In-line SPE-CE using a fritless bead string design--application for the analysis of organic sulfonates including inline SPE-CE-MS for APTS-labeled glycans.

Despite many advantages like high separation efficiency CE comprises the main limitation of low concentration sensitivity, when compared to HPLC. In-line SPE is an efficient way to increase concentration sensitivity. Here, a fritless in-line-SPE-CE-MS method was developed in order to analyze anions of strong acids. Mixed-mode (weak anion exchange and RP) particles were used for enrichment and an acidic BGE was applied for separation. Different particle and capillary sizes were tested. A novel bead string design with a 100 µm id column filled with particles of 90 µm followed by a separation capillary with 50 µm id was easy to prepare and showed the best performance with respect to separation efficiency and reproducibility. Three aromatic sulfonic acids were employed in an in-line SPE-CE-UV approach for method development. Method validation was performed with respect to reproducibility, robustness, and linearity. Thereafter the method was transferred to SPE-CE-MS and applied to the analysis of glycans labeled with 8-aminopyrene-1,3,6-trisulfonic acid. Lower limits of detection in the low nM range were achieved injecting about 10 µL of sample. This corresponds to an enrichment factor of more than 800 compared to the corresponding CE-MS method without preconcentration.

Capillary electrophoresis/mass spectrometry of APTS-labeled glycans for the identification of unknown glycan species in capillary electrophoresis/laser-induced fluorescence systems.

The examination of protein glycosylation is of high importance, especially in the (bio)pharmaceutical sector. The analysis of protein glycosylation is conducted routinely in high performance by capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence (CE/LIF) using 8-aminopyrene-1,3,6-trisulfonic acid (APTS)-labeled glycans. In this work we present an optimized capillary electrophoresis/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (CE/TOF-MS) methodology for these labeled glycans, which combines the high separation performance of CE with the high resolution, accuracy, and speed of TOF-MS for eased glycan identification. The system based on an acidic background electrolyte (BGE) provides a migration direction analogue to routine CE/LIF systems. Different BGE compositions, capillary dimensions, coatings, and instrumental parameters were tested to optimize the system with respect to separation efficiency and robustness. Subsequently, the CE/MS method optimized for acidic conditions was compared to an alkaline CE/MS method. Further, the mobilities of six APTS-labeled complex-type N-glycans were compared for both CE/MS methods and two standard CE/LIF approaches. For the acidic and alkaline BGE systems, the mobilities of sialylated glycans were shifted relative to nonsialylated glycans in comparison to common CE/LIF systems. However, in this study a straightforward unequivocal peak assignment was achieved for all unknown glycans in a medium complex glycan mixture from a fusion protein.

Analysis of native and APTS-labeled N-glycans by capillary electrophoresis/time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

The glycosylation of proteins is of particular interest in biopharmaceutical applications. The detailed characterization of glycosylation based on the released carbohydrates is mandatory since the protein stability, folding, and efficacy are strongly dependent on the structural diversity inherent in the glycan moieties of a glycoprotein. For glycan pattern analysis, capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence using 8-aminopyrene-1,3,6-trisulfonic acid (APTS)-labeled glycans is used frequently. In this paper, a robust capillary electrophoresis-mass spectroscopy method both for the analysis of APTS-labeled glycans and unlabeled charged glycans is presented. The background electrolyte consists of 0.7 M ammonia and 0.1 M ε-aminocaproic acid in water/methanol 30:70 (v/v). High separation efficiency including separation of structural isomers was obtained. The method was validated in terms of reproducibility and linearity. Submicromolar sensitivity is achieved with linearity up to 24 µM. The ability to analyze APTS-labeled, as well as unlabeled, charged glycans enables the determination of labeling and ionization efficiency: APTS-labeled glycans show a factor of three better ionization efficiency compared to non-labeled native glycans. The presented method is applied to the analysis of pharmaceutical products. Furthermore, the system can be applied to the analysis of 2-ANSA-labeled glycans, though separation efficiency is limited.

Interlaboratory study on differential analysis of protein glycosylation by mass spectrometry: the ABRF glycoprotein research multi-institutional study 2012.

One of the principal goals of glycoprotein research is to correlate glycan structure and function. Such correlation is necessary in order for one to understand the mechanisms whereby glycoprotein structure elaborates the functions of myriad proteins. The accurate comparison of glycoforms and quantification of glycosites are essential steps in this direction. Mass spectrometry has emerged as a powerful analytical technique in the field of glycoprotein characterization. Its sensitivity, high dynamic range, and mass accuracy provide both quantitative and sequence/structural information. As part of the 2012 ABRF Glycoprotein Research Group study, we explored the use of mass spectrometry and ancillary methodologies to characterize the glycoforms of two sources of human prostate specific antigen (PSA). PSA is used as a tumor marker for prostate cancer, with increasing blood levels used to distinguish between normal and cancer states. The glycans on PSA are believed to be biantennary N-linked, and it has been observed that prostate cancer tissues and cell lines contain more antennae than their benign counterparts. Thus, the ability to quantify differences in glycosylation associated with cancer has the potential to positively impact the use of PSA as a biomarker. We studied standard peptide-based proteomics/glycomics methodologies, including LC-MS/MS for peptide/glycopeptide sequencing and label-free approaches for differential quantification. We performed an interlaboratory study to determine the ability of different laboratories to correctly characterize the differences between glycoforms from two different sources using mass spectrometry methods. We used clustering analysis and ancillary statistical data treatment on the data sets submitted by participating laboratories to obtain a consensus of the glycoforms and abundances. The results demonstrate the relative strengths and weaknesses of top-down glycoproteomics, bottom-up glycoproteomics, and glycomics methods.

Isomerization and epimerization of the aspartyl tetrapeptide Ala-Phe-Asp-GlyOH at pH 10-A CE study.

Isomerization and enantiomerization of Asp in the tetrapeptide Ala-Phe-Asp-GlyOH are studied at pH 10 and 80°C as well as 25°C. CE-MS allowed the distinction between α-Asp and ß-Asp linkages in degradation products based on the ratio of the b and y fragment ions. Besides isomerization and enantiomerization of Asp, enantiomerization of Ala and Phe was also observed at both temperatures by chiral amino acid HPLC analysis using Marfey's reagent for derivatization. The rate of enantiomerization of the amino acids proceeded in the order Asp > Ala > Phe. The CE assay was validated with respect to linearity, LOQ, LOD, and precision and employed to characterize the time course of the degradation of the tetrapeptide upon incubation in borate buffer, pH 10. Isomerization to ß-Asp peptides was identified as the major degradation reaction. The configuration of Asp or Ala affected the half-life of the starting peptide to a minor extent but did not influence the distribution of the individual products under equilibrium conditions at 80°C. Degradation at 25°C proceeded very slowly so that the equilibrium was not reached after 245 days.

The selective determination of sulfates, sulfonates, and phosphates in urine by capillary electrophoresis/mass spectrometry.

Metabolite identification and metabolite profiling are of major importance in the pharmaceutical and clinical context. However, anions of biological relevance such as sulfates, sulfonates, and phosphates are rarely included in common techniques for metabolite studies. In this protocol, we demonstrate a unique method to selectively determine these anions. The method comprises a capillary electrophoresis separation using an acidic background electrolyte (pH ≤ 2) and anodic detection by mass spectrometry via negative electrospray ionization. In this way, only anions of strong acids like sulfates are determined. The selectivity for sulfur-containing species is proved based on the specific isotopic ratios. In conjunction with the accurate mass from the time-of-flight mass spectrometer, the presented method is well suited for clinical and pharmaceutical applications to identify possible metabolites and to quantify known metabolites.

Capillary electrophoresis/mass spectrometry relevant to pharmaceutical and biotechnological applications.

Advanced analytical techniques play a crucial role in the pharmaceutical and biotechnological field. In this context, capillary electrophoresis/mass spectrometry (CE/MS) has attracted attention due to efficient and selective separation in combination with powerful detection allowing identification and detailed characterization. Method developments and applications of CE/MS have been focused on questions not easily accessible by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) as the analysis of intact proteins, carbohydrates, and various small molecules, including peptides. Here, recent approaches and applications of CE/MS relevant to (bio)pharmaceuticals are reviewed and discussed to show actual developments and future prospects. Based on other reviews on related subjects covering large parts of previous works, the paper is focused on general ideas and contributions of the last 2 years; for the analysis of glycans, the period is extended back to 2006.

CE-MS characterization of negatively charged alpha-, beta- and gamma-CD derivatives and their application to the separation of dipeptide and tripeptide enantiomers by CE.

Sulfated, sulfopropyl and carboxymethyl alpha-, beta- and gamma-CDs were characterized by CE-ESI-MS using an acidic BGE with anodic MS detection and a basic BGE with cathodic MS detection. Isomers of the sulfated CDs comigrated in both systems. The acidic BGE with anodic MS detection resulted in slightly better separation of the isomers of the sulfopropyl CDs, which were separated according to the number of substituents. In the case of carboxymethyl CDs, isomers with an identical number of substituents but with a different substitution pattern with regard to substitution of the primary and secondary hydroxyl groups of the CDs could be separated using the basic BGE. The separation of the LL and DD enantiomers of dipeptides and tripeptides using the CDs was studied with regard to the amino acid sequence and the nature of the CDs. Standardized conditions with regard to buffer pH, CD concentration and voltage were applied. The peptides were analyzed at pH 2.5 as positively charged compounds and at pH 5.3 as neutral zwitterions. The beta-CD derivatives were more effective chiral selectors for the investigated peptides followed by the alpha-CD derivatives. The gamma-CDs were the least effective selectors. The enantiomer migration order depended on both the CD and the amino acid sequence of the peptides. For several combinations, pH-dependent reversal of the enantiomer migration order was also observed.

The selective determination of sulfates, sulfonates and phosphates in urine by CE-MS.

Metabolite identification and metabolite profiling are of major importance in the pharmaceutical and clinical context. However, highly polar and ionic substances are rarely included as analytical tools are missing. In this study, we present a new method for the determination of urinary sulfates, sulfonates, phosphates and other anions of strong acids. The method comprises a CE separation using an acidic BGE (pH