Identification and quantitation of carbohydrates in fluid from non-keratinizing jaw cysts

Glucose, mannose, galactose, glucosamine, and fucose were detected by paper or thin-layer chromatography, and N-acetylneuraminic acid (sialic acid) was identified by absorption spectroscopy in acid hydrolysates of pooled cyst fluid. Quantitation of these monosaccharides in 37 frozen-stored cyst fluids and autologous sera showed that the average content of hexoses, hexosamine, and sialic acid in cyst fluid approximated that in serum, whereas cyst fluid contained significantly more fucose than did serum. Fifteen of the cyst fluids and samples of autologous serum were also analyzed for free glucose. A mean cyst fluid to serum concentration ratio of 0.48 was found. The results show that the sugar components bound to proteins are the same in cyst fluid and serum. High levels of fucose in cyst fluid indicate the presence of fucomucins.