title: Alterations in molecular status of plasma fibronectin associated with aging of normal human individuals.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Senescence, progressive deterioration of many bodily functions might be associated with age-dependent alterations of plasma fibronectin (FN) molecular status (i.e., domain, glycotope, and molecular form expressions).
  
  
  METHODS
  FN molecular status was analyzed in 127 plasma samples of healthy individuals in groups of newborns, and subjects aged 3-14, 15-39, 41-59, and 60-82 years by FN-ELISA, lectin-FN-ELISA, and immunoblotting using a set of domain-specific monoclonal antibodies, specific lectins, and monoclonal antibody to FN, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the first four decades of human life the levels of cell-binding-, carboxyl-terminal-, collagen-, heparin-, and fibrin-domains of plasma FN gradually increased. In subjects aged up to 82 years the cell-binding and carboxyl-terminal FN domain concentrations did not change, while the heparin, fibrin, and collagen domains significantly increased. The relative reactivity of plasma FN with Maackia amurensis lectin, specific to α2,3-linked sialic acid, significantly decreased after birth, reaching a stable level in the subsequent life period, whereas with Sambucus nigra lectin, specific to α2,6-linked sialic acid, it significantly decreased in the 60-82 year old group. Moreover, the appearance of 280-kDa and 320-kDa FN bands, absent in young and mature healthy individuals, was found in the groups of 41-59 and 60-82 year olds.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The alterations of FN molecular status throughout growth, maturation and senescence might be associated not only with disturbances in the balance of FN production rate and degradation, but concomitantly with conformational rearrangements of FN and its engagement in age-related vascular remodeling processes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Immunochemistry, Wrocław University of Medicine, Bujwida 44a, 50-345 Wrocław, Poland. anna.lemanska-perek@am.wroc.pl
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lemańska-Perek
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pupek
authors.forename: Bożena
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Polańska
authors.forename: Jerzy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Leszek
authors.forename: Iwona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kątnik-Prastowska
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D000939:Epitopes / Q000097:blood / Q000737:chemistry; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000097:blood* / Q000737:chemistry; D005643:Fucose / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D006031:Glycosylation; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D037102:Lectins / Q000737:chemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D011485:Protein Binding; D054730:Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D012794:Sialic Acids / Q000097:blood / Q000737:chemistry; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000939:Epitopes; D005353:Fibronectins; D037102:Lectins; D012794:Sialic Acids; D005643:Fucose