Free N-acetylneuraminic acid in tissues in Salla disease and the enzymes involved in its metabolism

• Salla disease is a lysosomal storage disorder of unknown etiology, characterized biochemically by increased urinary excretion of N-acetylneuraminic acid. This compound has now been shown to occur in abnormally large amounts in liver and cultured skin fibroblasts from these patients. Quantification of N-acetylneuraminic acid was performed using a new gas-chromatography/mass spectrometric single-ion method which is sensitive and specific. No abnormalities in the activity of several enzymes involved in sialic acid metabolism (N-acetylneuraminate:pyruvate lyase, neuraminidase, CMP-N-acetylneuraminate N-acylneuraminohydrolase and CTP:N-acyl-neuraminate cytidylyltransferase) were demonstrable. A possible explanation for the defect is a malfunctioning active transport of N-acetylneuraminic acid across the lysosomal membrane.

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MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Hematologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Hematology (hsv//eng)

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