Analysis of novel over- and under-sulfated glycosaminoglycan sequences by enzyme cleavage and multiple stage MS.

We report on a novel strategy for identification of specific sulfation motifs in chondroitin/dermatan sulfate (CS/DS) chain derived from decorin (Dcn), based on enzyme cleavage and multistage MS (MS(n)). Released CS/DS chains were digested with chondroitin B and in parallel with AC I lyases to obtain oligosaccharides of known hexuronic acid (HexA) epimerization. The depolymerized chains were separated by gel filtration, and collected di- and hexasaccharides were analyzed by ESI MS(n). MS(2) on bisulfated 4,5-Delta-HexAGalNAc revealed an additional sulfate ester group at 4,5-Delta-HexA. MS(2) data provided evidence upon GlcA sulfation in Dcn due to the fact that 4,5-Delta-HexA derived from GlcA after chondroitin AC I lyase treatment. Hexasaccharide screening in the MS(1) mode indicated direct correlation between the sulfate distribution and HexA epimerization. MS(n) performed on ions that, according to mass calculation, correspond to pentasulfated [4,5-Delta-HexAGalNAc(GlcAGalNAc)(2)], trisulfated [4,5-Delta-HexAGalNAc(GlcAGalNAc)(2)] with IdoA-derived 4,5-Delta-HexA at the nonreducing end, tetrasulfated [4,5-Delta-HexAGalNAc(IdoAGalNAc)(2)] and monosulfated [4,5-Delta-HexAGalNAc(IdoAGalNAc)(2)] with GlcA-derived 4,5-Delta-HexA at the nonreducing end rendered fragmentation patterns confirming the presence of over-, regular, and under-sulfated regions as well as structural motifs having both types of HexA sulfated within Dcn CS/DS.