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The sulfated glucuronosyl paragloboside SO4-3-GlcA(β1-3)Gal-(β1-4)GlcNAc(β1-3)Gal-(β1-4)Glcβ(1-1′)Cer (SGPG) is a specific constituent of the peripheral nervous system involved in human dysimmune neuropathies. Although it is highly immunogenic in human pathology, it is not a major constituent of peripheral nerve in humans. Pure SGPG is very difficult to obtain from natural sources, but is needed for the design of efficient and reproducible immunoassays. We describe a new chemical synthesis of this important glycolipid with a stearic tail, including its complete characterization by mass spectrometry and its use in the detection of autoimmune neuropathies.

The anti-Saccharomyces cerevisiae antibodies (ASCA) are markers for Crohn's disease used for diagnostic, phenotypic characterization and sero-epidemiological studies. Antibody detection is made by different immunoenzymatic tests using S. cerevisiae mannans which are both complex and poorly standardized antigens. Here we construct the major discriminating epitopes comprised within this antigen. When coupled to linker arm and a peptidic carrier to functionalize microtiter plates, they were able to discriminate serological responses between Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, another form of inflammatory bowel disease.