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An evaluation of mucus glycoproteins in the larynges of victims of sudden infant death syndrome

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2007

Christine A. Brock*
Affiliation:
Department of Comparative Anatomy, The Institute of Laryngology and Otology, 330-332 Gray's Inn Road, London WC1X 8EE.
*
Address for correspondence: Ms C. A. Brock, Department of Comparative Anatomy, The Institute of Laryngology and Otology, 330-332 Gray's Inn Road, London WCIX 8EE. FAX: 0171-837-9279

Abstract

Larynges from 24 victims of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (.S.I.D.S.) and 10 controls, with ages ranging from two days to 24 weeks in the controls and from two toN 16 weeks in theS.1.D.S. victims, were transversely, step-serially sectioned and then stained to show acid, neutral and mixed mucus glycoproteins

The proportion of sulphated mucus glycoprotein and sialylated mucus glycoprotein to total acid mucus glycoprotein was determined by the use of various staining techniques and a comparison was made for each type between S.I.D.S. and controls. The differences were significant with a mean of 27 per cent in the controls compared to 59 per cent in the S.I.D.S. for sulphomucin (difference 32 per cent; standard error of difference 6 per cent; p<0.01) and 73 per cent in the controls compared to 41 per cent in the S.I.D.S. larynges (difference 32 per cent; standard error of difference six per cent; p<0.01) for sialomucin. The results suggest that sulphated mucus glycoprotein is secreted in excess in some victims of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

Type
Main Articles
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 1995

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