Preparation, separation, and conformational analysis of differentially sulfated heparin octasaccharide isomers using ion mobility mass spectrometry.

Heparin is a linear sulfated polysaccharide widely used in medicine because of its anticoagulant properties. The various sulfation and/or acetylation patterns on heparin impart different degrees of conformational change around the glycosidic bonds and subsequently alter its function as an anticoagulant, anticancer, or antiviral drug. Characterization of these structures is important for eventual elucidation of its function but presents itself as an analytical challenge due to the inherent heterogeneity of the carbohydrates. Heparin octasaccharide structural isomers of various sulfation patterns were investigated using ion mobility mass spectrometry (IMMS). In addition to distinguishing the isomers, we report the preparation and tandem mass spectrometry analysis for multiple sulfated or acetylated oligosaccharides. Herein, our data indicate that heparin octasaccharide isomers were separated on the basis of their structural conformations in the ion mobility cell. Subsequent to this separation, isomers were further distinguished using product ions resulting from tandem mass spectrometry. Overall, IMMS analysis was used to successfully characterize and separate individual isomers and subsequently measure their conformations.