Glycobiology Advance Access published online on April 23, 2009
Glycobiology, doi:10.1093/glycob/cwp058
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Communications |
Xylosyltransferase II is a significant contributor of circulating xylosyltransferase levels and platelets constitute an important source of xylosyltransferase in serum
1 From Oklahoma State University, Department of Physiological Sciences, Stillwater, Oklahoma 74078
2 Department of Cell Biology
3 Department of Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73104
4 Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA
5 Advanced Magnetic Resonance Center, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73104
6 To whom correspondence should be addressed: Oklahoma State University, Department of Physiological Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Stillwater, Oklahoma 74078, USA. Tel: 405-744-8103, Fax: 405-744-6263; E-mail Myron.Hinsdale{at}okstate.edu.
Received on January 14, 2009; accepted on April 15, 2009
Circulating glycosyltransferases including xylosyltransferase I (XylT1) and II (XylT2) are potential serum biomarkers for various diseases. Understanding what influences the serum activity of these enzymes as well as the sources of these enzymes is important to interpreting the significance of alterations in enzyme activity during disease. The following article demonstrates that in the mouse and human the predominant XylT in serum is XylT2. Furthermore, that total XylT levels in human serum are approximately 200% higher than those in plasma due in part to XylT released by platelets during blood clotting in vitro. In addition, the data from Xylt2 knock out mice and mice with liver neoplasia show that liver is a significant source of serum XylT2 activity. The data presented suggests that serum XylT levels may be an informative biomarker in patients that suffer from diseases affecting platelet and/or liver homeostasis.
Key words: glycosyltransferase / proteoglycans / platelets / liver / serum