Analysis of O-glycans as 9-fluorenylmethyl derivatives and its application to the studies on glycan array

Anal Chem. 2013 Mar 19;85(6):3325-33. doi: 10.1021/ac303771q. Epub 2013 Mar 1.

Abstract

A method is proposed for the analysis of O-glycans as 9-fluorenylmethyl (Fmoc) derivatives. After releasing the O-glycans from the protein backbone in the presence of ammonia-based media, the glycosylamines thus formed are conveniently labeled with Fmoc-Cl and analyzed by HPLC and MALDI-TOF MS after easy purification. Fmoc labeled O-glycans showed 3.5 times higher sensitivities than those labeled with 2-aminobenzoic acid in fluorescent detection. Various types of O-glycans having sialic acids, fucose, and/or sulfate residues were successfully labeled with Fmoc and analyzed by HPLC and MALDI-TOF MS. The method was applied to the comprehensive analysis of O-glycans expressed on MKN45 cells (human gastric adenocarcinoma). In addition, Fmoc-derivatized O-glycans were easily converted to free hemiacetal or glycosylamine-form glycans that are available for fabrication of glycan array and neoglycoproteins. To demonstrate the availability of our methods, we fabricate the glycan array with Fmoc labeled glycans derived from mucin samples and cancer cells. The model studies using the glycan array showed clear interactions between immobilized glycans and some lectins.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cattle
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / methods
  • Fluorenes / chemistry*
  • Humans
  • Polysaccharides / analysis*
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization / methods*
  • Swine

Substances

  • Fluorenes
  • Polysaccharides
  • 1-(9-fluorenyl)methyl chloroformate