Development of a Matrix-prespotted Plate for Enhancing the Reproducibility of Serum Glycan Analysis by MALDI-TOF-MS

Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization-Time-of-Flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) is the most widely used MS technique for glycan analysis. However, the poor point-to-point and sample-to-sample reproducibility becomes a limit in glycan biomarker research. A prespotted MALDI plate which overcomes the large crystal formation of 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHB) has been developed and applied for glycan analysis. A homogeneous matrix coated surface without a crystal structure was formed on a hydrophilic/hydrophobic patterned surface using a piezoelectric device. The reproducible MALDI-TOF-MS data have been presented using MALDI imaging of beer glycan as well as serum glycan eluted from 10% and 20% ACN elution fractions. The glycan profile from the serum glycan by MALDI-TOF-MS with a DHB prespotted plate was highly conserved for 10 different spectra and the coefficient of variations of significant ion peaks of MALDI data varies from 3.59 to 19.95.