Utilizing novel cationic phenylpyridine labeling in glycan profiling by capillary electrophoresis coupled to mass spectrometry.

This work focuses on profiling N-linked glycans by capillary electrophoresis coupled to mass spectrometry using a novel fluorescent and mass spectrometry (MS) active derivatization tag. The label is based on 2-phenylpyridine bearing tertiary amine and hydrazide functionalities. It provides efficient labeling via hydrazone formation chemistry, promising fluorescence properties, and ionization efficiency in the positive ion MS mode. Electrophoretic analysis in a neutral-coated capillary allowed baseline separation of maltooligosaccharides with limits of detection in nanomolar concentrations. The developed labeling method was successfully applied to the analyses of N-linked glycans released from several glycoproteins such as bovine ribonuclease B, human immunoglobulin G, or chicken albumin.