title: Caprine alpha- and beta-mannosidase activities: effects of age, sex, and reproductive status and potential use in heterozygote detection of beta-mannosidosis.
abstract: Effects of age, sex, and reproductive status on caprine plasma alpha- and beta-mannosidase activities were studied. The potential use of these plasma assays was evaluated for heterozygote detection of caprine beta-mannosidosis in populations of control goats and a breeding herd composed of known and putative heterozygotes for beta-mannosidosis. In the control population, the mean plasma alpha- and beta-mannosidase activities decreased in both sexes with maturity. Male goats generally had higher plasma mannosidase activity than did females, and plasma beta-mannosidase activity was affected by the reproductive status of the goats examined. Although putative carriers in the beta-mannosidosis breeding herd could not be differentiated from age- and sex-matched controls, known carriers had plasma beta-mannosidase values intermediate between those of control and affected goats. The lack of any correlation between alpha- and beta-mannosidase activities excluded alpha-mannosidase as a reference enzyme for carrier detection, but there are still differences between known carriers and the control population with respect to the alpha- and beta-mannosidase ratio.
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000097:blood*; D002417:Cattle / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006580:Genetic Carrier Screening / Q000379:methods; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006041:Goats / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008361:Mannosidases / Q000097:blood*; D008661:Metabolism, Inborn Errors / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000662:veterinary*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012737:Sex Factors; D012741:Sexual Maturation; D043323:alpha-Mannosidase; D044902:beta-Mannosidase
chemical_list: D006023:Glycoproteins; D008361:Mannosidases; D043323:alpha-Mannosidase; D044902:beta-Mannosidase