
Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) started with spatial mapping of peptides and proteins. Since then, numerous bottom-up protocols have been developed. However, achievable spatial resolution and sample preparation with many wet steps hindered the development of single cell-level workflows for bottom-up spatial proteomics. This study presents a protocol optimized for MALDI-MSI measurements of single cells within the context of their 2D culture. Sublimation of CHCA, followed by a dip in ice-cold ammonium phosphate monobasic (AmP), produced peptide-rich mass spectra while maintaining matrix crystal sizes around 400 nm. This enables MALDI-MSI imaging of proteins in single cells grown on an ITO slide with a throughput of approximately 7800 cells per day. 89 peptide-like features corresponding to a single MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell were detected. Furthermore, by combining the MALDI-MSI data with LC-MS/MS data obtained on cell pellets, we have successfully identified 24 peptides corresponding to 17 proteins, including actin, vimentin, and transgelin-2.
Proteomics, Breast Neoplasms, mass spectrometry imaging, single-cell, high spatial resolution, proteomics, Tandem Mass Spectrometry, Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization, Cell Line, Tumor, Humans, Single-Cell Analysis, Peptides, MALDI, MSI, Chromatography, Liquid
Proteomics, Breast Neoplasms, mass spectrometry imaging, single-cell, high spatial resolution, proteomics, Tandem Mass Spectrometry, Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization, Cell Line, Tumor, Humans, Single-Cell Analysis, Peptides, MALDI, MSI, Chromatography, Liquid
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