Relative quantitation of multi-antennary N-glycan classes: combining PGC-LC-ESI-MS with exoglycosidase digestion.

In the search for N-glycan disease biomarkers current glycoanalytical methods may not be revealing a complete picture of precious samples, and we may be missing valuable structural information that fall outside analysis windows. We report a targeted strategy combining PGC-LC-ESI-MS with exoglycosidases to improve the relative quantitation of tri and tetra-antennary glycan classes.

IgG N-glycans as potential biomarkers for determining galactose tolerance in Classical Galactosaemia.

N-glycan processing and assembly defects have been demonstrated in untreated and partially treated patients with Classical Galactosaemia. These defects may contribute to the ongoing pathophysiology of this disease. The aim of this study was to develop an informative method of studying differential galactose tolerance levels and diet control in individuals with Galactosaemia, compared to the standard biochemical markers. Ten Galactosaemia adults with normal intellectual outcomes were analyzed in the study. Five subjects followed galactose liberalization, increments of 300 mg to 4000 mg/day over 16 weeks, and were compared to five adult Galactosaemia controls on a galactose restricted diet. All study subjects underwent clinical and biochemical monitoring of red blood cell galactose-1-phosphate (RBC Gal-1-P) and urinary galactitol levels. Serum N-glycans were isolated and analyzed by normal phase high-performance liquid chromatography (NP-HPLC) with galactosylation of IgG used as a specific biomarker of galactose tolerance. IgG N-glycan profiles showed consistent individual alterations in response to diet liberalization. The individual profiles were improved for all, but one study subject, at a galactose intake of 1000 mg/day, with decreases in agalactosylated (G0) and increases in digalactosylated (G2) N-glycans. We conclude that IgG N-glycan profiling is an improved method of monitoring variable galactosylation and determining individual galactose tolerance in Galactosaemia compared to the standard methods.

Methadone matinenance patients' self-perceived factors responsible for successful rehabilitation.

Forty methadone maintenance patients most frequently attributed their past and future successful drug-free rehabilitation to the following factors: A supportive relationship, particularly with a drug-free individual, a satisfying job, and personal coping skills. Conversely, the absence or withdrawal of these events was associated with subsequent reinvolvement with excessive drug use. The importance of incorporating patients' phenomenological experiences and self-appraisals of success into clinical interventions is discussed.