Sialic acid in erythrocytes of patients with amaurotic idiocy and Huntington's chorea.

Abstract

Total erythrocyte sialic acid and lipid-extractable sialic acid were estimated in material obtained from 14 normal subjects, and from 8 parents and 1 sibling of patients suffering from late infantile or juvenile forms of amaurotic idiocy, from 1 patient in the terminal phase of the disease and 2 patients with Huntington's chorea. In contrast to a previous report no increase in lipid-sialic acid was found, nor were the total sialic acid values in the “pathological” material raised. The cause of these different results is still obscure. The possible role of lipid-peroxidation products is discussed.