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Metabolic Glycoengineering of Sialic Acid Using N-acyl-modified Mannosamines
Published on: November 25, 2017
Factors affecting serum sialic acid levels
1Central Institute for Cancer Research, Department of Virology, Academy of Sciences of the GDR, Berlin-Buch.
Biomedica Biochimica Acta
|January 1, 1989
Summary
Immunostimulators like BCG increased serum sialic acid levels in mice, while immunosuppression did not affect these levels or block the immunostimulatory effect. Macrophages may regulate sialic acid during immune stimulation.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Serum sialic acid levels can change in response to various physiological stimuli.
- The role of specific immune modulators on serum sialic acid is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of immunostimulators and immunosuppressors on serum sialic acid levels in mice.
- To explore the potential involvement of macrophages in regulating serum sialic acid during immune responses.
Main Methods:
- Mice were treated with immunostimulators (BCG, Freund's adjuvant, antigens, Silasorb) or immunosuppressors (gamma-radiation, cyclophosphamide).
- Serum sialic acid levels were measured following treatments.
- The effect of immunosuppression on immunostimulator-induced sialic acid changes was assessed.
Main Results:
- Immunostimulators caused a 2- to 3-fold increase in serum sialic acid.
- Immunosuppressive treatments did not alter serum sialic acid levels.
- Immunosuppression did not inhibit the rise in sialic acid induced by immunostimulators.
Conclusions:
- Serum sialic acid levels are elevated by immunostimulation but not by immunosuppression.
- Macrophages are suggested to play a regulatory role in serum sialic acid levels following immunostimulation.
