Direct quantitation of glycosaminoglycans in 2 mL of urine from patients with mucopolysaccharidoses

Glycosaminoglycans in urine from patients representing the major different mucopolysaccharidoses were separated and measured by use of a procedure that requires only 2 mL of urine. The compounds were resolved by two-dimensional electrophoresis on cellulose acetate plates and made visible by staining with Alcian Blue. They were identified by co-migration with standard glycosaminoglycans, by digestion with specific glycosidases, and by specific degradation with HNO₂. They were quantitated by comparing the absorbance of eluates of the stained spots to appropriate standard curves for each glycosaminoglycan. This study revealed additional findings. About half of the patients excreted small amounts of heparin. Further, the keratan sulfate in samples from Morquio's disease patients migrated differently from authentic keratan sulfate unless digested with chondroitinase ABC. Our results for these diseases are in harmony with earlier reports.