Quantitative analysis of hyaluronan in human synovial fluid using capillary electrophoresis.

The glycosaminoglycan, hyaluronan, can be detected in human synovial fluid by capillary electrophoresis (CE). Variations in peak shape make this technique unsuitable for quantitative analysis of hyaluronan in raw synovial fluid. Quantitative analysis was achieved by hydrolysis of the polymeric hyaluronan to the tetrasaccharide by the action of testicular hyaluronidase and separation of the product using CE. A UV detector operating at 200 nm was used. The X-ray contrast material, omnipaque, a propriety aqueous solution of iohexol was used as internal standard. A second peak in the electropherogram of synovial fluid was quantified. The variation in concentrations of these two components correlate with the arthritic disease state of a joint.