Bilyy R. Cell membrane glycoproteins during apoptosis: detection, characteristic, biomedical aspects of study.

Object - changes in plasma membrane glycoprotein content during apoptosis. Aim of the study - to determine the nature and mechanism(s) of changes in plasma membrane glycoproteins' content of apoptotic cells, to justify the possibility of utilization of mentioned changes for quantitative apoptosis estimation. Methods: biochemical, cytological, statistical. The existence of novel biochemical marker of apoptosis in cell plasma membrane, namely an increase in the exposure levels of a-D-mannose- and b-D-galactose-rich glycoproteins was proved. This marker was used for detection and isolation of apoptotic cells from mixed populations. Mechanism of changes in glycoprotein redistribution was proposed and proved: increase in exposure of mannose- and galactose-rich glycoprotein content results from modification of preexisting proteins of plasma membranes by neuraminidases and not from de novo synthesis. Method of lectin-induced agglutination for quick detection of apoptosis in cell population was developed. Thismethod was proved to be effective in apoptosis determination in lymphocyte populations isolated from patients with autoimmune disorders. Area of use - cell biology, clinical diagnostics, immunology.