Multi-site N-Glycan mapping study 2: UHPLC.

In the first part of this publication, the results from an international study evaluating the precision (i.e., repeatability and reproducibility) of N-glycosylation analysis using capillary electrophoresis of APTS-labeled N-glycans were presented. The corresponding results from ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) with fluorescence detection are presented here from 12 participating sites. All participants used the same lot of samples, reagents, and columns to perform the assays. Elution time, peak area and peak area percent values were determined for all peaks ≥0.1% peak area, and statistical analysis was performed following ISO 5725-2 guideline principles. The results demonstrated adequate reproducibility, within any given site as well across all sites, indicating that standard UHPLC-based N-glycan analysis platforms are appropriate for general use.

Boronic acid lectin affinity chromatography (BLAC). 3. Temperature dependence of glycoprotein isolation and enrichment.

In this paper, the effect of temperature is investigated on the performance of glycoprotein enrichment by boronic acid lectin affinity chromatography (BLAC). Wheat germ agglutinin and m-aminophenyl boronic acid containing stationary phases were evaluated individually and in a mixed mode using an automated liquid handling robot with an integrated 96-well plate temperature controller. Glycoaffinity enrichment of the model proteins of ribonuclease B and trypsin inhibitor was investigated in the presence of the non-glycosylated proteins of myoglobin (neutral) and lysozyme (basic) at a wide temperature range of 5-65 degrees C. Our results revealed that glycoaffinity micropartitioning at the temperature of 25 degrees C provided the highest recovery rate for glycoprotein enrichment. We have also found that a large amount of lysozyme was present in the elution fractions of the m-aminophenyl boronic acid containing micropartitioning columns due to ion-exchange mechanism occurring between the positively charged protein and the negatively charged stationary phase at the operation pH. On the other hand, at high temperature (65 degrees C), non-specific interactions with the agarose carrier prevailed, evidenced by the presence of myoglobin in the eluate.

Sample preparation for the analysis of complex carbohydrates by multicapillary gel electrophoresis with light-emitting diode induced fluorescence detection.

This paper evaluates various sample preparation methods for multicapillary gel electrophoresis based glycan analysis to support electrokinetic injection. First the removal of excess derivatization reagent is discussed. Although the Sephadex G10 filled multiscreen 96-well filter plate and Sephadex G10 filled pipet tips enabled increased analysis sensitivity, polyamide DPA-6S pipet tips worked particularly well. In this latter case an automated liquid handling system was used to increase purification throughput, necessary to feed the multicapillary electrophoresis unit. Problems associated with the high glucose content of such biological samples as normal human plasma were solved by applying ultrafiltration. Finally, a volatile buffer system was developed for exoglycosidase-based carbohydrate analysis.

Retention controlling and peak shape simulation in anion chromatography using multiple equilibrium model and stochastic theory.

The stochastic theory of chromatography and an equilibrium based approach were used for the prediction of peak shape and retention data of anions. This attempt incorporating the potential advantages of two different chromatographic phenomena for analytical purposes. It is an integrated method to estimate kinetic and thermodynamic properties for the same chromatographic run of ions. The stochastic parameters of eluted anions, such as the residence time of the molecule on the surface of the stationary phase, and the average number of adsorption steps were determined on the basis of a retention database of organic and inorganic anions (formate, chloride, bromide, nitrate, sulphate, oxalate, phosphate) obtained by using carbonate/bicarbonate eluent system at different pHs (9-11) and concentrations (7-13 mM). In the investigated IC system the residence times are much higher and the average number of sorption steps is somewhat smaller than in RP-HPLC. The simultaneous application of the stochastic and the multispecies eluent/analyte model was utilized to peak shape simulation and the retention controlling of various anions under elution conditions of practical importance. The similarities between the measured and the calculated chromatograms indicates the predictive and simulation power of the combined application of the stochastic theory and the multiple species eluent/analyte retention model.

Boronic acid lectin affinity chromatography (BLAC). 2. Affinity micropartitioning-mediated comparative glycosylation profiling.

As a continuation of our work on boronic acid lectin affinity chromatography (BLAC), in this paper we introduce an automated affinity micropartitioning approach using combined boronic acid and concanavalin A (BLAC/Con A) resin-filled micropipette tips to isolate and enrich human serum glycoproteins. The N-linked oligosaccharides of the partitioned glycoproteins were removed by PNGase F enzyme digestion, followed by 8-aminopyrene-1,3,6-trisulfonic acid labeling. Capillary gel electrophoresis with blue LED-induced fluorescence detection was applied in a multiplexed format for comparative glycan profiling. The efficiency of BLAC affinity micropartitioning was compared with that of the individual lectin and pseudolectin affinity enrichment. Finally, we report on our findings in glycosylation differences in human serum samples from healthy and prostate cancer patients by applying BLAC/Con A micropipette tip-based enrichment and comparative multicapillary gel electrophoresis analysis of the released and labeled glycans.

Multi-Site N-glycan mapping study 1: Capillary electrophoresis - laser induced fluorescence.

An international team that included 20 independent laboratories from biopharmaceutical companies, universities, analytical contract laboratories and national authorities in the United States, Europe and Asia was formed to evaluate the reproducibility of sample preparation and analysis of N-glycans using capillary electrophoresis of 8-aminopyrene-1,3,6-trisulfonic acid (APTS)-labeled glycans with laser induced fluorescence (CE-LIF) detection (16 sites) and ultra high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC, 12 sites; results to be reported in a subsequent publication). All participants used the same lot of chemicals, samples, reagents, and columns/capillaries to run their assays. Migration time, peak area and peak area percent values were determined for all peaks with >0.1% peak area. Our results demonstrated low variability and high reproducibility, both, within any given site as well across all sites, which indicates that a standard N-glycan analysis platform appropriate for general use (clone selection, process development, lot release, etc.) within the industry can be established.

Analytical aspects of biosimilarity issues of protein drugs.

The term "biosimilar" is used to designate a follow-on biologic that meets extremely high standards for comparability or similarity to the originator biologic drug that is approved for use in the same indications. Use of biosimilar products has already decreased the cost of treatment in many regions of the world and now a regulatory pathway for approval of these products has been established both in US and in the EU. The analytical tests to demonstrate comparability and similarity of a biosimilar product to a reference drug with respect to protein content, activity, physiochemical integrity, stability, impurities and additives, as well as immunogenicity are discussed.