Detection of altered N-glycan profiles in whole serum from rheumatoid arthritis patients

J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci. 2007 Jun 15;853(1-2):133-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jchromb.2007.03.003. Epub 2007 Mar 19.

Abstract

Altered N-glycosylation occurs in many diseases. In rheumatoid arthritis (RA), for example, reduction in galactose residues in IgG and an increase in fucose residues in alpha1-acid glycoprotein have been observed. To further analyse N-glycans in disease, we show N-glycan profiling from whole serum employing reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography/negative-ion mode by sonic spray ionization ion trap mass spectrometry with pyridylamination. Profiles from female 15 RA patients and 18 aged-matched healthy women were compared. The most significant change seen in RA was decreased levels of mono-galactosyl bi-antennary N-glycans, in agreement with the previous reports regarding IgG. We also show previously unreported differences between isomers and increased tri-antennary oligosaccharides. These results indicate that LC-MS analysis of whole serum N-glycans can identify N-glycan alterations in RA and that this is a promising method both for studies of RA mechanisms and diagnosis.

MeSH terms

  • Arthritis, Rheumatoid / blood*
  • Carbohydrate Sequence
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / methods*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mass Spectrometry / methods*
  • Middle Aged
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Polysaccharides / blood*
  • Polysaccharides / chemistry
  • Reproducibility of Results

Substances

  • Polysaccharides