LC–MS/MS quantification of a neuropeptide fragment kisspeptin-10 (NSC 741805) and characterization of its decomposition product and pharmacokinetics in rats

The kisspeptins are critical regulators of mammalian reproduction. Kisspeptin-10 (45YNWNSFGLRF-NH254, kisspeptin-112–121 or metastin 45–54, NSC 741805), an active fragment of kisspeptin, has been shown to be a potent stimulator of gonadotropin-releasing hormone and secretion of luteinizing hormone in both rodents and primates. This shorter peptide fragment may have clinical utility potential and it is important to characterize its pharmacokinetic property. Recently, the pharmacokinetics of both kisspeptin-54 and kisspeptin-10 were characterized in humans using a radioimmunoassay (RIA), which measures only the immunoreactive kisspeptin (kisspeptin-IR). In this study, a highly sensitive and specific LC–MS/MS assay was developed to quantify kisspeptin-10 levels in rat plasma. The lower limit of quantitation (LLOQ) was 0.5 ng/mL, the within-day and between-day coefficient of variations (CVs) ranged from 5.2 to 15.4% and 1.3 to 14.2%, and the accuracy values ranged from 98 to 114% and 99 to 105%, respectively. With this method, stability studies demonstrated that kisspeptin-10 degraded rapidly with decomposition half-lives of 6.8 min, 2.9 min and 1.7 min at 4 °C, 25 °C, and 37 °C, respectively. The principal decomposition product was characterized as the N-terminal tyrosine deleted kisspeptin-10 46NWDSFGLRF-NH254. Pharmacokinetic study in rats showed that low ng/mL kisspeptin-10 was detected in the first few minutes, and eliminated rapidly and became undetectable 30 min after intravenous (i.v.) bolus administration of 1.0 mg/kg kisspeptin-10.

► First LC–MS/MS method to measure kisspeptin-10 (Metastin) in rat plasma. ► The LLOQ is 0.5 ng/mL with CVs (<16%) and accuracy (85–115%). ► Capable of characterizing the pharmacokinetics of metastin up to 30 min in rats. ► A N-terminal tyrosine deleted kisspeptin-10 46NWDSFGLRF-NH254 metabolite characterized.