Glycosylation Profiling

Figure 1 The two major types of protein glycosylation².In the process of biopharmaceutical synthesis, most proteins undergo glycosylation reactions to varying degrees. Glycosylation mainly refers in particular to the enzymatic process that attaches glycans to proteins, or other organic molecules, it includes a variety of glycosylation bonds, such as N-, O-and C-linked glycosylation, glycosylation (GPI anchoring) and phosphate glycosylation¹. Protein glycosylation is an important post-translational modification which can enhance protein functional diversity and affect its biological activity. At present, many biopharmaceuticals are glycoproteins, including some cancer markers and vaccines, and the analysis of these drugs by proteomics alone is not enough. Glycosylation type and sequence analysis are very important to ensure drug safety and clinical application. Characterization of glycosylation is also a key requirement of ICH Q6B.

The main challenge of glycosylation analysis is the complexity of its structure, and Alfa Chemistry has a wide range of analytical technologies and instruments to provide you with a one-stop shop for glycosylation analysis. We can choose different technology platform according to your situation to carry on the comprehensive glycosylation characterization for you. We use mass spectrometry technology with high sensitivity and accuracy to quickly provide you with the information you need. If you have any problems with glycosylation during your drug development, please feel free to contact us.

Alfa Chemistry's capabilities include but not limited to:

• N-linked Glycosylation

• O-linked Glycosylation

• Sialic Acid Quantification

• Monosaccharide Quantification

• Glycosylation Site Occupancy and Mapping

Alfa Chemistry's technology platforms include but not limited to:

• Two-dimensional Difference Gel Electrophoresis (2-D DIGE)

• Hydrophobic Interaction Chromatography (HIC)

• Capillary Electrophoresis (CE)

• Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance-Mass Spectrometry (FTICR-MS)

• MALDI-TOF-MS

• ESI-QTOF-MS

Alfa Chemistry's advantages:

References

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycosylation

• Nardy et al. (2016) 'The Sweet Side of immune evasion: Role of Glycans in the Mechanisms of Cancer Progression' Frontiers in Oncology. 6(54).