4511 N-Acetylneuraminic acid N-Acetylneuraminic acid (NeuAc) or sialic acid is an acetyl derivative of the amino sugar neuraminic acid. It occurs in many glycoproteins, glycolipids, and polysaccharides in both mammals and bacteria. The most abundant sialic acid, NeuAc, is synthesized in vivo from N-acetylated D-mannosamine (ManNAc) or D-glucosamine (GlcNAc). NeuAc and its activated form, CMP-NeuAc, are biosynthesized in five consecutive reactions: UDP-N-acetylglucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc) N-acetylmannosamine (ManNAc) ManNAc 6-phosphate NeuAc 9-phosphate NeuAc CMP-NeuAc. CMP-NeuAc is transported into the Golgi apparatus and, with the aid of specific sialyltransferases, added onto nonreducing positions on oligosaccharide chains of glycoproteins and glycolipids. NeuAc is widely distributed throughout human tissues and found in several fluids, including serum, cerebrospinal fluid, saliva, urine, amniotic fluid, and breast milk. It is found in high levels in the brain, adrenal glands, and the heart. Serum and urine levels of the free acid are elevated in individuals suffering from renal failure. Serum and saliva Neu5Ac levels are also elevated in alcoholics. A disorder known as Salla disease or infantile NeuAc storage disease is also characterized by high serum and urine levels of this compound. The negative charge of is responsible for the slippery feel of saliva and mucins coating the body's organs. This particular sialic acid is known to act as a decoy for invading pathogens. Along with involvement in preventing infections (mucus associated with mucous membranes mouth, nose, GI, respiratory tract), Neu5Ac acts as a receptor for influenza viruses, allowing attachment to mucous cells via hemagglutinin (an early step in acquiring influenzavirus infection). NeuAc is also becoming known as an agent necessary for mediating ganglioside distribution and structures in the brain. Sialic acid (SA) is an N-acetylated derivative of neuraminic acid that is an abundant terminal monosaccharide of glycoconjugates. Normal human serum SA is largely bound to glycoproteins or glycolipids (Total sialic acid, TSA, 1.5-2.5 mmol/L), with small amounts of free SA (1-3 umol/L). Negatively charged SA units stabilize glycoprotein conformation in cell surface receptors to increase cell rigidity. This enables signal recognition and adhesion to ligands, antibodies, enzymes and microbes. SA residues are antigenic determinant residues in carbohydrate chains of glycolipids and glycoproteins, chemical messengers in tissue and body fluids, and may regulate glomeruli basement membrane permeability. Sialic acids are structurally unique nine-carbon keto sugars occupying the interface between the host and commensal or pathogenic microorganisms. An important function of host sialic acid is to regulate innate immunity. Sialic acid is the moiety most actively recycled for metabolic purposes in the salvage pathways in glycosphingolipid metabolism. Sialic acid is indispensable for the neuritogenic activities of gangliosides constituents which are unique in that a sialic acid directly binds to the glucose of the cerebroside, they are mutually connected in tandem, and some are located in the internal parts of the sugar chain. Sialylation (sialic acid linked to galactose, N-acetylgalactosamine, or linked to another sialic acid) represents one of the most frequently occurring terminations of the oligosaccharide chains of glycoproteins and glycolipids. The biosynthesis of the various linkages is mediated by the different members of the sialyltransferase family. (A3513, A3514, A3515, A3516, A3517, A3518). 131-48-6 445063 C11H19NO9 White powder. 186°C No indication of carcinogenicity to humans (not listed by IARC). This is an endogenously produced metabolite found in the human body. It is used in metabolic reactions, catabolic reactions or waste generation. 2014-08-29T06:51:25Z 2026-05-14T18:07:13Z N-Acetylneuraminic acid C19910 45744 N-ACETYLNEURAMINATE DB04265 SLB true CC(=O)N[C@@H]1[C@@H](O)C[C@](O)(O[C@H]1[C@H](O)[C@H](O)CO)C(O)=O C11H19NO9 InChI=1S/C11H19NO9/c1-4(14)12-7-5(15)2-11(20,10(18)19)21-9(7)8(17)6(16)3-13/h5-9,13,15-17,20H,2-3H2,1H3,(H,12,14)(H,18,19)/t5-,6+,7+,8+,9+,11-/m0/s1 SQVRNKJHWKZAKO-PFQGKNLYSA-N 309.2699 309.105981211 Endogenous Solid -3.6 HMDB00230 CHEMBL165084 392810 Yamamoto, Toshihiro; Teshima, Tadashi; Inami, Kaoru; Shiba, Tetsuo. Synthesis of sialic acid through aldol condensation of glucose with oxalacetic acid. Tetrahedron Letters (1992), 33(3), 325-8. CHEM003417 DTXSID0050425 NS00041983 (2S,4S,5R,6R)-5-acetamido-2,4-dihydroxy-6-[(1R,2R)-1,2,3-trihydroxypropyl]oxane-2-carboxylic acid 176.78 63.7814 27.818468332190793 5 9 7 2.9966581465692994 -1.3430861642982186 -1 1 -2.78 -0.13 2.27e+02 g/l