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Clinical determination of folates: recent analytical strategies and challenges

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Abstract

Since the introduction of liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry in clinical laboratories, folate analysis has shifted from microbiological or protein-binding assays to chromatographic methods. Now, it is possible to sensitively and selectively determine several folate species in clinical samples where only a total folate content could be quantified using a microbiological or a binding assay. Although several chromatographic methods have been developed, validated, and published, interlaboratory variability limits the comparability of the results. In this review, we provide an overview of the latest strategies for sampling, sample treatment, and analysis and how these may influence the final analytical result. Among the variables covered are the effect of pH, temperature, and storage and the use of antioxidants and anticoagulants on analyte stability. In addition, we highlight the importance of correct assay calibration and the use of (labeled) certified reference materials in order to obtain correct and comparable results among different laboratories.

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Funding

The folate research of the authors was supported by GOA 01G00409 and BOF18/GOA/042 (Bijzonder Onderzoeksfonds UGent), IWT.141529 (Agentschap voor Innovatie door Wetenschap en Technologie), and 1S61617N (Fonds voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek - Vlaanderen).

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  1. Jana Verstraete and Filip Kiekens contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Toxicology, Department of Bio-Analysis, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000, Ghent, Belgium

    Jana Verstraete, Filip Kiekens & Christophe P. Stove

  2. Laboratory of Functional Plant Biology, Department of Physiology, Ghent University, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, 9000, Ghent, Belgium

    Simon Strobbe & Dominique Van Der Straeten

  3. Division Agri-Food Marketing & Chain Management, Department of Agricultural Economics, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000, Ghent, Belgium

    Hans De Steur & Xavier Gellynck

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  1. Jana Verstraete
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Published in the topical collection Young Investigators in (Bio-)Analytical Chemistry with guest editors Erin Baker, Kerstin Leopold, Francesco Ricci, and Wei Wang.

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Verstraete, J., Kiekens, F., Strobbe, S. et al. Clinical determination of folates: recent analytical strategies and challenges. Anal Bioanal Chem 411, 4383–4399 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-019-01574-y

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