Asialo-transferrin from human cerebrospinal fluid was purified to homo
geneity, Investigation of the structural characteristics of its oligos
accharides support our hypothesis of 'brain-type' glycosylation of int
rathecally synthesized cerebrospinal fluid proteins, For carbohydrate
structural analysis, high-pH anion-exchange chromatography, methylatio
n analysis, liquid secondary ion- and matrix-assisted laser desorption
/ ionization mass spectrometry of the permethylated derivatives were u
sed, The major structure turned out to be a complex-type agalactodiant
ennary oligosaccharide with bisecting N-acetylglucosamine and proximal
fucose, Analysis of a second transferrin preparation containing both
asialo- and sialo-transferrin revealed another major glycan species de
rived from the sialylated transferrin variant which is galactosylated
and lacks bisecting N-acetylglucosamine and fucose.