A method for the rapid detection of urinary glycopeptides in alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase deficiency and other lysosomal storage diseases.

A new method is described for the detection of abnormal urinary oligosaccharide and glycopeptide excretion by thin layer chromatography and differential visualization of oligosaccharides and glycopeptides. This method permits rapid screening and identification of disorders characterized by oligosacchariduria and glycopeptiduria including alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase deficiency, angiokeratoma corporis diffusum with glycopeptiduria, aspartylglucosaminuria, galactosialidosis, fucosidosis, GM1 gangliosidosis and sialidoses 1 and 2. Of note, the characterization of the glycopeptide excretion profiles in patients with alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase deficiency and angiokeratoma corporis diffusum with glycopeptiduria revealed essentially identical patterns, indicating the metabolic relatedness of these two phenotypically distinct conditions. Use of this improved thin layer chromatographic method should enhance routine screening of patients for lysosomal storage diseases as well as permit the identification of new disorders resulting from defective oligosaccharide and/or glycoprotein metabolism.