title: Polysialic acid and HNK-1 are expressed in the adult rat vestibular endorgans.
abstract: Polysialic acid (PSA) and human natural killer (HNK)-1 carbohydrate epitopes are expressed mainly in developing neurons but also in restricted areas, even in adulthood. In the present study, we demonstrated the expression of PSA and HNK-1 epitopes in adult primary vestibular afferent neurons. In addition, we confirmed the presence of two distinct polysialyltransferases, PST and STX, that form PSA, as well as two types of glucuronyltransferases, GlcAT-P and GlcAT-S involved in the biosynthesis of HNK-1 epitopes in the vestibular endorgans. These results combined suggest that both PSA and HNK-1 carbohydrate epitopes are synthesized and may have an important role in the adult peripheral vestibular endorgans.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Shinshu University School of Medicine, 3-1-1 Asahi, Matsumoto 390-8621, Japan.
authors.forename: Manami
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Isawa
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takumi
authors.forename: Shigenari
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nakayama
authors.forename: Shin-ichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Usami
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018959:CD57 Antigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000939:Epitopes / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D014453:Glucuronosyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008954:Models, Biological; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012665:Semicircular Canals / Q000378:metabolism*; D012794:Sialic Acids / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012799:Sialyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D014722:Vestibule, Labyrinth / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D018959:CD57 Antigens; D000939:Epitopes; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012794:Sialic Acids; C021319:polysialic acid; C051774:neurofilament protein H; D014453:Glucuronosyltransferase; C046778:CMP-N-acetylneuraminate-poly-alpha-2,8-sialosyl sialyltransferase; D012799:Sialyltransferases