RESUMO
Urine, amniotic fluid and ascitic fluid samples of galactosialidosis patients were analyzed and structurally characterized for free oligosaccharides using capillary high-performance anion-exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection and online mass spectrometry. In addition to the expected endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase-cleaved products of complex-type sialylated N-glycans, O-sulfated oligosaccharide moieties were detected. Moreover, novel carbohydrate moieties with reducing-end hexose residues were detected. On the basis of structural features such as a hexose-N-acetylhexosamine-hexose-hexose consensus sequence and di-sialic acid units, these oligosaccharides are thought to represent, at least in part, glycan moieties of glycosphingolipids. In addition, C(1)-oxidized, aldohexonic acid-containing versions of most of these oligosaccharides were observed. These observations suggest an alternative catabolism of glycosphingolipids in galactosialidosis patients: oligosaccharide moieties from glycosphingolipids would be released by a hitherto unknown ceramide glycanase activity. The results show the potential and versatility of the analytical approach for structural characterization of oligosaccharides in various body fluids.