Lectin binding in the umbilical cord in altered glycemia

Abstract

Objective: Content and distribution of the oligosaccharides in the umbilical cord from pregnancies with altered glycemia were investigated. Study design: A prospective cohort study was conducted in the Florence Policlinic of Careggi, Italy. Samples of cord from physiological pregnancies (n = 20), from pregnancies with minor degree of glucose intolerance (n = 20) and from pregnancies with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) treated with insulin (n = 20) were collected. Eleven lectins were used (ConA, WGA, PNA, SBA, DBA, LTA, UEA I, OOA, GSL II, MAL II and SNA) in combination with chemical and enzymatic treatments. Results: Increase of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine and a loss of sialic acid in the umbilical cord of the cases with minor degree of glucose intolerance with respect to the other study groups was observed. D-Galactose(b1 ! 3)-N-acetyl-D-galactosamine, N-acetyl-D-galactosamine and L-fucose were in less amount in both the pathological groups with respect to the control one. Conclusion: The increase of some glycoconjugates carbohydrates and the loss of others in the umbilical cord from pregnancies with minor degree of glucose intolerance might be related to its morphofunctional alterations in a not diabetic altered glycemia. Moreover, the treatment with insulin in the GDM might play a role in restoring partially the normal glycosilation in the cord components in the attempt to renew some their functions. #

Endothelial heterogeneity and adhesion molecules N-glycosylation: Implications in leukocyte trafficking in inflammation

“…Importantly, this conclusion is also supported from studies comparing patterns of lectin binding in human tissues under healthy and diseased states. Examination of lectin binding to umbilical cords demonstrated increased ConA and UEA binding to the vein compared with the artery and lectinbinding patterns during pregnancy complications are altered in both pattern and intensity within the vasculature (Sgambati et al 2003(Sgambati et al , 2007. Our own studies have shown that there Scott et al (2012).…”