skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: N-acetylneuraminlactose sulfate in milk and its role in the synthesis of glycosaminoglycans during development

Conference · · Fed. Proc., Fed. Am. Soc. Exp. Biol.; (United States)
OSTI ID:7108780

Mammals in early life are incapable of synthesizing inorganic sulfate, an important constituent of connective tissue glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). Studies have shown that (/sup 35/S)Na/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ injected into lactating rats is secreted into the milk as (/sup 35/S) N-acetylneuraminlactose sulfate (NLS); this compound accounts for greater than or equal to 95% of the radioactivity found in milk. They have studied the metabolic fate of the sulfate moiety of NLS in the newborn rat. Lactating rat dams were injected with (/sup 35/S) Na/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ at various times postpartum and pups were allowed to suckle for 48 hrs before sacrifice. Pups of varying ages (3 d. - 19 d.) were sacrificed and the GAGs were prepared from 9 different organs and tissues. Pups of all ages showed appreciable radiosulfate incorporated into all of the tissues and organs examined. In young pups (3 and 5 d old) a high of 75% of the total (/sup 35/S) sulfate in the homogenate was found in the GAGs of bone, and a low of 27% in the GAGs of liver. Analysis of the composition of the GAGs by enzymatic degradation showed that bone GAGs consisted entirely of chondroitin 4/6 sulfate (C4/6S) while liver GAGs contained 50% C4/6S, 10% dermatan sulfate (DS), and 40% chondroitinase resistant material (probably heparan sulfate). These data show that sulfate in the form of NLS is incorporated in substantial amounts into the sulfated GAGs of the developing rat and support the hypothesis that NLS is an important source of nutrient sulfate during rat development.

Research Organization:
New York State Institute for Basic Resources in Development Disability, Staten Island
OSTI ID:
7108780
Report Number(s):
CONF-8606151-; TRN: 86-039021
Journal Information:
Fed. Proc., Fed. Am. Soc. Exp. Biol.; (United States), Vol. 45:6; Conference: 76. annual meeting of the Federation of American Society for Experimental Biology, Washington, DC, USA, 8 Jun 1986
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English