THE RELATION BETWEEN THE EXPRESSION OF ASIALOCLYCOPROTE IN RECEPTOR AND CIRCULATING DESIALYLATED CLYOPROTEINS IN THE DEVELOPING RAT

Abstract

Previous studies investigating the biological activity of the asialoglycoprotoin receptor have demonstrated its importance in the clearance of desialylated glycoproteins from the circulatin. The present study examined the possible physiological role of the receptor during the development in the rat.

Fetuses of individual pregnant Sprague Dawley rats were removed at day 18 to 22 of gestation. Livers and sera were collected. Newborn rates were sacrificed at 1 to 10 days of life and their livers and sera were collected. Adult rats were used as a control group. Total post-nuclei membrane vesicles were prepared from the liver using the sucrose gradient method. Quantitation of the ASCR levels in the membranes was performed using the western method. The quantiation of the serum desialylated glycoproteins was performed using a modified western blot protocol employing radiodinated ricinus communis lectin (RCA 1).

Results: The ASGR levels were very low in the fetus increasing dramatically after birth and reaching the adult levels after the first week of life. In contrast the abundance of the serum desialylated glycoproteins in the serum presented an opposite developmental pattern. High levels were demonstrated in the fetuses decreasing three fold around the time of birth reaching the adult levels in the first days of life. Further the pattern of the desialylated glycoproteins was observed to change during development. These results suggest a direct relation between the level of ASGR and the circulating desialylated glycoproteins during development.

Log in or create a free account to read this content

Gain free access to this article, as well as selected content from this journal and more on nature.com

Access through your institution

or

Sign in or create an account

Continue with Google

Continue with ORCiD