Glycoprotein Hypersialylation and a Different Distribution of both Glycans and some Glycosyltransferase Activities are Found in Pig Endocardiosis

Protein homogenates appropriately prepared from four normal pig mitral valves and four affected by endocardiosis, have been analyzed four their content and linkage-type of sialic acid, glycans type, and some of theis glycosyltransferase activities such as B,(1-4) galactosyltransferase and sialyltransferase of different types i.e. O, 6O, 3 N, 6N, and a,(2-8). A higher content of sialic total acid and a greater content of sialoglycans characterized diseased valves. Moreover, valves with endocardiosis showed a higher content of either B, (1-4) galactosyltransferase, and 3 O, 6 O, and a,(2-8) sialyltransferase activities; by contrast, sialyltransferases activities of both 3 N and N type were lower than in normal valves. Althougt it is not known whether these changes are the primary event or a result of other changes, it is suggested that glycosyltransferase may play a role in the pathogesis of pig endocardiosis