Chemical characterization of neutral glycolipids in the human myeloid leukemias.

Human neutrophils and lymphocytes have been shown to have different classes of neutral glycolipids. We have investigated alterations of glycolipids in the human myeloid leukemias to see how their neutral glycolipids differ from those of normal neutrophils. The chemical structures of the neutral glycolipids from large numbers of homogeneously purified leukemia cells were determined using column and thin-layer chromatography, gas-liquid chromatography (GLC), GLC-mass spectrometry, and direct probe mass spectrometry.

Field desorption mass spectrometry of oligosaccharides.

Field desorption mass spectrometry has been used to analyze carbohydrate polymers with 5 to 14 hexose units without prior derivatization. In all examples, the molecular weight of the oligosaccharide could be determined by means of the abundant quasimolecular ions of the type MNa(+), MH(+), MNa(2) (2+), and MNa(3) (3+). Fragmentation at glycosidic linkages was observed in varying extents.