Recent advances in capillary electrophoresis separation of monosaccharides, oligosaccharides, and polysaccharidesThis article illustrates the basis and applications of methodologies for the analysis of simple and complex carbohydrates by means of CE. After a description of the most common and novel approaches useful for the analysis and characterization of carbohydrates, this review covers the recent advances in CE separation of monosaccharides, oligosaccharides, and polysaccharides. Various CE techniques are also illustrated for the study of carbohydrates derived from complex glyco-derivatives such as glycoproteins and glycolipids, essential for biopharmaceutical and glycoproteomics applications as well as for biomarker detection. Most glycans have no significant UV absorption, and derivatization with fluorophore groups prior to separation usually results in higher sensitivity and an improved electrophoretic profile. We also discuss the recent applications and separations by CE of derivatized simple and more complex carbohydrates with different chromophoric active tags. Overall, this review aims to give an overview of the most recent state-of-the-art techniques used in carbohydrate analysis by CE. Keywords:Capillary Electrophoresis / Laser-induced fluorescence / Monosaccharides / Oligosaccharides / Polysaccharides DOI 10.1002/elps.201700290 IntroductionCarbohydrates are considered important key molecules and the largest group of biomolecules. Among these, monosaccharides are the simplest units forming complex macromolecules and glucose is certainly one of the most important carbohydrates for life. Furthermore, complex macromolecules include diverse subgroups such as polysaccharides, proteoglycans, glycolipids, and glycoproteins. Carbohydrates are also a relatively new subject of medical research as they play important roles in biological functions such as cell-cell and cell-host interaction, regulation of the pro-or anti-inflammatory abilities of immunoglobulins according to their level of sialylation, cellular trafficking, solubility of proteins, and assistance in protein folding. Alterations Qualitative and quantitative elucidation of carbohydrates is a challenging task due to the lack of either chromophoric or fluorophoric functional groups and low extinction coefficients of the monosaccharide structure. Moreover, the structural complexities of glycans, along with their diversity [5], and the unique tendency toward branching, different linkages, and isomerism generally present formidable challenges.CE has attracted considerable attention in the recent advances in glycomic analysis. CE is suitable for both derivatized and underivatized carbohydrates and it is established as a powerful and versatile separation tool because of the brief analysis time, the ability to handle very complex glycan mixtures with high sensitivity, the minute quantities of samples and reagent required, the capacity to resolve isomeric glycans, and the possibility to acquire high resolution obtained under physiological conditions [5]. I...

Free human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are unique due to their highly complex nature and important emerging biological and protective functions during early life such as prebiotic activity, pathogen deflection, and epithelial and immune cell modulation. Moreover, four genetically determined heterogeneous HMO secretory groups are known to be based on their structure and composition. Over the years, several analytical techniques have been applied to characterize and quantitate HMOs, including nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), high pH anion-exchange chromatography, off-line and on-line mass spectrometry (MS), and capillary electrophoresis (CE). Even if these techniques have proven to be efficient and simple, most glycans have no significant UV absorption and derivatization with fluorophore groups prior to separation usually results in higher sensitivity and an improved chromatographic/electrophoretic profile. Consequently, the analysis by HPLC/CE of derivatized milk oligosaccharides with different chromophoric active tags has been developed. However, UV or fluorescence detection does not provide specific structural information and this is a key point in particular related to the highly complex nature of the milk glycan mixtures. As a consequence, for a specific determination of complex mixtures of oligomers, analytical separation is usually required with evaluation by means of MS, which has been successfully applied to HMOs, resulting in efficient compositional analysis and profiling in various milk samples. This review aims to give an overview of the current state-of-the-art techniques used in HMO analysis.

Osteoarthritis is a disabling affliction expected to increase in the coming decades, and disease- modifying osteoarthritis drugs (DMOADs) would be highly desirable adjuncts to symptomatic relief and structure reconstruction as they may delay the disease process. Chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine have been observed to exert beneficial effects on the metabolism of various cells involved in osteoarthritis as well as in animal models and clinical trials. Clinical trials have reported beneficial effects of both these biological agents, alone or in combination, on pain and functions as well as their structure-modifying capacity reported and analyzed in recent meta-analyses. Nonetheless, the effectiveness of these bioactive (macro)molecules as DMOADs reported from randomized trials is mismatched. Current studies with varying levels of evidence suggest that chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine can modify the disease progression but at the same time there are not absolute certainties on their efficacy in modifying the course of the disease. This comprehensive review aims to clarify the role of these compounds in the therapeutic molecules/ drugs useful to patients affected by osteoarthritis.

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