Determination of urinary 12(S)-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry with column-switching technique: sex difference in healthy volunteers and patients with diabetes mellitus

We developed a determination method for human urinary 12-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (12-HETE) using LC–MS–MS. This method, which includes simple extraction and detection in the SRM mode, allows precise and accurate determination of 12-HETE. There was a significant sex difference in urinary 12-HETE levels. Chiral analysis of 12-HETE using LC–MS–MS with column-switching technique revealed that the major enantiomer was 12(S)-HETE. Furthermore, the urinary level in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) was analyzed. The present in vivo findings indicate that there could be difference in production of 12(S)-HETE between genders and 12(S)-HETE may play a role in the pathogenesis of DM.