Effects of perinatal hypothyroidism in the carbohydrate composition of cochlear tectorial membrane

The presence of carbohydrates in the cochlear tectorial membrane (TM) of normal and hypothyroid rats was analyzed using fluorescent lectin probes. SBA and WGA lectins exhibited a similar reactivity in both normal and hypothyroid TMs. DBA, RCA1, UEA1 and Con A lectins were also reactive, although they showed a different distribution pattern between normal and hypothyroid TMs. Lastly, one of the lectins, PNA, was only labeled in hypothyroid TMs. These findings suggest that carbohydrate chains containing residues of N-acetyl-D-galactosamine (GalNAc) and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, are similarly distributed in normal and hypothyroid TMs. Other carbohydrate residues as GalNAc alpha 1,3 GalNAc, D-galactose (Gal), L-fucose and D-mannose, are present, but are abnormally distributed in hypothyroid TMs. The Gal beta 1,3GalNAc residues, recognized by PNA, could be present only in the hypothyroid TMs. Alterations in glycosylation of the glycoproteins in the hypothyroid TM could be responsible for the abnormal distribution pattern of carbohydrate residues here described, and for the distorted shape of the hypothyroid TM.