N-Acetyl neuraminic acid (sialic acid) is a monosaccharide generally found as the terminating unit on glycans, which in turn are surface of cells and glycoproteins. These glycans aid variety biological functions such cell interactions immune response. Sialic has been identified biomarker for cardiovascular disease, diabetes range other inflammatory degenerative conditions. It also marker differ...

Adeno-associated virus serotype 4 (AAV4) and AAV5 have different tropisms compared to AAV2 and to each other. We recently reported that alpha 2--3 sialic acid is required for AAV5 binding and transduction. In this study, we characterized AAV4 binding and transduction and found it also binds sialic acid, but the specificity is significantly different from AAV5. AAV4 can hemagglutinate red blood ...

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a major cause of pneumonia and meningitis. Airway colonization is a necessary precursor to disease, but little is known about how the bacteria establish and maintain colonization. Carbohydrates are required as a carbon source for pneumococcal growth and, therefore, for colonization. Free carbohydrates are not readily available in the naso-oropharynx; however, N- and ...

Some investigators have reported recently that platelet surface sialic acid is decreased during ADP-induced aggregation, whereas others have reported an increase. Since removal of sialic acid from the platelet surface shortens platelet survival, we have determined the survival of platelets that have been aggregatad by ADP. We have also measured the amount of sialic acid in the suspending fluid ...

Haemophilus ducreyi, the causative agent of chancroid, produces a lipooligosaccharide (LOS) which terminates in N-acetyllactosamine. This glycoform can be further extended by the addition of a single sialic acid residue to the terminal galactose moiety. H. ducreyi does not synthesize sialic acid, which must be acquired from the host during infection or from the culture medium when the bacteria ...

We have established by HPLC age-related reference intervals for sialic acid urinary excretion in 364 control individuals to assist in evaluating the clinical significance of the free sialic acid concentration in urine. In addition, an HPLC method for quantitative analysis of free deoxysialic acid was developed, and age-related reference intervals for excretion of this compound in urine were est...

Tannerella forsythia is a key contributor to periodontitis, but little is known of its virulence mechanisms. In this study we have investigated the role of sialic acid in biofilm growth of this periodontal pathogen. Our data show that biofilm growth of T. forsythia is stimulated by sialic acid, glycolyl sialic acid, and sialyllactose, all three of which are common sugar moieties on a range of i...

Sialylation is essential for development and regeneration in mammals. Using N-propanoylmannosamine, a novel precursor of sialic acid, we were able to incorporate unnatural sialic acids with a prolonged N-acyl side chain (e.g., N-propanoylneuraminic acid) into cell surface glycoconjugates. Here we report that this biochemical engineering of sialic acid leads to a stimulation of neuronal cells. B...

Two sialic acids were isolated from the jelly coat of the eggs of the sea urchin Pseudocentrotus depressus. Both were subjected to chemical assay, thin layer chromatography, infrared absorption study, and enzymatic treatment. The results indicate that one of the sialic acids is identical with N-glycolylneuraminic acid. The other sialic acid is a completely new type and was deduced to be N-aceto...

total cholesterol and significantly lower in a group with high concentrations of HDL cholesterol. Serum triglyceride showed a positive significant correlation with serum sialic acid and HDL cholesterol showed a negative significant correlation. These findings suggest that the serum concentration of sialic acid is affected by serum lipids. Increases in serum sialic acid concentration in patients...