Spatial Metabolomics

Headed by: Dr Mélanie Planque

e-mail: melanie.planque@kuleuven.be

location: O&N5, 9th floor; office 09.190

The Spatial Metabolomics Expertise Center is a research platform collaborating with Scientists from VIB-KU Leuven Center for Cancer Biology, external universities, and private companies to support biological, pharmaceutical, and medical fields in their research. Our Mass Spectrometry Imaging (MSI) platform allows to map the spatial distribution of metabolites, drugs and proteins from a tissue section with state-of-the-art technologies and equipment.

Bulk metabolomics techniques require the extraction of homogenized tissue samples, so it doesn’t allow visualisation of spatial distribution and architecture of the metabolism. MSI on the other hand allows a deeper knowledge of small molecule, lipid and protein profiles in situ at single cell level.

MSI revolutionizes research investigations with the ability to provide spatial information within a tissue or organ section. The Spatial Metabolomics Center can provide the best expertise to help in your research by combining state-of-the-art equipment: Desorption Electrospray Ionization DESI-MSI and Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization MALDI-MSI. Each MSI experiment results in the simultaneous detection of hundreds of molecules that can be combined with H&E staining, RNAscope, and other multi-omics technics on the same tissue section. The integration of Spatial Metabolomics with other Expertise Center platforms is one of our main goals to provide the best support to your research.

Our mission:

Provide high quality service, training, and support to integrate MS imaging data to your field of expertise
Detection of several hundreds of molecules: metabolites, free fatty acids, drugs and proteins
Generate high quality data with state-of-the-art equipment
Provide mass spectrometry images of tissue sections with a high spatial resolution
Confirmation of MSI metabolite identification by MS/MS or LC-MS
Development of innovative methods fitting your research needs
Integration of Spatial Metabolomics with other multi-omics platform
Provide isotopologue distribution of labelled infusion (13C, 15N, D..) organs for a thorough understanding of metabolite pathways

If you want to do Spatial Lipidomics, please contact Prof. Swinnen.

In-house equipment

TimsTOFfleX Maldi II (Bruker)

Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization MALDI-MSI is a soft ionization technique providing spatial visualization of metabolites within a tissue without its deterioration A matrix is applied directly on the tissue section to form co-crystals with metabolites. The matrix is ionized during the laser radiation absorption and charges are transferred to the analysts, resulting in their desorption and ionization. The choice of the matrix determines the ionization efficiency of the different metabolites and the acquisition mode (negative or positive).

The TimsTOFfleX Maldi II allows the simultaneous measurement of several hundreds of molecules with a high scan speed.

We developed a method enabling the simultaneous detection of crucial metabolomics pathways:

TCA cycle intermediate
Glycolysis / Pentose phosphate pathway
Amino acids: Glutamine, Glutamic acid, aspartic acid, serine, arginine
Nucleotides
Free fatty acids
and many others

The TimsTOFfleX MALDI II also has a second laser for post-ionization to improve the sensitivity of some compounds which is ideal for low abundance metabolites.

Mass spectrometry imaging technics don’t allow the separation of compounds with the same or highly similar mass to charge ratio (m/z). The Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometer (TIMS) is an ion mobility spectrometry providing orthogonal separation enabling the possibility to separate compounds with the same m/z.

DESI XS SELECT SERIES MRT – MALDI/DESI XS SELECT SERIES MRT (Waters)

Desorption Electrospray Ionization (DESI) uses an electrospray source of highly charged aqueous spray droplets under ambient conditions to gently desorb and ionize analyte molecules from the sample surface. DESI imaging provides information on the spatial distribution of molecules without any sample preparation.

The SELECT SERIES MRT uses a multiple reflections technology allowing the measurement of complex samples with an ultra-high resolution and specificity over a broad mass range and scan speeds.

DESI- and MALDI- MSI are complementary techniques to identify in situ hundreds of metabolites and the possibility to perform single cell analysis within tissues. The DESI XS SELECT SERIES MRT and MALDI/DESI XS SELECT SERIES MRT are available since february2023.

The DESI XS is ideal for the measurement of small metabolites (amino acids, lactic acid, pyruvic acid…) that cannot be measured with MALDI due to matrix cluster (matrix peak at m/z < 500). The high resolution of the SELECT SERIES MRT will be a real asset for the measurement of isotopologues and metabolites with a higher specificity.