High sensitivity acidic N-glycan profiling with MS-enhancing derivatization and mixed mode chromatography

Acidic N-linked glycan content is often associated with a protein drug's stability, efficacy and immune response. It has often been a challenge to analyze these types of glycans, including those that are differentiated by the incorporation of N-acetyl (NANA) and N-glycolyl neuraminic acid (NGNA) residues. In this study, a strategy for rapid N-glycan profiling by mixed mode chromatography is proposed as a complement to established HILIC methodologies. Hybrid silica chromatographic surfaces are used to improve recoveries during a column's initial use and to eliminate the need for column conditioning. In addition, the loss of labeled acidic glycans, especially phosphorylated glycan species, during SPE purification is addressed through the use of a citrate containing eluent. Yields for both singly and doubly phosphorylated glycan species are markedly improved. Combined with a mixed mode anion exchange reversed phase separation, these advances afford a class separation of glycans derivatized with labels designed to enhance positive ion mode MS detection. These labeled glycan species are separated according to their charge and with an added level of resolution imparted by the reversed phase retention mechanism. The separation technique itself can be accomplished with a low ionic strength gradient running from 0 to 22 mM ammonium formate such that high sensitivity detection can be achieved by both fluorescence and mass spectrometry. Using analytical scale chromatography, features in an N-glycan profile were easily interrogated to well below a 0.1% relative abundance. As such, it became possible to characterize N-glycans from recombinant beta glucuronidase and to quickly identify a number of unique phosphorylated glycan species.