Urine 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG), a Specific Marker of Oxidative Stress, Using Direct, Isocratic LC-MS/MS: Method Evaluation and Application in Study of Biological Variation in Healthy Adults

Background: Urine 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG) is a specific biomarker of oxidative stress. We evaluated a modified LC-MS/MS assay for urine 8-oxodG and determined biological variation in healthy adults.

Method: Untreated urine was injected into an isocratic LC-MS/MS system (positive-ion MRM mode). Urine 8-oxodG in 51 healthy volunteers was measured; within- and between-day variations in 23 healthy volunteers were investigated.

Results: Dose-response was linear to 452 nmol/l; limit of detection=2.3 nmol/l; within-run and between-run CVs were <3.0% and <4.7%, respectively; recovery=97%-101%; accuracy=97.7-103.5%. Urine 8-oxodG (median, mean [SD]): 1.70, 1.70[0.60]nmol/mmol creatinine (n=51). Men had higher (p=0.027) concentrations than women matched for age and body mass index: mean [SD]: 1.90[1.60]; n=26 vs. 1.50[0.55]; n=25. Within- and between-day variations were wide but random. No significant differences were seen overall across time-points within 1 day or at the same time-point across 5 consecutive days.

Conclusions: The method has advantages of speed and relative simplicity as it does not require sample pre-treatment for 8-oxodG extraction, the use of internal standard or gradient LC elution and has high linearity, specificity, precision and recovery. Biological variation in urine 8-oxodG is wide, but no within- or between-day differences at the group concentration were seen in healthy adults.