Urinary glycoconjugates in schizophrenic patients.
The level of glycoconjugates excreted in the urine of five schizophrenic patients was compared to that excreted by six controls. Urinary samples were fractionated by means of gel filtration and anion exchange chromatography to yield (i) fraction I consisting of basic, neutral, or slightly acidic glycopeptides and/or oligosaccharides, (ii) fraction II consisting of acidic glycopeptides and/or oligosaccharides, and (iii) fraction III consisting of glycosaminoglycans (acidic mucopolysaccharides). The hexose levels of fraction II (p less than 0.05) and uronate levels of fraction III (p less than 0.025) were significantly reduced in schizophrenic patients. The ratio of galactose/mannose in the glycoconjugates of fraction II was lower than normal in the urine from schizophrenic patients. Significantly (p less than 0.05) lower levels of rhamnose and higher levels of fucose were found in the glycoconjugates of fraction I from schizophrenic patients. Contrary to a previous report, we found no evidence for the presence of an abnormally elevated rhamnose-containing glycoprotein or glycoconjugate in fraction II. I appears that the pattern of metabolism of glycoproteins and glycosaminoglycans in schizophrenic patients deviates from the normal.
D000328:Adult; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D003404:Creatinine / Q000652:urine; D005643:Fucose / Q000652:urine; D006020:Glycopeptides / Q000652:urine; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000652:urine*; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans / Q000652:urine*; D006601:Hexoses / Q000652:urine; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000652:urine; D012210:Rhamnose / Q000652:urine; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000652:urine*; D014574:Uronic Acids / Q000652:urine
D006020:Glycopeptides; D006023:Glycoproteins; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans; D006601:Hexoses; D009844:Oligosaccharides; D014574:Uronic Acids; D005643:Fucose; D003404:Creatinine; D012210:Rhamnose