Tools and techniques for quantitative glycoproteomic analysis

Recent advances in mass spectrometry (MS)-based methods have significantly expanded the capabilities for quantitative glycoproteomics, enabling highly sensitive and accurate quantitation of glycosylation at intact glycopeptide level. These developments have provided valuable insights into the roles of glycoproteins in various biological processes and diseases. In this short review, we summarize pertinent studies on quantitative techniques and tools for site-specific glycoproteomic analysis published over the past decade. We also highlight state-of-the-art MS-based software that facilitate multi-dimension quantification of the glycoproteome, targeted quantification of specific glycopeptides, and the analysis of glycopeptide isomers. Additionally, we discuss the potential applications of these technologies in clinical biomarker discovery and the functional characterization of glycoproteins in health and disease. The review concludes with a discussion of current challenges and future perspectives in the field, emphasizing the need for more precise, high-throughput and efficient methods to further advance quantitative glycoproteomics and its applications.