Yuki X. Chen, Kelly Veerasammy, and Mayan Hein are supported by the Sloan Foundation CUNY Summer Research Program (CSURP). Jun Yin is supported by the intramural research program of the National Institutes of Health Project Number 1ZIANS003137. Support for this project was provided by a PSC-CUNY Award to Ye He and Rinat Abzalimov, jointly funded by The Professional Staff Congress and The City University of New York.

1. Fly head embedding
NOTE: The whole procedure takes ~45-60 min.
<ol>
	<li>Prepare the optimal cutting temperature compound (OCT compound) stage with a flat surface.
	<ol>
		<li>Add OCT into a plastic cryomold (15 mm x 15 mm x 5 mm) to half of the depth of the cryomold and avoid bubble formation. Leave the mold on a flat surface for several minutes, and then transfer it onto dry ice.</li>
		<li>Keep the cryomold flat on the dry ice and allow the OCT to form a flat and even ...

<ol>
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X., Rostami, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Immunotherapy+using+lipopolysaccharide-stimulated+bone+marrow-derived+dendritic+cells+to+treat+experimental+autoimmune+encephalomyelitis.">Immunotherapy using lipopolysaccharide-stimulated bone marrow-derived dendritic cells to treat experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.</a> Clinical and Experimental Immunology. 178 (3), 447-458 (2014).</li><li>Carrasco-Pancorbo, A., Navas-Iglesias, N., Cuadros-Rodriguez, L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=From+lipid+analysis+towards+lipidomics,+a+new+challenge+for+the+analytical+chemistry+of+the+21st+century.+Part+I:+Modern+lipid+analysis.">From lipid analysis towards lipidomics, a new challenge for the analytical chemistry of the 21st century. Part I: Modern lipid analysis.</a> TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry. 28 (3), 263-278 (2009).</li><li>Navas-Iglesias, N., Carrasco-Pancorbo, A., Cuadros-Rodriguez, L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=From+lipids+analysis+towards+lipidomics,+a+new+challenge+for+the+analytical+chemistry+of+the+21st+century.+Part+II:+Analytical+lipidomics.">From lipids analysis towards lipidomics, a new challenge for the analytical chemistry of the 21st century. Part II: Analytical lipidomics.</a> TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry. 28 (4), 393-403 (2009).</li><li>Yang, K., Han, X. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Lipidomics:+Techniques,+applications,+and+outcomes+related+to+biomedical+sciences.">Lipidomics: Techniques, applications, and outcomes related to biomedical sciences.</a> Trends in Biochemical Sciences. 41 (11), 954-969 (2016).</li><li>Norris, J. L., Caprioli, R. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Analysis+of+tissue+specimens+by+matrix-assisted+laser+desorption/ionization+imaging+mass+spectrometry+in+biological+and+clinical+research.">Analysis of tissue specimens by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization imaging mass spectrometry in biological and clinical research.</a> Chemical Reviews. 113 (4), 2309-2342 (2013).</li><li>Veerasammy, K., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Sample+preparation+for+metabolic+profiling+using+MALDI+mass+spectrometry+imaging.">Sample preparation for metabolic profiling using MALDI mass spectrometry imaging.</a> Journal of Visualized Experiments. (166), e62008 (2020).</li><li>Tracey, T. J., Steyn, F. J., Wolvetang, E. J., Ngo, S. T. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Neuronal+lipid+metabolism:+Multiple+pathways+driving+functional+outcomes+in+health+and+disease.">Neuronal lipid metabolism: Multiple pathways driving functional outcomes in health and disease.</a> Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience. 11, 10 (2018).</li><li>Jackson, C. L., Walch, L., Verbavatz, J. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Lipids+and+their+trafficking:+An+integral+part+of+cellular+organization.">Lipids and their trafficking: An integral part of cellular organization.</a> Developmental Cell. 39 (2), 139-153 (2016).</li><li>Wang, H., Eckel, R. H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=What+are+lipoproteins+doing+in+the+brain.">What are lipoproteins doing in the brain.</a> Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism. 25 (1), 8-14 (2014).</li><li>Palm, W., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Lipoproteins+in+Drosophila+melanogaster-Assembly,+function,+and+influence+on+tissue+lipid+composition.">Lipoproteins in Drosophila melanogaster-Assembly, function, and influence on tissue lipid composition.</a> PLoS Genetics. 8 (7), 1002828 (2012).</li><li>Parra-Peralbo, E., Culi, J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Drosophila+lipophorin+receptors+mediate+the+uptake+of+neutral+lipids+in+oocytes+and+imaginal+disc+cells+by+an+endocytosis-independent+mechanism.">Drosophila lipophorin receptors mediate the uptake of neutral lipids in oocytes and imaginal disc cells by an endocytosis-independent mechanism.</a> PLoS Genetics. 7 (2), 1001297 (2011).</li><li>Yin, J., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Brain-specific+lipoprotein+receptors+interact+with+astrocyte+derived+apolipoprotein+and+mediate+neuron-glia+lipid+shuttling.">Brain-specific lipoprotein receptors interact with astrocyte derived apolipoprotein and mediate neuron-glia lipid shuttling.</a> Nature Communications. 12 (1), 2408 (2021).</li><li>Tuthill, B. F., Searcy, L. A., Yost, R. A., Musselman, L. P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Tissue-specific+analysis+of+lipid+species+in+Drosophila+during+overnutrition+by+UHPLC-MS/MS+and+MALDI-MSI.">Tissue-specific analysis of lipid species in Drosophila during overnutrition by UHPLC-MS/MS and MALDI-MSI.</a> Journal of Lipid Research. 61 (3), 275-290 (2020).</li><li>Kaya, I., Jennische, E., Lange, S., Malmberg, P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Multimodal+chemical+imaging+of+a+single+brain+tissue+section+using+ToF-SIMS,+MALDI-ToF+and+immuno/histochemical+staining.">Multimodal chemical imaging of a single brain tissue section using ToF-SIMS, MALDI-ToF and immuno/histochemical staining.</a> Analyst. 146 (4), 1169-1177 (2021).</li><li>Phan, N. T., Fletcher, J. S., Ewing, A. G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Lipid+structural+effects+of+oral+administration+of+methylphenidate+in+Drosophila+brain+by+secondary+ion+mass+spectrometry+imaging.">Lipid structural effects of oral administration of methylphenidate in Drosophila brain by secondary ion mass spectrometry imaging.</a> Analytical Chemistry. 87 (8), 4063-4071 (2015).</li><li>Dienel, G. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Metabolomic+and+imaging+mass+spectrometric+assays+of+labile+brain+metabolites:+Critical+importance+of+brain+harvest+procedures.">Metabolomic and imaging mass spectrometric assays of labile brain metabolites: Critical importance of brain harvest procedures.</a> Neurochemical Research. 45 (11), 2586-2606 (2020).</li><li>Schwartz, S. A., Reyzer, M. L., Caprioli, R. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Direct+tissue+analysis+using+matrix-assisted+laser+desorption/ionization+mass+spectrometry:+Practical+aspects+of+sample+preparation.">Direct tissue analysis using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry: Practical aspects of sample preparation.</a> Journal of Mass Spectrometry. 38 (7), 699-708 (2003).</li><li>Phan, N. T., Mohammadi, A. S., Dowlatshahi Pour, M., Ewing, A. G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Laser+desorption+ionization+mass+spectrometry+imaging+of+Drosophila+brain+using+matrix+sublimation+versus+modification+with+nanoparticles.">Laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry imaging of Drosophila brain using matrix sublimation versus modification with nanoparticles.</a> Analytical Chemistry. 88 (3), 1734-1741 (2016).</li><li>Niehoff, A. C., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Analysis+of+Drosophila+lipids+by+matrix-assisted+laser+desorption/ionization+mass+spectrometric+imaging.">Analysis of Drosophila lipids by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometric imaging.</a> Analytical Chemistry. 86 (22), 11086-11092 (2014).</li><li>Enomoto, Y., Nt An, P., Yamaguchi, M., Fukusaki, E., Shimma, S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Mass+spectrometric+imaging+of+GABA+in+the+Drosophila+melanogaster+adult+head.">Mass spectrometric imaging of GABA in the Drosophila melanogaster adult head.</a> Analytical Sciences. 34 (9), 1055-1059 (2018).</li><li>Yang, E., Gamberi, C., Chaurand, P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Mapping+the+fly+malpighian+tubule+lipidome+by+imaging+mass+spectrometry.">Mapping the fly malpighian tubule lipidome by imaging mass spectrometry.</a> Journal of Mass Spectrometry. 54 (6), 557-566 (2019).</li><li>Blanksby, S. J., Mitchell, T. W. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Advances+in+mass+spectrometry+for+lipidomics.">Advances in mass spectrometry for lipidomics.</a> Annual Review of Analytical Chemistry. 3, 433-465 (2010).</li><li>Han, X. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Lipidomics+for+studying+metabolism.">Lipidomics for studying metabolism.</a> Nature Reviews Endocrinology. 12 (11), 668-679 (2016).</li><li>Wang, M., Wang, C., Han, X. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Selection+of+internal+standards+for+accurate+quantification+of+complex+lipid+species+in+biological+extracts+by+electrospray+ionization+mass+spectrometry-What,+how+and+why.">Selection of internal standards for accurate quantification of complex lipid species in biological extracts by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry-What, how and why.</a> Mass Spectrometry Reviews. 36 (6), 693-714 (2017).</li></ol>

The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

As demonstrated in the study on the variations in lipid composition in mutant and wild-type Drosophila brains, MALDI MSI can be a valuable label-free imaging technique for in situ analysis of molecular distribution patterns within organs of small insects. Indeed, because lipids are distributed in both the brain tissue and fat bodies of Drosophila heads, conventional lipidomics approaches based on liquid-chromatography and mass-spectrometry (LC-MS) can detect only combined signals from both regi...

Lipids are involved in a wide range of biological processes and can be broadly classified into five categories based on their structural diversity: fatty acids, triacylglycerols (TAGs), phospholipids, sterol lipids, and sphingolipids1. The fundamental functions of lipids are to provide energy sources for biological processes (i.e., TAGs) and form cellular membranes (i.e., phospholipids and cholesterol).&#160;However, additional roles of lipids have been noted in development and diseases, and have been extensively studied in the biomedical field. For instance, reports have shown that fatty acids of different lengths may have unique therapeutic roles. Short fatty acid chains can be involved in defense mechanisms against autoimmune diseases, medium-length fatty acid chains produce metabolites that can mitigate seizures, and long fatty acid chains generate metabolites that can be used to treat metabolic disorders2. In the nervous system, glia-derived cholesterol and phospholipids have been shown to be vital for synaptogenesis3,4. Other types of lipids have shown promise in medical applications, including&#160;sphingolipids utilized in drug delivery systems and saccharolipids&#160;used to support the immune system5,6. The numerous roles and potential therapeutic applications of lipids in the biomedical field have made lipidomics&#8212;the study of the pathways and interactions of cellular lipids&#8212;a critical and increasingly important field.
Lipidomics makes use of analytical chemistry to study the lipidome on a large scale. The main experimental methods utilized in lipidomics are based on mass spectrometry (MS) coupled with various chromatography and ion-mobility techniques7,8. The use of MS in the area is advantageous due to its high specificity and sensitivity, speed of acquisition, and unique capabilities to (1) detect lipids and lipid metabolites occurring even at low and transient levels, (2) detect hundreds of different lipid compounds in a single experiment, (3) identify previously unknown lipids, and (4) distinguish between lipid isomers. Among the developments in MS, including desorption electrospray ionization (DESI), MALDI, and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), MALDI MSI has emerged as a powerful imaging technique that complements conventional MS-based approaches by providing unique information on the spatial distribution of lipids within tissue compartments9,10.
The typical workflow of lipidomics consists of sample preparation, data acquisition using mass-spectrometry technology, and data analysis11. The study of lipids and metabolites in samples has led to the emergence of techniques to understand the physiological and pathological conditions of metabolic processes in organisms. While understanding biological interactions is important, the sensitivity of lipids and metabolites makes them difficult to image and identify without dyes or other modification. Changes in metabolite levels or distribution may lead to phenotypic changes. One tool used for metabolomic profiling is MALDI MSI, a label-free, in situ imaging technique capable of detecting hundreds of molecules simultaneously. MALDI imaging allows for the visualization of metabolites and lipids in samples while preserving their integrity and spatial distribution. Previous technology for lipid profiling involved the use of radioactive chemicals to individually map lipids, while MALDI imaging forgoes this and allows for the detection of a range of lipids simultaneously.
Lipid metabolism and homeostasis play important functions in cell physiology, such as the maintenance and development of the nervous system. One essential aspect of nervous system lipid metabolism is the lipid shuttling between neurons and glial cells, which is mediated by molecular carrier lipoproteins, including very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), low-density lipoproteins (LDL), and high-density lipoproteins (HDL)12. Lipoproteins contain apolipoproteins (Apo), such as ApoB and ApoD, which function as structural blocks of lipid cargo and as ligands for lipoprotein receptors. The neuron-glia crosstalk of lipids involves multiple players such as glia-derived ApoD, ApoE, and ApoJ, and their neuronal LDL receptors (LDLRs)13,14. In Drosophila, apolipophorin, a member of the ApoB family, is a major hemolymph lipid carrier15. Apolipophorin has two closely related lipophorin receptors (LpRs), LpR1 and LpR2, which are homologs of mammalian LDLR15,16. In previous studies, the astrocyte-secreted lipocalin Glial Lazarillo (GLaz), a Drosophila homolog of human ApoD, and its neuronal receptor LpR1 were discovered to cooperatively mediate neuron-glia lipid shuttling, thus regulating dendrite morphogenesis17. Therefore, it was speculated that the loss of LpR1 would cause a decrease in overall lipid content in the Drosophila brain. MALDI MSI would be a suitable tool for profiling the lipid contents in small tissues of LpR1&#8722;/&#8722; mutant and wild-type Drosophila brains, as demonstrated in this study.
Despite the growing popularity of MALDI MSI, the instrument&#39;s high cost and experimental complexity often impede its implementation in individual laboratories. Thus, most MALDI MSI studies are conducted using shared core facilities. As with other applications of MALDI MSI, a careful sample preparation process for lipidomics is critical to achieve reliable results. However, because sample slide preparation is typically performed in individual research laboratories, there is a possibility of variation in MALDI MSI acquisition. To combat this, this paper aims to provide a detailed protocol for the sample preparation of small biological samples prior to MALDI MSI measurement using lipid analysis of a large group of adult Drosophila brains in positive ion mode as an example11,17. However, some phospholipid classes and the majority of small metabolites are favorably detected by MALDI imaging in negative ion mode, which was described previously11. Therefore, with these two example studies, we hope to provide detailed sample preparation protocols of various combinations: free-standing large tissue versus embedded small tissue, thaw-mounting versus warm-slide mounting, and positive ion mode versus negative ion mode.

<table border="1" fo:keep-together.within-page="1" fo:keep-with-next.within-page="always">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>2,5-Dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHB)</td>
			<td>Millipore Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td>85707-1G-F</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Andwin Scientific&#160;CRYOMOLD 15X15X5</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>NC9464347</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Andwin Scientific&#160;Tissue-Tek CRYO-OCT Compound</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>14-373-65</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Artist brush MSC #5 1/8 X 9/16 TRIM RED SABLE</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>50-111-2302</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>autoflex speed MALDI-TOF MS system</td>
			<td>Bruker Daltonics Inc</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>MALDI-TOF MS instrument</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>BD&#160;Syringe with Luer-Lok Tips</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>14-823-16E</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>BD&#160;Vacutainer General Use Syringe Needles</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>23-021-020</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Bruker Daltonics&#160;GLASS SLIDES MALDI IMAGNG</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>NC0380464</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Drierite, with indicator, 8 mesh, ACROS Organics</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>AC219095000</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Epson Perfection V600 Photo Scanner</td>
			<td>Amazon</td>
			<td>Perfection V600</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Fisherbrand&#160;5-Place Slide Mailer</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>HS15986</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Fisherbrand&#160;Digital Auto-Range Multimeter</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>01-241-1</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>FlexImaging v3.0</td>
			<td>Bruker Daltonics Inc</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Bruker MS imaging analysis software</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>HPLC Grade Methanol</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>MMX04751</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>HPLC Grade Water</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>W5-1</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>HTX M5 Sprayer</td>
			<td>HTX Technologies, LLC</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Automatic heated matrix sprayer</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Kimberly-Clark Professional&#160;Kimtech Science Kimwipes Delicate Task Wipers</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>06-666A</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>MSC&#160;Ziploc Freezer Bag</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>50-111-3769</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>SCiLS Lab (2015b)</td>
			<td>SCiLS Lab</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Advanced MALDI MSI data analysis software</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Thermo Scientific&#160;CryoStar NX50 Cryostat</td>
			<td>Fisher Thermo Scientific</td>
			<td>95-713-0</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Thermo Scientific&#160;Nalgene Transparent Polycarbonate Classic Design Desiccator</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>08-642-7</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

sample preparation for rapid lipid analysis in drosophila brain using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging

Lipid profiling, or lipidomics, is a well-established technique used to study the entire lipid content of a cell or tissue. Information acquired from&#160;lipidomics is valuable in studying the pathways involved in development, disease, and cellular metabolism. Many tools and instrumentations have aided lipidomics projects, most notably various combinations of mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography techniques. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI MSI) has recently emerged as a powerful imaging technique that complements conventional approaches. This novel technique provides unique information on the spatial distribution of lipids within tissue compartments, which was previously unattainable without the use of excessive modifications. The sample preparation of the MALDI MSI approach is critical and, therefore, is the focus of this paper. This paper presents a rapid lipid analysis of a large number of Drosophila brains embedded in optimal cutting temperature compound (OCT) to provide a detailed protocol for the preparation of small tissues for lipid analysis or metabolite and small molecule analysis through MALDI MSI.

The loss of the neuronal receptor LpR1 of the astrocyte-secreted lipocalin Glial Lazarillo (GLaz), a Drosophila homolog of human ApoD, was hypothesized to be able to cause a decrease in overall lipid content in the Drosophila brain. To test this, MALDI MSI was used to profile the lipids in LpR1&#8722;/&#8722; mutant and wild-type Drosophila brains, which is elaborated on below.
The experiment was performed according to the workflow shown in <stron...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Sample Preparation for Rapid Lipid Analysis in Drosophila Brain Using Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectrometry Imaging at JoVE.com

Sample Preparation for Rapid Lipid Analysis in Drosophila Brain Using Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectrometry Imaging

The aim of this protocol is to provide detailed guidance on the proper sample preparation for lipid and metabolite analysis in small tissues, such as the Drosophila brain, using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry imaging.

Sample Preparation for Rapid Lipid Analysis in Drosophila Brain Using Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectrometry Imaging

Lipid profiling, or lipidomics, is a well-established technique used to study the entire lipid content of a cell or tissue. Information acquired ...

Maldi MS spectrometry imaging is an established and useful tool to identify and visualize lipid abundance and distribution, without excessive sample modification. The main advantage of Maldi imaging is its ability to detect the lipids in situ without labeling, and analyze large population of samples simultaneously. Practice makes perfect.Make sure you practice well before processing the real experimental samples. Minimize the sample preparation time and avoid contamination throughout the procedure. To begin, add the optimal cutting temperature, or OCT into a plastic cryomold to half of the depth of the cryo mold while avoiding bubble formation.Leave the mold on a flat surface for several minutes and then transfer it onto dry ice. Keep the cryomold flat on the dry ice and allow the OCT to form a flat and even surface. Wait until the OCT is fully solidified in the mold.Use the frozen OCT stages immediately, or store them at minus 80 degrees Celsius. After anesthetizing the adult flies Using carbon dioxide, prepare a Petri dish containing a piece of laboratory wipe. Use water to moisten part of the wipe to reduce the static electricity.Keep the wipe half wet and half dry. After cutting the fly head under a dissecting scope one, collect four to five heads and put them onto the dry area of the laboratory wipe. Take the OCT stage from dry ice to microscope two.Immediately transfer the heads to the OCT stage and arrange them quickly, which takes around 30 to 60 seconds to avoid OCT melting. Leave around one millimeter of blank space around each fly brain to ensure adequate support from the OCT and four to five millimeters of blank space from the edge of the block to provide adequate room to handle the section. Put the OCT stage back onto the dry ice and let it stay on for around three minutes to make sure the OCT stage remains frozen and solid.After all the fly heads are aligned, let the OCT stage sit on dry ice for another five to 10 minutes. Transfer the OCT stage from the dry ice to a flat surface and then quickly add a large amount of OCT compound to cover all the samples and fill the whole cryomold, which takes around three seconds. Immediately transfer the cryomold back to dry ice and freeze the whole OCT block containing the embedded tissues.Let the OCT stage sit on the dry ice for another five to 10 minutes. Label the samples on the margin of the cryomold and store the frozen samples at minus 80 degrees Celsius until ready for sectioning. Confirm the ITO coded side by testing the conductivity of the ITO slides using a volt meter set to resistance.Mark the side with a resistance measurement as the side to adhere the tissue to. Label it and always set a laboratory wipe on the bottom of the slide to avoid slide contamination. Then, allow the tissues to equilibrate in the cryostat chamber for 30 to 45 minutes.Clean the cryostat, preferably with 70%ethanol. Wipe the roll plate in stage and remove the used blades. Use additional clean wipes to ensure that the ethanol has evaporated and that all the surfaces are dry before sectioning begins.Next, adjust the temperature of the cryostat chamber sand specimen head according to the type of the tissue. Mount the tissue on the specimen holder using OCT. Be careful to use enough OCT to cover the base of the OCT block and mount the block as flat as possible.Place a clean blade on the stage and lock it. Position the head of the specimen toward the stage as needed to achieve the desired cutting angle. Then begin the cutting in thick sections until the region of interest is found.Constantly brush off the extra pieces with a pre-cooled artist brush to keep the stage clean. Adjust the chamber temperature slightly as necessary and change the thickness of the sections to 10 to 12 micrometers once the desired region is reached. Carefully collect the desired section.Take a room temperature ITO slide and position it over the section. Approach the section gently and adhere it to the slide without leaving traces on the cryostat stage. Place the slide aside in a rack, or laboratory wipe outside the cryostat between the collections of multiple sections.If comparison across different samples of the same cohort is desired, place the sections from multiple samples onto a single slide so that they can be analyzed simultaneously to minimize variation. If necessary, separate to two slides, as the Maldi target holder can accommodate two slides in a single run. Transport the slides in a vacuum box to a desiccate with desiccate as the bottom layer.Drive the slides under a vacuum for 30 to 60 minutes, then proceed to the matrix deposition. Use two five dihydroxy benzoic acid, or DHB, in methanol water as the matrix. Place the slides into a slide transporter and securely seal the opening with the wax film.Seal with the zip bag. Place it into another zip bag containing desiccant. Label the outside and ship the sample to Maldi core facilities with adequate dry eyes.For the matrix deposition, use 40 milligrams per milliliter of DHB and methanol water as the matrix and spray it using an automatic HTX M5 matrix sprayer. Use nitrogen gas pressure of 10 PSI. Use a Maldi time of flight, MS instrument and positive ion mode to acquire a mass spectrum.Calibrate the instrument by spotting 0.5 microliters of red phosphorus emulsion in aceto Nitro onto the ITO slides. Use it spectra to calibrate the instrument in the 100 to 1000 MZ mass range by applying a quadratic calibration curve. Set the laser spot diameters to medium as it is the modulated beam profile for 40 micrometer raster width, and gather imaging data by summing 500 shots at a laser repetition rate of 1000 hertz per array position.Then record the spectral data. Perform the imaging data analysis using root mean square normalization to generate ion images at a bandwidth of plus minus 0.10 Dalton. Align the spectra of both the OCT and brain tissue from the same experiment using the software to evaluate the overlapping peaks in the ion suppression interference of the OCT.Finally, process the MALDI slides containing the tissue samples by hematoxylin and eosin, or H and E staining. Images from Maldi MS analysis revealed a general decrease in the lipid contents in the LPR1 knockout mutant brain. The representative H and E stained adult fly brain sections are shown here.The lipid species, their respective MZ values, and the scales of the heat map are also indicated in this image. The average fold of reduction in the LPR1 knockout mutant as compared to the controls from at least four biological replicates, are shown as numbers next to the arrows. The mass spectrum of the selected blank OCT region in the brain tissue region from both the control and mutant flies are shown in the range of MZ1 to 1000 and MZ520 to 900.The interference of OCT is associated with both ion suppression phenomena and overlapping signal issues. To maintain the fidelity of lipidomics data, appropriate sample preparation, dissection, and cryo sectioning are crucial. After performing the Maldi experiment, the identities of the lipids can be verified through LCMS, also known as liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry based lipodomics.This technique gains molecular insights on brain lipids homeostasis by using the powerful to soft model system which paves the way to understand human disease related metabolic changes in the brain.

sample-preparation-for-rapid-lipid-analysis-drosophila-brain-using

Research

JoVE Journal

Biology

3.0K vistas.  the City University of New York, Graduate Center New York. Las imágenes de espectrometría Maldi MS son una herramienta establecida y útil para identificar y visualizar la abundancia y distribución de lípidos, sin una modificación excesiva de la muestra. La principal ventaja de las imágenes Maldi es su capacidad para detectar los lípidos in situ sin etiquetar, y analizar una gran población de muestras simultáneamente. La práctica hace al maestro.Asegúrese de practicar bien antes de procesar las muestras experimentales reales. Minimi...