Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 14, 2026

Characterizing Lewis Pairs Using Titration Coupled with In Situ Infrared Spectroscopy
Published on: February 20, 2020
Detection of Lewis antigen structural change by FTIR spectroscopy
Abstract:
Mucins are a family of extensively glycosylated, high molecular weight glycoproteins. Secretion of mucins with altered terminal carbohydrate moieties alters the rheological and viscoelastic properties of mucus and observed glycosylation changes in respiratory diseases may vary with disease status. Structural modifications to the Lewis x antigen with sialic acid (sialyl-Lewis x) and sulphate (sulfo-Lewis x) in particular are associated with respiratory diseases and deemed potential biomarkers for disease diagnosis, severity and progression. The major aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to detect, via infrared (IR) spectra, the structural changes between the Lewis x antigen and sialylated and sulphated derivatives. Although FTIR only provides information on vibrations of chemical groups, we show that by comparing mono- and oligosaccharide specific IR spectra it is possible to determine the contribution of key sugar moieties to the altered Lewis x spectral pattern.
Related Concept Videos
IR Frequency Region: Fingerprint Region
The...
Infrared (IR) Spectroscopy: Overview
Different compounds display unique properties due to their...
Raman Spectroscopy: Overview
However, a small fraction of the scattered light exhibits a frequency shift due to the exchange of energy between the incident photons and the...
IR Spectroscopy: Molecular Vibration Overview
Stretching vibrations are vibrational motions that occur along the bond line, changing the bond length or distance between two bonded atoms. They are further distinguished as symmetric or asymmetric. In symmetric stretching, the...

