title: Nonenzymatic modifications of amino sugars in vitro.
abstract: Browning reactions of amino sugars were observed in a variety of sterile pH buffers at 25-37 degrees C. These reactions were signaled by an increase in absorbance at 273 nm, followed by an increase in absorbance at 320-360 nm. The reactions were maximal at pH 7.0 in phosphate buffer. Acidic solutions (pH less than 2.2) of 50 mM D-glucosamine hydrochloride gave only a negligible reaction and 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-glucose was unreactive. Half of the D-glucosamine in a 100 mM solution in sterile 0.2 M sodium phosphate buffer, pH 7.4, at 37 degrees C decomposed or was transformed in 27 h. A comparison of reactivity in generating A273 and A340 chromophores showed D-mannosamine greater than D-galactosamine greater than D-glucosamine. Permanganate oxidation of incubated glucosamine solutions afforded a compound which chromatographed like 2,5-pyrazinedicarboxylic acid and gave the same ultraviolet absorption spectrum. This, together with fractionating and thin-layer chromatography of the products of glucosamine incubation, suggests that 2,5-bis(tetrahydroxybutyl)pyrazine is formed as one of the products of autocondensation of D-glucosamine in accord with the report of Candiano et al. (1988, Carbohydr. Res. 184, 67-75) on products formed in glucosamine-lysine incubation mixtures. Formation of products absorbing at 325-360 nm was inhibited by the chelator diethylene-triaminepentaacetic acid. This suggests that the later reactions may be mediated by a metal-stimulated free radical mechanism. After 4 days incubation high molecular weight products with absorbance maxima at 273 nm and 325-360 nm were detected. Some of these were retained by dialysis membranes of molecular weight cut-off greater than 3500 and greater than 12,000.
authors.affiliation: New York Medical College, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Valhalla 10595.
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Horowitz
mesh_terms: D000606:Amino Sugars / Q000737:chemistry*; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D002854:Chromatography, Paper; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D003124:Colorimetry / Q000379:methods; D005688:Galactosamine / Q000737:chemistry; D005944:Glucosamine / Q000737:chemistry; D006595:Hexosamines / Q000737:chemistry; D007700:Kinetics; D012996:Solutions; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet
chemical_list: D000606:Amino Sugars; D006595:Hexosamines; D012996:Solutions; C008322:mannosamine; D005688:Galactosamine; D005944:Glucosamine