The novel endogenous serum ligands of rat alpha 1-foetoprotein previously demonstrated in different mammalian sera were identified by g.l.c.--mass-spectrometric methods as a mixture of non-esterified long-chain and predominantly unsaturated fatty acids. Detailed comparative analyses of these ligands extracted from foetal- and pregnant-rat sera, rat amniotic fluid and foetal human sera are presented. We also show that an important fraction of these ligands remains associated with the rat alpha 1-foetoprotein after purification; analyses are given for the composition of this lipid moiety of the foetoprotein. The physiological relevance of these results is discussed.

SummaryDesorptionlchemical ionization mass spectrometry (D/CI.-MS.) is a recently developed technique especially indicated for highly polar and non volatile compounds. Various naturally occurring glycosides such as saponins, iridoid and secoiridoid glycosides, cardenolides and flavone-0-glycosides have been investigated by this method. All the measurements were carried out on underivatized compounds. In addition to the structural informations generally furnished by field-desorption mass spectrometry (molecular ion and sugar sequence), the molecular ion and pertinent fragments of the aglycone could also be obtained.

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