Assay for determination of daunorubicin in cancer cells with multidrug resistance phenotype

A sensitive assay for direct determination of intracellular level of daunorubicin (DRN) in resistant leukemia cells with overexpressed P-glycoprotein has been developed. This assay is based on a rapid separation of cells from media and fast cut-off of DRN transportation by centrifugation of cells through a layer of silicone oil. Cell pellets were extracted using 1% (v/v) formic acid in 50% (v/v) ethanol in water. The cell extracts were subsequently analysed by liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled a low-energy collision tandem mass spectrometer equipped with an electrospray ionization source (ESI–CID–MS/MS) operated in the multiple-reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. Calibration curve was linear from 0.4 to 250 nM with correlation coefficient (r2) better than 0.998. The limit of quantitation (LOQ) was 0.4 nM. The assay has been successfully applied to a determination of intracellular content of daunorubicin in sensitive K562 and resistant K562/Dox and K562/HHT300 cells.