[Carbohydrate content of lipoproteins after sequential precipitation with phosphotungstate magnesium chloride]

A method is described for rapid determination of protein-bound carbohydrates in human lipoproteins. The method is based on a successive precipitation of lipoproteins with sodium phosphotungstate and magnesium chloride. After purification of the separated lipoproteins by a twofold reprecipitation, a colorimetric determination of hexoses, hexosamines and N-acetylneuraminic acid (sialic acid) is performed. The coefficients of variation in the series are between 3.2% and 7.3%. The results for lipoprotein-bound carbohydrates after precipitation are compared with the corresponding values after separation by ultracentrifugation. The concentrations of hexoses, hexosamines and N-acetylneuraminic acid in the 3 lipoprotein classes VLDL, LDL and HDL of control persons are reported.