Background: To clarify the pathogenesis of and evaluate experimental therapeutic trials for lysosomal diseases, effective tools for the detection of intracellularly accumulated materials are required.
Methods: We examined a series of lectins for staining and blotting of the accumulated glycoconjugates in sialidosis and galactosialidosis.
Results: Lysosomally accumulated sialyl glycoconjugates were successfully detected in cultured fibroblasts from patients with these diseases by means of staining and blotting with Macckia amurensis (MAM).
Conclusions: This procedure is sensitive and easy, and will be useful not only for biochemical and diagnostic analyses, but also for therapeutic evaluation in these diseases.
Copyright 2004 Elsevier B.V.