Selective isolation of hyaluronan by solid phase adsorption to silica

A solid phase adsorption method for selective isolation of hyaluronan (HA) from biological samples is presented. Following enzymatic degradation of protein, HA can be separated from sulfated glycosaminoglycans, other unsulfated glycosaminoglycans, nucleic acids, and proteolytic fragments by adsorption to amorphous silica at specific salt concentrations. The adsorbed HA can be released from silica using neutral and basic aqueous solutions. HA ranging in size from ∼9 kDa to MDa polymers has been purified by this method from human serum and conditioned medium of cultured cells. [Display omitted] •Hyaluronan can be isolated by adsorption to silica at high salt concentration.•Hyaluronan can be separated from sulfated glycosaminoglycans.•Hyaluronan can be separated from unsulfated chondroitin and heparosan.•Hyaluronan can be separated from nucleic acids.•Hyaluronan was isolated from human serum and cultured cell conditioned medium.