N acetylglucosamine

[kim]

Just wanted to make it clear that I'm not suggesting that anyone give this to their child. I'm only hoping that those with access to Dr.s working on this, will ask if they think that this might a safe or effective treatment.

 

http://www.google.com/products?q=source+na...ved=0CB4QzAMwAA

 

Source Naturals NAG N-Acetyl Glucosamine

 

Remarks from another thread

 

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/70952.php

 

QUOTE

In studies on mice, Dr. Michael Demetriou and colleagues with the UC Irvine Center for Immunology found that N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc), which is similar but more effective than the widely available glucosamine, inhibited the growth and function of abnormal T-cells that incorrectly direct the immune system to attack specific tissues in the body, such as brain myelin in MS and insulin-producing cells of the pancreas in diabetes. Study results appear on the online version of the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

 

"This finding shows the potential of using a dietary supplement to help treat autoimmune diseases," said Demetriou, an assistant professor of neurology, and microbiology and molecular genetics. "Most importantly, we understand how this sugar-based supplement inhibits the cells that attack the body, making metabolic therapy a rational approach to prevent or treat these debilitating diseases."

 

The UC Irvine study defines how metabolic therapy with the sugar GlcNAc and other related nutrients modifies the growth and autoimmune activitiy of T-cells. Virtually all proteins on the surface of cells, including T-cells, are modified with complex sugars of variable lengths and composition. Recent studies have shown that changes in these sugars are often associated with T-cell hyperactivity and autoimmune disease.

Mommd and anyone with good Drs!

 

I wonder if anyone could get Doc's feedback on this concept. I have felt for a long time that something is affecting the way these sugar chains are assembled in some people with autoimmune problems. If it's genetic response to environmental factors (strep and other ....viral/metals etc)seems this may be one of the best/safest ways available now in some instances for damage control. My biggest concern is regarding long term use, and insulin resistance. From what I've been able to find on it, seems there is some uncertainty about that and i think there is definitely a predisposition here. Also, since there is at least a mild immune suppression (or does it only suppress abnormal t cells?), for people with known immune deficiency this might not be a good option.

 

 

What an interesting thought regarding GlcNAc. There's a very recent John Hopkins study by Dias at http://www.jbc.org/content/284/32/21327.abstract where they found direct correlation between GlcNAc and CamKinaseIV activation.

 

While it is dangerous to connect the three dots, it sure seems like the following is a good working hypothesis:

 

1) T-cells are producing monoclonal antibodies with epitype GlcNAc

2) The monoclonal antibodies are bonding with GlcNAc and thereby inactivating the ability of GlcNAc to bond with cAMP

3) The lack of available GlcNAc inhibits the suppression of CaM Kinase activations (II and IV)

 

So perhaps what Kirvan and Cunningham are measuring with elevated Cam Kinase II is that the available GlcNAc is abnormally low in the blood serum.

 

It appears that Kirvan and Cunningham are pursuing the direction that the antibodies bind directly to dopamine receptors, but I think the direction you raise in your post is equally interesting and seems to fit the model (i.e., that there's a decline in available GlcNAc). Hmm....

[kim]

Cheri,

 

Could you move this over to the PANDAS forum? I was looking for info from old posts here, and posted this accidently. Thank you!

 

 

edit...cancel that request Cheri. I just copied the info to the PANDAS forum. I bet you're busy making money, like I should be doing

[kim]

Buster,

 

I thought your hypothesis was important and stated much more eloquently than what I usually come up with!

 

This is has a filing date of 11/89, so not sure if newer research refutes any of this. Seems to me that these NAG containing chains have a negative charge. They should repel bacteria in some instance, so if a deficiency is present, could account for more frequent infections i.e. bladder, throat, sinus, lung etc. the "mucousy" membranes? The tone of this suggests that the GAGS are deficient subsequent to infection, bit i wonder if these findings are present to some degree, prior to the infection.

 

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/EP0372730.html

 

The inventor has discovered that sufferers of Crohn's disease have a reduced level of NAG in their system. The inventor has also discovered unexpectedly that an intake of a pharmacologically acceptable amount of NAG stimulates the synthesis of protective substances, improves tissue integrity and restores tissue function in the direction of normal. Administration of NAG in therapeutic quantities has been found to be helpful in the treatment of Crohn's disease. In IBD, specifically, the conversion of glucosamine to NAG has been found to be much slower than normal. This invention, in one aspect, is directed to overcoming IBD to at least a certain extent by supplementing the sufferer's (patient's) diet with NAG.

I also found this statement from the same article really interesting. Some kids who have been taking huge amts of probiotics are still found to have reduced levels of some of the supposed beneficial bacteria's.

 

It is known that NAG is secreted into mother's milk and stimulates the establishment of lactobacilli in the intestine of newborn infants who are breast-fed. Such flora tends to prevent establishment of less favourable bacteria and has certain advantages in the digestion of milk and in proper bowel function. A similar situation exists in vaginitis, where the prevalence of lactobacilli has a similar protective effect. However, establishment of this organism has not heretofore been successful, probably because of the lack of the "growth factor", NAG, which is required by this organism to enable synthesis of the cell wall. Consequently, providing NAG as a dietary supplement represents a physiological means of encouraging the establishment of lactobacilli in the vagina, with the attendant benefits.

[kim]

http://aac.asm.org/cgi/reprint/51/9/3056.pdf

 

Chitosan Malate Inhibits Growth and Exotoxin Production of

Toxic Shock Syndrome-Inducing Staphylococcus aureus

Strains and Group A Streptococci

 

The present study has shown that chitosan malate has the

ability to inhibit exotoxin production by gram-positive bacteria

at chitosan malate concentrations that are not overtly toxic to

rabbits, and in vivo the compound has the ability to prevent

serious staphylococcal and streptococcal illnesses. Further

studies are required to assess the human safety of chitosan

malate use, but these studies suggest the compound may be

useful as an additive to wound dressings for the management

of infections.