Level of sialic acid residues in platelet proteins in diabetes, aging, and Hodgkin's lymphoma: a potential role of free radicals in desialylation

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Abstract

The present study evaluated the levels of sialic acid and carbonylation in platelet proteins from diabetes, old age, and Hodgkin's lymphoma cases and explored the role of free radicals in desialylation. Sialic acid and carbonylation were estimated in platelet suspension obtained from 10 healthy adult control subjects, 20 elderly healthy persons, 20 cases with diabetes, and 10 with Hodgkin's lymphoma. The level of sialic acid residues in platelets was found to be significantly lower and the carbonylation of proteins was higher in old age, diabetes, and lymphoma cases in comparison to controls. The level of carbonylation correlated with desialylation in these cases. In vitro treatment of platelets with free radicals was found to cause desialylation and to increase the carbonyl content. Addition of 2-mercaptoethanol, an antioxidant, significantly attenuated the above effects. The study indicates the possible role of free radicals in desialylation of platelet proteins in the above clinical conditions.

Section snippets

Materials and methods

Selection of cases. (a) Old age: Twenty male volunteers, age above 60 years and without any ill health, were included to see the effect of aging on the selected parameters.

(b) Diabetes: Twenty type 2 diabetic subjects (male, aged between 30 and 40 years) who were diagnosed first time as diabetic with severe derangement of glucose homeostasis for last 6 weeks (HbA1c level >10%) were included in the study. They were free from any diabetic complications and other major ill health.

(c) Malignancy:

Results

The level of sialic acid residues and carbonyl content of platelet proteins in control, diabetics, malignant cases, and in old age are shown in the Table 1. The levels of sialic acid residues in platelets were found to be significantly (p<0.05) decreased in diabetics, Hodgkin's lymphoma cases, and old age, whereas carbonyl contents of platelet proteins were significantly (p<0.05) increased in these cases in comparison to control subjects. The correlation coefficients (rs) between levels of

Discussion

The present study revealed that oxidant injury/free radical reaction can cause desialylation and carbonylation of platelet proteins in in vitro condition. The elevated level of carbonyl content, the decreased sialic acids in platelets, and the negative correlation between sialic acid content and carbonylation in diabetes, malignancy, and aging reflects the fact that free radical reaction might be causing desialylation of platelet glycoproteins in these in vivo clinical conditions associated

Acknowledgements

The authors are indebted to late Prof. Rajshankar, IMS, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India, Prof. S.K. Sen, Head of Biochemistry, JIPMER, Pondicherry, and Dr. Zachariah Bobby, Asst. Prof. of Biochemistry, JIPMER for their keen interest and valuable help during the course of study. The part of the work was carried out in IMS, BHU, Varanasi when Dr. Kalyan Goswami was working there.

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