title: Human serum N-glycan profiles are age and sex dependent.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  protein glycosylation varies with the physiological and pathological status of the cell. Consequently, analysis of protein-linked glycans has growing importance both in basic glycobiological research and as a potential tool for monitoring the physiological state in humans.
  
  
  METHODS
  a total of 265 healthy northern Chinese men and women were grouped by age and gender. The mean age in males and females was similar.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  the study is aimed to evaluate the effects of the age and gender on the human serum N-glycans profiles in the clinical diagnose of ageing and disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  the 265 human serum N-glycan profiles were obtained by DNA sequencer-assisted fluorophore-assisted carbohydrate electrophoresis. Comparison of N-glycan profiles was carried out among the different genders and age groups and the data were analysed with the GeneMapper software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  age-related changes in the three N-glycan structures (NGA2F, NGA2FB and NA2F) were observed. Interestingly, fucosylation of N-glycans was significantly different (P < 0.0001) between men and women: more core-α-1,6-fucosylated glycans were detected in women, whereas more branching-α-1,3-fucosylated N-glycans were seen in men.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  the N-glycome profile in serum is gender and age dependent. This should be taken into consideration in the development of serum glycome markers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 92, West Da-Zhi Street, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China.
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Huan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nie
authors.forename: Xuemei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Youpeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yuanfei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Xue
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Cuiying Chitty
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000117:Acetylglucosamine / Q000097:blood; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000367:Age Factors; D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002681:China; D004586:Electrophoresis; D005260:Female; D005643:Fucose / Q000097:blood; D054794:Glycomics / Q000379:methods; D006031:Glycosylation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000097:blood*; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D011134:Polysaccharides; D005643:Fucose; D000117:Acetylglucosamine