Ultra-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC/MS/MS) and UPLC/MSE analysis of RNA oligonucleotides

Fast and efficient ultra-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC/MS/MS) analysis of short interfering RNA oligonucleotides was used for identity confirmation of the target sequence-related impurities. Multiple truncated oligonucleotides and metabolites were identified based on the accurate mass, and their presumed sequence was confirmed by MS/MS and MSE (alternating low and elevated collision energy scanning modes) methods. Based on the resulting fragmentation of native and chemically modified oligonucleotides, it was found that the MSE technique is as efficient as the traditional MS/MS method, yet MSE is more general, faster, and capable of producing higher signal intensities of fragment ions. Fragmentation patterns of modified oligonucleotides were investigated using RNA 2'-ribose substitutions, phosphorothioate RNA, and LNA modifications. The developed sequence confirmation method that uses the MSC approach was applied to the analysis of in vitro hydrolyzed RNA oligonucleotide. The target RNA and metabolites, including the structural isomers, were resolved by UPLC, and their identity was confirmed by MSE. Simultaneous RNA truncations from both termini were observed. The UPLC quadrupole time-of-flight (QTOF) MS/MS and MSE methods were shown to be an effective tool for the analysis and sequence confirmation of complex oligonucleotide mixtures. Copyright (C) 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.