A thin chip microsprayer system coupled to Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry for glycopeptide screening

A thin polymer microchip was coupled with a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR) 9.4 T mass spectrometer and the method was optimized in negative ion mode for glycopeptide screening. The interface between the polymer microchip and FTICR mass spectrometer consists of an in-laboratory conceived and designed mounting system that exhibits robust and controllable alignment of the chip toward the inlet of the mass spectrometer. The particular attribute of the polymer chip coupled to the FTICR mass spectrometer, to achieve an increase in ionization efficiency and sensitivity under the premise of high mass accuracy of detection, is highlighted by the large number of major and minor glycopeptide structures detected and identified in highly heterogeneous mixtures obtained from urine matrices. Glycoforms expressing various saccharide chain lengths ranging from tri- to dodecasaccharide, bearing up to three sialic acid moieties, could be detected and assigned based on the accuracy of the mass measurement (average mass deviation below 6 ppm) of their molecular ions. -Thin chipESI-FTICRMS is a potent novel system for glycomic screening of complex mixtures, as demonstrated for identification of singly sialylated O-glycosylated amino acids and peptides from urine matrices, and could be considered for general applicability in the glycoanalytical field.     

A sialylation study of mouse brain gangliosides by MALDI a-TOF and o-TOF mass spectrometry

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) process of sialoglycoconjugates is generally accompanied by different levels of cleavage of sialic acid residues and/or by dehydration, and decarboxylation reactions. Quantitative densitometry of the mouse brain ganglioside (MBG) components separated by high-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) and evidenced by orcinol staining was a basis to verify the ganglioside composition pattern with respect to the relative abundances of individual components in the mixture. A systematic mass spectrometry (MS) sialylation analysis has been carried out to evaluate the feasibility of an axial time-of-flight (a-TOF) MS, equipped with a vacuum MALDI source and an orthogonal-TOF (o-TOF) instrument with an ion source operated at about 1 mbar of N(2). Besides, the esterification by one methyl group of the carboxyl group in sialic acid to increase the stability of the ganglioside species for MALDI MS analysis has been tested and the yield of intact ganglioside species and of the neutral loss of water and carbon dioxide estimated. For the sialylation analysis of native ganglioside mixtures the MALDI o-TOF analysis with 6-azo-2-thiothymine/diammonium citrate (ATT/DAC) as a matrix appears as an optimal approach for ganglioside profiling.     

Influence of surface modified TiO2 nanoparticles by gallates on the properties of PMMA/TiO2 nanocomposites

Nanocomposites based on poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and TiO₂ nanoparticles were synthesized by in situ radical polymerization of MMA in solution. The surface of TiO₂ nanoparticles was modified with four gallic acid esters (octyl, decyl, lauryl and cetyl gallate). The content of gallates present on the surface of TiO₂ was calculated from the TGA results. The influence of length of hydrophobic tail of amphiphilic alkyl gallates on dispersability of surface modified TiO₂ nanoparticles in PMMA matrix, the molecular weight and glass transition temperature of PMMA, as well as the thermal stability of the prepared PMMA/TiO₂ nanocomposites in nitrogen and air was investigated. The influence of content of TiO₂ nanoparticles on the properties of these nanocomposites was also examined. The formation of a charge transfer complex between the surface Ti atoms and the gallates was confirmed by FTIR and UV spectroscopy. TEM micrographs of the PMMA/TiO₂ nanocomposites revealed that degree of TiO₂ aggregation can be significantly lowered by increasing the length of aliphatic part of the used gallates. The molecular weight of PMMA slightly decreases with the increase of TiO₂ content, indicating that used TiO₂ nanoparticles act as radical scavengers during the polymerization of MMA. The presence of surface modified TiO₂ nanoparticles do not have an influence on the mobility of PMMA chain segments leading to the same values of glass transition temperature for all investigated samples. Thermal and thermo-oxidative stability of the PMMA matrix are improved by introducing TiO₂ nanoparticles modified with gallates.     

Negative ion MALDI‐TOF MS,ISD and PSD of neutral underivatized oligosaccharides without anionic dopant strategies,using 2,5‐DHAP as a matrix

Oligosaccharides represent complex class of analytes for mass spectrometric analysis due to the high variety of structural isomers concerning glycosidic linkages and possible branching. A systematic study of the negative ion mode matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry of various neutral oligosaccharides under selection of an appropriate matrix, like 2,5‐dihydroxyacetophenone (2,5‐DHAP) is reported here, without commonly used anion dopant strategies. Nevertheless, we were able to generate relevant in‐source decay (ISD) cross‐ring fragment ions, typically obtained in the negative ion mode. Data observed indicate that the intrinsic property of the terminal non‐reduced aldose is crucial for this behavior. A systematic study of the post source decay (PSD) of molecular, pseudomolecular and ISD cross‐ring cleavage precursor ions is reported here. A direct comparison of the positive and negative ion mode MALDI MS1 and PSD behavior of neutral oligosaccharides could also be performed under the use of the same matrix preparation, because 2,5‐DHAP is fully compatible with positive ion mode acquisition. We found that PSD spectra of deprotonated neutral oligosaccharides obtained in the negative ion mode are richer, because they contained both glycosidic and cross‐ring fragment ions. However, we also found that cross‐ring fragment ions are readily produced in the positive ion mode when potassiated precursor ions were selected. In addition, we show evidence that non‐anionic dopants and specific instrumental parameters can also significantly influence the ISD fragmentation. Taken together, our results should increase our understanding of oligosaccharide behavior in the negative ion mode as well as increase our knowledge regarding many aspects of in‐source MALDI chemistry. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Analysis of native milk oligosaccharides directly from thin-layer chromatography plates by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization orthogonal-time-of-flight mass spectrometry with a glycerol matrix

We have recently presented a new method for direct coupling of high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS), illustrated by the analysis of a complex ganglioside mixture. In the current communication, an adaptation of this procedure to mixtures of native oligosaccharides from human and from elephant milk is described. The key features in this method are (1) glycerol as a liquid matrix, to provide a homogeneous wetting of the silica gel and a simple and fast MALDI preparation protocol, (2) an infrared (IR) laser for volume material ablation and particular soft desorption/ionization conditions, and (3) an orthogonal time-of-flight mass spectrometer for a high mass accuracy, independent of any irregularity of the silica gel surface. Chromatographic "mobility profiles" were determined by scanning the laser beam across the analyte bands. The current limit of detection for the MS analysis was determined to approximately 10 pmol of individual oligosaccharides spotted for chromatography. A liquid composite matrix, containing glycerol and the ultraviolet (UV-)MALDI matrix alpha-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid, allows a direct HPTLC-MALDI-MS analysis with a 337 nm-UV laser as well. Compared to the IR-MALDI mode, the analytical sensitivity in UV-MALDI was found to be lower by one order of magnitude, whereas unspecific analyte ion fragmentation as well as adduct formation was found to be more extensive.     

Effect of the size of the charged group on the properties of alkoxylated NFCs

The impact of the size of the charged group on the properties of alkoxylated NFC was studied by two chloroalkyl acid reagents. It was found that the employment of the larger 2-chloropropionic acid reagent leads to improved properties, e.g. higher fraction of nano-sized materials, and significantly better redispersion as compared to when the smaller monochloroacetic acid was employed. The differences in the impacts of the different reagents were hypothesized to be due to a more efficient disruption of the cohesion between the nanofibrils when a larger charged group was employed.     

Thermodynamic study of inclusion complexes of zaleplon with natural and modified cyclodextrins

The thermodynamics and stoichiometry of zaleplon (ZAL) complexation with different cyclodextrin derivatives [β-CD, hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD), randomly methylated-β-cyclodextrin (RAMEB), sulphobutylether-β-cyclodextrin (SBE-β-CD)] in aqueous solution was studied by spectrofluorimetry and ¹H NMR spectroscopy in order to obtain a more general understanding of the driving forces behind the inclusion phenomena. Job’s plot derived from the NMR spectral data and statistical analysis of spectrofluorimetric titration data confirmed the formation of equimolar complexes in all systems tested, excluding the possibility of higher order complex formation. Furthermore, thermodynamic parameters obtained by both techniques gave similar and negative values of ΔG° for all complexes, indicating spontaneous inclusion of drug into CDs. From a thermodynamic point of view, two types of inclusions were determined. One is enthalpy driven ZAL complexation with β-CD, HP-β-CD and RAMEB, while the other is entropy driven complexation observed in the case of SBE-β-CD. The mechanisms behind each type of inclusion were discussed in detail.     

Evaluation of a method for treatment of iron gall ink corrosion on paper

Iron gall ink was the most widely used writing ink for paper from the Middle Ages to the twentieth century. Unfortunately, the ink ingredients contain corrosive transition metal ions and acids that cause severe damage to the paper carrier. New or improved paper conservation methods for iron gall ink stabilization are constantly sought. The aim of the study was evaluation of a recently proposed stabilization treatment, adapted to lower relative humidity, applied to various model and historical paper samples containing iron gall ink. The effect of stabilization treatment on paper samples during artificial thermal aging was followed by the determination of the molecular weight distribution by size exclusion chromatography and colorimetry. Migration of iron and copper compounds from the ink lines was monitored by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The results demonstrate that effective stabilization of iron gall ink-containing paper can be successfully achieved by interleaving with papers impregnated with the antioxidant tetrabutylammonium bromide and alkaline buffer under experimental conditions. Negative side effects of the stabilization treatment, such as migration of iron or copper ions from the ink lines and changes of color after the treatment and after accelerated thermal degradation, were limited, proving that the proposed stabilization treatment can be considered for future use by conservators.     

Chip electrospray mass spectrometry for carbohydrate analysis

Currently two types of chip systems are used in conjunction with MS: out-of-plane devices, where hundreds of nozzles, nanospray emitters are integrated onto a single silicon substrate from which electrospray is established perpendicular to the substrate, and planar microchips, embedding a microchannel at the end of which electrospray is generated in-plane, on the edge of the microchip. In the last two years, carbohydrate research greatly benefited from the introduction and implementation of the chip-based MS. In two laboratories the advantages of the chip electrospray in terms of ionization efficiency, sensitivity, reproducibility, quality of data in combination with high mass accuracy, and resolution of detection were systematically explored for several carbohydrate classes: O- and N-glycopeptides, oligosaccharides, gangliosides and glycoprotein-derived O- and N-glycans, and glycopeptides. The current state-of-the-art in interfacing the chip electrospray devices to high-performance MS for carbohydrate analysis, and the particular requirements for method optimization in both positive and negative ion modes are reviewed here. The recent applications of these miniaturized devices and their general potential for glycomic-based surveys are highlighted.