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Rapid and sensitive MALDI MS analysis of oligosaccharides by using 2-hydrazinopyrimidine as a derivative reagent and co-matrix

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Abstract

Sensitive analysis of oligosaccharides by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) is significantly hampered by the low ionization efficiency of oligosaccharides. Derivatization affords a feasible way to enhance the MALDI intensities of oligosaccharides by introducing an easily ionized and/or hydrophobic tag to their reducing ends. However, tagging and subsequent desalting processes are quite time-consuming. Herein, we develop a rapid and sensitive approach for oligosaccharide derivatization by using 2-hydrazinopyrimidine (2-HPM). As a result of the presence of an electron-withdrawing N-heterocycle, 2-HPM can quantitatively derivatize oligosaccharides within 15 min and selectively facilitate their ionization. Additionally, 2-HPM acts as co-matrix to enhance the MALDI signal of oligosaccharides, and therefore the tedious enrichment and purification processes prior to MALDI analysis are avoided. This approach is applied to the analysis of various oligosaccharides released from glycopeptides, glycoprotein, and biological samples. After derivatization, a significant increase of MALDI intensities (greater than 10-fold) was observed for all the tested neutral and sialylated oligosaccharides. Moreover, the enhanced fragmentation of MS/MS brings much convenience to the structural elucidation of oligosaccharides.

Improved MALDI MS analysis of oligosaccharides by using 2-hydrazinopyrimidine as a derivative tag and co-matrix

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Acknowledgments

We sincerely thank Georgia Research Alliance (GRA) and Georgia State University for purchasing the analytical instrument used in this research. This work was financially supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program, grant no. 2012CB910303), National Natural Science Foundation of China (31470795), Tianjin Municipal Science and Technology Commission (15JCYBJC24100) and China Scholarship Council (201506200006).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology and College of Pharmacy, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Drug Research, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300353, China

    Kuan Jiang, Lianwen Zhang & Peng George Wang

  2. Center for Diagnostics & Therapeutics and Department of Chemistry, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, 30303, USA

    Kuan Jiang, Arya Aloor, Jiangyao Qu, Cong Xiao, Zhigang Wu, Cheng Ma & Peng George Wang

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  1. Kuan Jiang
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  2. Arya Aloor
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  3. Jiangyao Qu
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  4. Cong Xiao
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  5. Zhigang Wu
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  6. Cheng Ma
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  7. Lianwen Zhang
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  8. Peng George Wang
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Correspondence to Lianwen Zhang or Peng George Wang.

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Published in the topical collection Glycomics, Glycoproteomics and Allied Topics with guest editors Yehia Mechref and David Muddiman.

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Jiang, K., Aloor, A., Qu, J. et al. Rapid and sensitive MALDI MS analysis of oligosaccharides by using 2-hydrazinopyrimidine as a derivative reagent and co-matrix. Anal Bioanal Chem 409, 421–429 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-016-9690-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-016-9690-x

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