Cyanoborohydride Research Articles

2‐Picoline‐borane: A non‐toxic reducing agent for oligosaccharide labeling by reductive amination

Analysis of N-glycans is often performed by LC coupled to fluorescence detection. The N-glycans are usually labeled by reductive amination with a fluorophore containing a primary amine to allow fluorescence detection. Moreover, many of the commonly applied labels also allow improved mass spectrometric detection of oligosaccharides. For reductive amination, the amine group of the label reacts with the reducing-end aldehyde group of the oligosaccharide to form a Schiff base, which is reduced to a secondary amine. Here, we propose the use of 2-picoline-borane as the reducing agent, as a non-toxic alternative to the extensively used, but toxic sodium cyanoborohydride. Using dextran oligosaccharides and plasma N-glycans, we demonstrate similar labeling efficacies for 2-picoline-borane and sodium cyanoborohydride. Therefore, 2-picoline-borane is a non-toxic alternative to sodium cyanoborohydride for the labeling of oligosaccharides.

Reductive N-alkylation of chitosan with acetone and levulinic acid in aqueous media

Reductive N-alkylation with acetone and levulinic acid in the presence of sodium cyanoborohydride was applied to chitosan to prepare N-isopropyl and 5-methyl-pyrrolidinone chitosans, respectively. These chitosan derivatives were obtained quantitatively, and the highest degrees of substitution (DS) were achieved for chitosan solutions at the initial pH 4.5–5.0. When the molar ratio of the primary amino groups of chitosan, NaBH 3CN and either acetone or levulinic acid was 1:10:3, reaction ratios at the primary amino groups reached about 100% and 41% for N-isopropyl and 5-methyl-pyrrolidinone chitosans, respectively, after the reaction at room temperature for 72 h. No depolymerization occurred on chitosan molecules under the reductive N-alkylation conditions used.

Soluble artificial metalloproteases with broad substrate selectivity, high reactivity, and high thermal and chemical stabilities

To design soluble artificial proteases that cleave peptide backbones of a wide range of proteins with high reactivity, artificial active sites comprising the Cu(II) complex of 1-oxa-4,7,10-triazacyclodedecane (oxacyclen) and the aldehyde group were synthesized. The aldehyde group was employed as the binding site in view of its ability to reversibly form imine bonds with ammonium groups exposed on the surfaces of proteins, and Cu(II) oxacyclen was exploited as the catalytic group for peptide hydrolysis. The artificial metalloproteases synthesized in the present study cleaved all of the protein substrates examined (albumin, gamma-globulin, myoglobin, and lysozyme). In addition, the activity of the best soluble artificial protease was enhanced by up to 190-fold in terms of kcat/Km. When the temperature was raised to 80 degrees C, the activities of the artificial proteases were significantly enhanced. The activity of the artificial protease was not greatly affected by surfactants, including sodium dodecyl sulfate. The intermediacy of the imine complex formed between the artificial protease and the protein substrate was supported by an experiment using sodium cyanoborohydride. Soluble artificial metalloproteases with broad substrate selectivity, high reactivity, high thermal and chemical stabilities, and small molecular weights were thus synthesized by positioning the aldehyde group in proximity to Cu(II) oxacyclen.

New way to crosslink chitosan in aqueous solution

In this paper, the reaction between o-phthaldialdehyde and free NH 2 of chitosan is investigated; at a very low molar ratio between the two reactants ([dialdehyde]/[ NH 2] ∼ 2.5 × 10 −4), an increase of the apparent molecular weight is obtained as evidenced from the rheological behaviour. Then, three non-ionic polysaccharides (galactomannan, maltodextrins, methylcellulose) are oxidised to 10% with sodium metaperiodate to obtain polyaldehydic derivatives able to react with free NH 2 of chitosan after their direct dissolution into chitosan solution at a molar ratio [monosaccharide units]/[ NH 2 ] ∼ 0.6. Stable swollen porous gels are obtained with an excellent yield in the presence of a reducing agent (NaBH 3CN) chosen to reduce the Schiff base; nearly no influence of the structure of the initial non-ionic polysaccharides is observed when the polysaccharides are oxidized in the same conditions. Different parameters for the reaction of oxidized methylcellulose (Me-ox) with chitosan are tested: influence of the degree of oxidation (up to 50%), and of the oxidised methylcellulose concentration. The larger is the degree of oxidation or the Me-ox concentration, the lower is the degree of swelling (i.e., the larger is the degree of chitosan cross-linkage). The swollen gels formed immediately after reaction are isolated and re-swell in aqueous acidic conditions, a good solvent of initial chitosan, to purify the gel and determine the yield of the reaction and the swelling degree. At the end, preliminary tests of biodegradability of these new gels are performed using specific enzymatic degradation with lysozyme and cellulase in the case of chitosan/Me-ox cogels chosen as example.

Targeted LC–MS derivatization for aldehydes and carboxylic acids with a new derivatization agent 4-APEBA

Based on the template of a recently introduced derivatization reagent for aldehydes, 4-(2-(trimethylammonio)ethoxy)benzeneaminium dibromide (4-APC), a new derivatization agent was designed with additional features for the analysis and screening of biomarkers of lipid peroxidation. The new derivatization reagent, 4-(2-((4-bromophenethyl)dimethylammonio)ethoxy)benzenaminium dibromide (4-APEBA) contains a bromophenethyl group to incorporate an isotopic signature to the derivatives and to add additional fragmentation identifiers, collectively enhancing the abilities for detection and screening of unknown aldehydes. Derivatization can be achieved under mild conditions (pH 5.7, 10 °C). By changing the secondary reagent (1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide instead of sodium cyanoborohydride), 4-APEBA is also applicable to the selective derivatization of carboxylic acids. Synthesis of the new label, exploration of the derivatization conditions, characterization of the fragmentation of the aldehyde and carboxylic acid derivatives in MS/MS, and preliminary applications of the labeling strategy for the analysis of aldehydes in urine and plasma are described. FigureStructure and MS/MS fragmentation spectrum of 4-APEBA reagents derivatized with octanoic acid Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00216-010-3575-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Profiling Carbonylated Proteins in Human Plasma

This study reports the first proteomic-based identification and characterization of oxidized proteins in human plasma. The study was conducted by isolating carbonylated proteins from the plasma of male subjects (age 32-36) with avidin affinity chromatography subsequent to biotinylation of carbonyl groups with biotin hydrazide and sodium cyanoborohydride reduction of the resulting Schiff's bases. Avidin selected proteins were digested with trypsin, and the peptide fragments were separated by C18 reversed phase chromatography and identified and characterized by both electrospray ionization and matrix assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry. Approximately 0.2% of the total protein in plasma was selected with this method. Sixty-five high, medium, and low abundance proteins were identified, the majority appearing in all subjects. An interesting feature of the oxidized proteins isolated was that in addition to carbonylation they often bore other types of oxidative modification. Twenty-four oxidative modifications were mapped in 14 proteins. Fifteen carbonylation sites carried on 7 proteins were detected. Methionine oxidation was the most frequent single type of oxidative modification followed by tryptophan oxidation. Apolipoprotein B-100 had 20 oxidative modifications, the largest number for any protein observed in this study. Among the organs contributing oxidized proteins to plasma, kidney, liver, and soft tissues were the most frequent donors. One of the more important outcomes of this work was that mass spectral analysis allowed differentiation between different biological mechanisms of oxidation in individual proteins. For the first time, oxidation products arising from direct ROS oxidation of amino acid side chains in proteins, formation of advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) adducts, and formation of adducts with lipid peroxidation products were simultaneously recognized and assigned to specific sites in proteins.

Heat Treatment Increases the Level of AGEs in Human Blood

92 Levels of plasma pentosidine, which is one of the advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) of the Maillard reaction, are elevated by the pathogenesis of diabetes 1) and end-stage renal failure 2). A recent study suggested that because plasma pentosidine levels in patients with mild renal dysfunction increase before plasma creatinine levels increase, the measurement of plasma pentosidine level can be a useful clinical marker for the early diagnosis of beginning renal failure 3). Several medical laboratories in Japan have measured the levels of blood AGEs, such as Ne-(carboxymethyl)lysine (CML) and pentosidine, by a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). According to the authors’ protocol, plasma samples are incubated with proteases for anti-AGE antibodies to assess the intramolecular AGE structures, and are incubated again at 100°C for 15 min 3) to inactivate the protease. However, our previous study demonstrated that CML, a major antigenic AGE structure, is generated from the Amadori products by short-term heating in vitro, demonstrating that CML generated from Amadori products are an artifact of immunochemical detection by heating process 4). Furthermore, Miyata et al. 5) reported that substance(s) with a molecular weight of less than 5,000 Da that are abundantly present in uremic plasma exhibit enhanced pentosidine formation during in vitro incubation of uremic plasma at 37°C, thus strongly demonstrating that pentosidine is also generated by incubation in vitro. To confirm this notion, we conducted additional experiments to clarify whether the pentosidine content measured by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) 6) in blood increases using the same procedure as that used by medical laboratories. As a result, the levels of pentosidine in patients with nondiabetic hemodialysis increased 1.2to 3-fold by heating at 100°C for 15 min compared to unheated samples. Moreover, the increased rate of pentosidine levels generated by the heating process was found to differ between patients. Therefore, the heating process as a pretreatment for pentosidine measurement by competitive ELISA appears to compromise the accuracy of the pentosidine concentration present in plasma. Taken together, previous reports 4,5) and the present study indicate that the level of pentosidine in clinical samples is overestimated by using a heating process. Heating enhances both the oxidative cleavage of Amadori products and the production of α-oxoaldehydes such as glucosone, 3-deoxyglucosone, glyoxal, and methylglyoxal, which were indicated to be important precursors for AGE formation 4). We next measured the inhibitory effects of reduction of Amadori products on CML formation. Because CML is generated from the Amadori compounds by oxidative cleavage, whereas the Amadori compounds reduced into hexitol lysine and glucitol lysine are stable and do not easily generate CML, sodium cyanoborohydride (NaBH3CN) is used for the blood CML analysis using a competitive ELISA 7) to prevent CML formation during the heating process. However, the present study demonstrated that preincubation of glycated bovine serum albumin (glycated BSA), a model Amadori proteins, in the presence of 100 mM sodium borohydride (NaBH4), a stronger reducing agent than NaBH3CN, for 1 h did not inhibit CML formation induced by heating at 100°C for 15 min. From these data, it is likely that the conventional protocol used by medical laboratories which measures plasma pentosidine and CML after pretreatment may be in fact quantifying artifacts of heat treatment. Therefore, the establishment of a more reliable method for the quantification of AGEs in patient blood samples will clarify the physiological significance as well as the clinical usefulness of AGEs. Masako Nakano, Ryoji Nagai

Surface engineering of macrophages with nanoparticles to generate a cell–nanoparticle hybrid vehicle for hypoxia-targeted drug delivery

Tumors frequently contain hypoxic regions that result from a shortage of oxygen due to poorly organized tumor vasculature. Cancer cells in these areas are resistant to radiation- and chemotherapy, limiting the treatment efficacy. Macrophages have inherent hypoxia-targeting ability and hold great advantages for targeted delivery of anticancer therapeutics to cancer cells in hypoxic areas. However, most anticancer drugs cannot be directly loaded into macrophages because of their toxicity. In this work, we designed a novel drug delivery vehicle by hybridizing macrophages with nanoparticles through cell surface modification. Nanoparticles immobilized on the cell surface provide numerous new sites for anticancer drug loading, hence potentially minimizing the toxic effect of anticancer drugs on the viability and hypoxia-targeting ability of the macrophage vehicles. In particular, quantum dots and 5-(aminoacetamido) fluorescein-labeled polyamidoamine dendrimer G4.5, both of which were coated with amine-derivatized polyethylene glycol, were immobilized to the sodium periodate-treated surface of RAW264.7 macrophages through a transient Schiff base linkage. Further, a reducing agent, sodium cyanoborohydride, was applied to reduce Schiff bases to stable secondary amine linkages. The distribution of nanoparticles on the cell surface was confirmed by fluorescence imaging, and it was found to be dependent on the stability of the linkages coupling nanoparticles to the cell surface.

Analysis of galactoglucomannans from spruce wood by capillary electrophoresis

The aim of this study was to setup a method for detection and quantification of monosaccharide components in technical galactoglucomannas (T-GGM) from spruce wood using capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE). CZE technique was optimised regarding borate buffer concentrations, EOF modifier application, and system pH. Aqueous solution of T-GGM was chemically hydrolysed by sulphuric acid, in an autoclave. In this way obtained monosaccharides were derivatized with 4-amino benzoic acid ethyl ester via reductive amination using sodium cyanoborohydride. The results of the optimisation procedure showed that the borate buffers at lowest concentrations (100 and 200 mM) with acetonitrile addition as EOF modifier gave the optimal measurement results, as it showed sufficient separation at relatively short migration times. The amounts of single monosaccharide components in the T-GGM samples obtained by the optimised CZE procedure were practically the same in comparison to the results of the well established HPLC-anion exchange chromatography. On the basis of this research, it was concluded that the capillary zone electrophoresis is an efficient analytical procedure for the characterisation of galactoglucomannans derived from softwoods.

Heparin/Heparan Sulfate N-Sulfamidase from Flavobacterium heparinum

Sulfated polysaccharides such as heparin and heparan sulfate glycosaminoglycans (HSGAGs) are chemically and structurally heterogeneous biopolymers that that function as key regulators of numerous biological functions. The elucidation of HSGAG fine structure is fundamental to understanding their functional diversity, and this is facilitated by the use of select degrading enzymes of defined substrate specificity. Our previous studies have reported the cloning, characterization, recombinant expression, and structure-function analysis in Escherichia coli of the Flavobacterium heparinum 2-O-sulfatase and 6-O-sulfatase enzymes that cleave O-sulfate groups from specific locations of the HSGAG polymer. Building on these preceding studies, we report here the molecular cloning and recombinant expression in Escherichia coli of an N-sulfamidase, specific for HSGAGs. In addition, we examine the basic enzymology of this enzyme through molecular modeling studies and structure-function analysis of substrate specificity and basic biochemistry. We use the results from these studies to propose a novel mechanism for nitrogen-sulfur bond cleavage by the N-sulfamidase. Taken together, our structural and biochemical studies indicate that N-sulfamidase is a predominantly exolytic enzyme that specifically acts on N-sulfated and 6-O-desulfated glucosamines present as monosaccharides or at the nonreducing end of odd-numbered oligosaccharide substrates. In conjunction with the previously reported specificities for the F. heparinum 2-O-sulfatase, 6-O-sulfatase, and unsaturated glucuronyl hydrolase, we are able to now reconstruct in vitro the defined exolytic sequence for the heparin and heparan sulfate degradation pathway of F. heparinum and apply these enzymes in tandem toward the exo-sequencing of heparin-derived oligosaccharides.

Differential 14-3-3 Affinity Capture Reveals New Downstream Targets of Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase Signaling

We devised a strategy of 14-3-3 affinity capture and release, isotope differential (d0/d4) dimethyl labeling of tryptic digests, and phosphopeptide characterization to identify novel targets of insulin/IGF1/phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase signaling. Notably four known insulin-regulated proteins (PFK-2, PRAS40, AS160, and MYO1C) had high d0/d4 values meaning that they were more highly represented among 14-3-3-binding proteins from insulin-stimulated than unstimulated cells. Among novel candidates, insulin receptor substrate 2, the proapoptotic CCDC6, E3 ubiquitin ligase ZNRF2, and signaling adapter SASH1 were confirmed to bind to 14-3-3s in response to IGF1/phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase signaling. Insulin receptor substrate 2, ZNRF2, and SASH1 were also regulated by phorbol ester via p90RSK, whereas CCDC6 and PRAS40 were not. In contrast, the actin-associated protein vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein and lipolysis-stimulated lipoprotein receptor, which had low d0/d4 scores, bound 14-3-3s irrespective of IGF1 and phorbol ester. Phosphorylated Ser19 of ZNRF2 (RTRAYpS19GS), phospho-Ser90 of SASH1 (RKRRVpS90QD), and phospho- Ser493 of lipolysis-stimulated lipoprotein receptor (RPRARpS493LD) provide one of the 14-3-3-binding sites on each of these proteins. Differential 14-3-3 capture provides a powerful approach to defining downstream regulatory mechanisms for specific signaling pathways.

Development of an on-line weak-cation exchange liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometric method for screening aldehyde products in biological matrices

This paper focuses on the development and optimization of an on-line weak-cation exchange SPE (WCXE) coupled to gradient HPLC with tandem MS detection. The system enables the selective purification and re-concentration of the in-vial derivatized aldehydes from plasma and urine samples. Aldehydes are important as biomarkers for oxidative stress. Using a derivatization cocktail consisting of 4-(2-(trimethylammonio)ethoxy)benzenaminium dibromide (4-APC) and NaBH 3CN in the screening and detection of known and unknown aldehyde biomarkers, one can take advantage of the specific fragmentation characteristics of this derivatization reagent in MS/MS. The WCXE column gives the advantages of direct injection of the sample after protein precipitation and centrifugation into the WCXE-LC–MS/MS system. Injection volumes up to 50 μl can be injected without overloading the WCX column. Detection limits of 0.5 nM can be reached for the detection of the derivatized aldehydes. The system is robust with low intra-/inter-day variation in retention time and peak area. An in vitro model shows how derivatized aldehydes in human and rat plasma are detected. Finally, plasma treated with radical inducer shows elevated aldehyde species compared to untreated plasma.

Biocompatible Micellar Environment for Enzyme Encapsulation for Bioelectrocatalysis Applications

Chitosan, a biopolymer extracted from chitin, was deacetylated by treatment with 45% NaOH followed by autoclaving at 121oC for a period of 20 minutes. The deacetylated chitosan was then hydrophobically modified via reductive amination with sodium cyanoborohydride and butanal. Glucose dehydrogenase was then co-cast with each polymer on glassy carbon rotating disk electrodes and analysis of mass transfer was executed. Amperometric concentration studies were also carried out to determine catalytic activity of the glucose dehydrogenase enzyme system. The diffusion coefficient governing transport through the air dried film was measured to be 1.42×10-7 cm2/s and 1.08×10-7 cm2/s for butyl modified chitosan and butyl modified deacetylated chitosan, respectively.

Stereochemical Configuration of 4-Hydroxy-2-nonenal-Cysteine Adducts and Their Stereoselective Formation in a Redox-regulated Protein

4-Hydroxy-2-nonenal (HNE), a major racemic product of lipid peroxidation, preferentially reacts with cysteine residues to form a stable HNE-cysteine Michael addition adduct possessing three chiral centers. Here, to gain more insight into sulfhydryl modification by HNE, we characterized the stereochemical configuration of the HNE-cysteine adducts and investigated their stereoselective formation in redox-regulated proteins. To characterize the HNE-cysteine adducts by NMR, the authentic (R)-HNE- and (S)-HNE-cysteine adducts were prepared by incubating N-acetylcysteine with each HNE enantiomer, both of which provided two peaks in reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The NMR analysis revealed that each peak was a mixture of anomeric isomers. In addition, mutarotation at the anomeric center was also observed in the analysis of the nuclear Overhauser effect. To analyze these adducts in proteins, we adapted a pyridylamination-based approach, using 2-aminopyridine in the presence of sodium cyanoborohydride, which enabled analyzing the individual (R)-HNE- and (S)-HNE-cysteine adducts by reversed-phase HPLC following acid hydrolysis. Using the pyridylamination method along with mass spectrometry, we characterized the stereoselective formation of the HNE-cysteine adducts in human thioredoxin and found that HNE preferentially modifies Cys(73) and, to the lesser extent, the active site Cys(32). More interestingly, the (R)-HNE- and (S)-HNE-cysteine adducts were almost equally formed at Cys(73), whereas Cys(32) exhibited a remarkable preference for the adduct formation with (R)-HNE. Finally, the utility of the method for the determination of the HNE-cysteine adducts was confirmed by an in vitro study using HeLa cells. The present results not only offer structural insight into sulfhydryl modification by lipid peroxidation products but also provide a platform for the chemical analysis of protein S-associated aldehydes in vitro and in vivo.

Quaternization of N-aryl chitosan derivatives: synthesis, characterization, and antibacterial activity

Chemical modification of chitosan by introducing quaternary ammonium moieties into the polymer backbone renders excellent antimicrobial activity to the adducts. In the present study, we have synthesized 17 derivatives of chitosan consisting of a variety of N-aryl substituents bearing either electron-donating or electron-withdrawing groups. Selective N-arylation of chitosan was performed via Schiff bases formed by the reaction between the 2-amino groups of the glucosamine residue of chitosan with aromatic aldehydes under acidic conditions, followed by reduction of the Schiff base intermediates with sodium cyanoborohydride. Each of the derivatives was further quaternized using N-(3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl)trimethylammonium chloride (Quat-188) as the quaternizing agent that reacted with either the primary amino or hydroxyl groups of the glucosamine residue of chitosan. The resulting quaternized materials were water soluble at neutral pH. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) antimicrobial studies of these materials were carried out on Escherichia coli (Gram-negative) and Staphylococcus aureus (Gram-positive) bacteria in order to explore the impact of the extent of N-substitution (ES) on their biological activities. At ES less than 10%, the presence of the hydrophobic substituent, such as benzyl and thiophenylmethyl, yielded derivatives with lower MIC values than chitosan Quat-188. Derivatives with higher ES exhibited reduced antibacterial activity due to low quaternary ammonium moiety content. At the same degree of quaternization, all quaternized N-aryl chitosan derivatives bearing either electron-donating or electron-withdrawing substituents did not contribute antibacterial activity relative to chitosan Quat-188. Neither the functional group nor its orientation impacted the MIC values significantly.

Reductive amination agents: comparison of Na(CN)BH 3 and Si-CBH

Reductive amination is a chemical reaction commonly employed by organic chemists in academics and the pharmaceutical industry. In this reaction a carbonyl group is converted to an amine via an imine intermediate, the formation of which is rate limiting. A major reagent necessary for the completion of this reaction is a hydride source, commonly sodium cyanoborohydride (Na(CN)BH 3). The objective of this research was to compare the efficacy of Na(CN)BH 3 with silica-bound cyanoborohydride ( Si-CBH) as hydride sources in reductive amination reactions. Work has shown that reactions employing Si-CBH as a hydride source showed significant improvement, exhibiting an average percent conversion 25% greater than reactions using Na(CN)BH 3.

Unexpected α,β-unsaturated products of reductive amination of the macrolide antibiotic josamycin

Reductive amination of the macrolide antibiotic josamycin with alkyl amines, using three different reducing agents: NaBH 3CN, NaBH 4 and NaBH(OAc) 3, yields surprisingly different major products which are identified as either Lewis complexes, aminoalkyl derivatives or α,β-unsaturated derivatives of josamycin by 1H and 13C NMR, FT-IR and ESI MS methods.

One-pot synthesis of highly functionalized morphans from C-glycosides

Highly functionalized morphan derivatives were synthesized from nitroalkene 2′-(oxoalkyl)-C-glycosides by a tandem reaction that created three (two C–N and one C–C) new bonds and four stereogenic centers in a one-pot procedure under very mild conditions without the use of expensive reagents. The transformation was achieved from a β-elimination/Michael addition cascade, followed by Michael addition of the amine and intramolecular enamination. In the presence of sodium cyanoborohydride the iminium intermediate was reduced in situ to afford the desired morphans.

Dicyclopropylmethyl Peptide Backbone Protectant†

The N-dicyclopropylmethyl (Dcpm) residue, introduced into amino acids via reaction of dicyclopropylmethanimine hydrochloride with an amino acid ester followed by sodium cyanoborohydride or triacetoxyborohydride reduction, can be used as an amide bond protectant for peptide synthesis. Examples which demonstrate the amelioration of aggregation effects include syntheses of the alanine decapeptide and the prion peptide (106-126). Avoidance of cyclization to the aminosuccinimide followed substitution of Fmoc-(Dcpm)Gly-OH for Fmoc-Gly-OH in the assembly of sequences containing the sensitive Asp-Gly unit.

Optimized conditions for 2‐aminobenzamide labeling and high‐performance liquid chromatography analysis of N‐acylated monosaccharides

The monosaccharides GlcNAc (N-acetylglucosamine) and the home-made GlcNC(16) (N-palmitoyl-D-glucosamine) were labeled with 2-AB (2-aminobenzamide) by reductive amination of the sugar. The aldehyde group of the monosaccharide reacts with the amino group of 2-AB, forming a Schiff base. In the second step, the Schiff base is reduced with sodium cyanoborohydride to yield a stable secondary amine. We describe here a simple and fast procedure. Previous studies reported the same labeling at high concentration (10(-1) M) during 30 h with further purification steps. In the present paper all operations were carried out in an Eppendorf tube and the reaction medium was directly analyzed without purification. Using the described protocol, the whole procedure can be accomplished in less than 6 h at 65 degrees C at very low concentration (10(-4) M). For both GlcNC(16) and GlcNAc, the 2-AB labeling conditions were optimized and, in addition, new conditions of high-performance liquid chromatography analysis were developed. These N-alkylated sugars were analyzed on reversed-phase HPLC with fluorimetric detection at excitation and emission wavelengths of 340 and 400 nm, respectively. The separation was achieved on a C(18) column with a gradient mobile phase composed of water (0.1% formic acid)-methanol (volume varying) in less than 19 min with 12.5 and 18.3 min retention times for GlcNAc and GlcNC16, respectively. Positive-ion electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) analysis enabled their structural determination.