Sialic acid and enzymatic desialation of cord blood fibrinogen.
Fibrinogen-bound sialic acid was determined in a large series of normal adult, full-term pre-term cord blood samples. Sialic acid was significantly higher in the full-term cord fibrinogen than controls, and higher in premature than term samples. Enzymatic desialation of full-term fibrinogens corrected the abnormal thrombin times and fibrin polymerisation to normal or near-normal values. There was significant correlation between sialic acid content and thrombin time in full-term cord samples. It is concluded that fetal fibrinogen is characterised by an elevated sialic acid content, and that the degree of hypersialation is a function of gestational age.
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000032:analysis; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products / Q000032:analysis; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009439:Neuraminidase / Q000494:pharmacology; D012794:Sialic Acids / Q000097:blood*; D013918:Thrombin Time
D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products; D012794:Sialic Acids; C011468:fibrinmonomer; D005340:Fibrinogen; D009439:Neuraminidase