The oxysterol and cholestenoic acid profile of mouse cerebrospinal fluid

Oxysterols and cholestenoic acids are oxidised forms of cholesterol with a host of biological functions. The possible roles of oxysterols in various neurological diseases makes the analysis of these metabolites in the central nervous system of particular interest. Here, we report the identification and quantification of a panel of twelve sterols in mouse cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry exploiting enzyme assisted derivatisation for sterol analysis technology. We found low levels of oxysterols and cholestenoic acids in CSF in the range of 5 pg/mL–2.6 ng/mL. As found in man, these concentrations are one to two orders of magnitude lower than in plasma.