title: A high-precision selective determination method for free N-acetylneuraminic acid in human serum.
abstract: We established a high-precision selective determination method for free N-acetylneuraminic acid in human serum, involving capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with selected ion monitoring and specific separation on a Sep Pak silica cartridge. In contrast to the value of 800 ng/ml of N-acetylneuraminic acid previously reported by Haverkamp et al. (J. Haverkamp, R. Schauer, and M. Wember (1976) Hoppe-Seyler's Z. Physiol. Chem. 357, 1699), who used the thiobarbituric acid method, the present method gave a value of 194 +/- 96 ng/ml for 22 serum samples from normal Japanese male volunteers aged between 20 and 30 years. The mass fragmentogram of serum showed a good signal/noise ratio, and the measurement was very specific, accurate, and reproducible.
authors.affiliation: Central Research Institute, MECT Corporation, Saitama, Japan.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sugiyama
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mizu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nagai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006801:Humans; D007785:Lactose / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid; D012794:Sialic Acids / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D012794:Sialic Acids; C000020:N-acetylneuraminoyllactose; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid; D007785:Lactose