The effect of in vitro sialylation of human fibrinogen
Simmonds, V.J.; Francis, J.L.
Medical Laboratory Sciences 44(2): 119-124
1987
ISSN/ISBN: 0308-3616 PMID: 3695843 Document Number: 304619
The sialic acid content of human fibrinogen was increased in vitro using a partially purified fat liver sialyltransferase (ST) preparation. Fibrinogen modified in this way showed prolonged thrombin and reptilase clotting times and reduced clot opacity. Increases in fibrinogen-bound sialic acid (FSA) were confirmed by biochemical and isotopic measurements and correlated with the clotting abnormalities. Removal of the added sialic acid with neuraminidase restored the clotting parameters to normal, or near-normal, values. These results confirm that liver ST is capable of adding sialic acid residues to fibrinogen, and support the suggestion that elevated liver ST activity may be responsible for the increased FSA associated with the acquired dysfibrinogenaemia of liver disease.