Isolation and Determination of the Glycoproteins in Cerebrospinal Fluid.

Abstract

A procedure is described for the isolation of the glycoproteins from the spinal fluid that also separates the lipids and free sugars. Carbohydrates in the glycoproteins were identified by paper chromatography, mannose, galactose, fucose, and glucosamine were found. Methods are given for the quantitative estimation of the hexose and hexosamine associated with the glycoproteins and the gamma globulin, and also the neuraminic acid content of the spinal fluid. An increase in gamma globulin hexose was found in multiple sclerosis. Ratio of gamma globulin hexose to glycoprotein was likewise increased. However the ratio of hexose to gamma globulin was not different from that found in non-demyelinating diseases, indicating that the hexose increase merely reflected the increase in gamma globulin.