we applied a mass imaging modality, mass microscopy, to human lung tissue and identified several molecules including surfactant constituents in a specific structure of the lung alveoli. Four peaks were identified using imaging MS, and the ion at m/z 772.5, in particular, was localized at some spots in the alveolar walls. Using an MS/MS analysis, the ion was identified as phosphatidylcholine (PC)(16:0/16:0), which is the main component of lung surfactant. In a larger magnification of the lung specimen, PC (16:0/16:0) was distributed in a mottled fashion in a section of the lung. Importantly, the distribution of PC (16:0/16:0) was identical to that of anti‐SLC34A2 antibody immunoreactivity, which is known to be a specific marker of type II alveolar epithelial cells, in the same section. Our experience suggests that imaging MS has excellent potential in human pathology research. |
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Keywords: | imaging mass spectrometry mass microscope phosphatidylcholine pulmonary surfactant SLC34A2 |
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