Gangliosides characterization by high resolution mass spectrometry and ion mobility

Gangliosides (GG) are sialic acid-containing glycosphingolipids particularly abundant in the nervous system. They exhibit a wide variety of structures depending on both the oligosaccharide chain and the ceramide moiety. About 200 GG species have been described so far, but their diversity and biological roles are far from being completely elucidated. An efficient method of identification and quantification is crucial to apprehend this huge heterogeneity. In this study, we focused on the characterization of the ceramide portion of GG, identifying the long chain base (LCB) and the fatty acid. A commercial standard of GD3 was analysed with both a Thermo LTQ-Orbitrap XLTM and a Waters Synapt G2-…