A quantitative LC–MS/MS method for determination of a small molecule agonist of EphA2 in mouse plasma and brain tissue

Compound 27 {1, 12-bis[4-(4-amino-6,7-dimethoxyquinazolin-2-yl)piperazin-1-yl]dodecane-1,12-dione} is a novel small molecule agonist of EphA2 receptor tyrosine kinase. It showed much improved activity for the activation of EphA2 receptor compared with the parental compound doxazosin. To support further pharmacological and toxicological studies of the compound, a method using liquid chromatography and electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) has been developed for the quantification of this compound. Liquid–liquid extraction was used to extract the compound from mouse plasma and brain tissue homogenate. Reverse-phase chromatography with gradient elution was performed to separate compound 27 from the endogenous molecules in the matrix, followed by MS detection using positive ion multiple reaction monitoring mode. Multiple reaction monitoring transitions m/z 387.3 → 290.1 and m/z 384.1 → 247.1 were selected for monitoring compound 27 and internal standard prazosin, respectively. The linear calibration range was 2–200 ng/mL with the intra- and inter-day precision and accuracy within the acceptable range. This method was successfully applied to the quantitative analysis of compound 27 in mouse plasma and brain tissue with different drug administration routes.