Direct Analysis of hCG beta cf Glycosylation in Normal and Aberrant Pregnancy by Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry

作者：Iles Ray K^*; Cole Laurence A; Butler Stephen A

来源：International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2014, 15(6): 10067-10082.

DOI：10.3390/ijms150610067

• hCG
• hCG beta cf
• MALDI TOF MS
• pregnancy
• hydatidiform mole
• hyperemesis gravidarum
• glycosylation

The analysis of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in clinical chemistry laboratories by specific immunoassay is well established. However, changes in glycosylation are not as easily assayed and yet alterations in hCG glycosylation is associated with abnormal pregnancy. hCG beta-core fragment (hCG beta cf) was isolated from the urine of women, pregnant with normal, molar and hyperemesis gravidarum pregnancies. Each sample was subjected to matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI TOF MS) analysis following dithiothreitol (DTT) reduction and fingerprint spectra of peptide hCG beta 6-40 were analyzed. Samples were variably glycosylated, where most structures were small, core and largely mono-antennary. Larger single bi-antennary and mixtures of larger mono-antennary and bi-antennary moieties were also observed in some samples. Larger glycoforms were more abundant in the abnormal pregnancies and tri-antennary carbohydrate moieties were only observed in the samples from molar and hyperemesis gravidarum pregnancies. Given that such spectral profiling differences may be characteristic, development of small sample preparation for mass spectral analysis of hCG may lead to a simpler and faster approach to glycostructural analysis and potentially a novel clinical diagnostic test.

• 出版日期2014-6