title: Gangliosides in human and monkey lenses.
abstract: The amount of gangliosides was determined in normal human lens, cataractous human lens and normal monkey lens. The total gangliosidic sialic acids averaged 176.3 +/- 44.7 (SD) (n = 4) in normal human lenses, and 272.2 +/- 80.6 (n = 14) nmol per gram wet weight in cataractous lenses, respectively; the difference was statistically significant. In monkey lens, the content was 143.8 +/- 32.4 (n = 4) nmol per gram wet weight. The composition of the gangliosides was analyzed by high performance thin-layer chromatography: the components of the a-pathway biosynthesis comprised 78.3% and 70.2%, and those of the b-pathway 13.8% and 20.9%, in the normal and cataractous human lenses, respectively. In the monkey lens, the components of the a-pathway comprised 33.0% and those of the b-pathway were 56.6% of the total gangliosides. Increase in gangliosides was thought to be related with the mechanism underlying formation of cataract.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002386:Cataract / Q000378:metabolism; D005732:Gangliosides / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism*; D000882:Haplorhini; D006801:Humans; D007908:Lens, Crystalline / Q000378:metabolism*; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid; D012794:Sialic Acids / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005732:Gangliosides; D012794:Sialic Acids; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid