The effect of D-(+)-glucosamine on levels of free N-acetylneuraminic acid and UDP-N-acetylhexosamines in infantile sialic acid storage disease (ISSD) fibroblasts.

ABSTRACT

An impairment in the regulation of N-acetylneuraminic acid (NANA) biosynthesis might potentially contribute to accumulation of free NANA in fibroblasts of patients with sialic acid storage disease (ISSD). By the use of a glucosamine loading test an increase in uridine-diphosphate-N-acetyl-hexosamines (UDP-HexNAc) but not in free NANA was found. NANA biosynthesis therefore appears to be under normal regulatory control in ISSD.