Polysialic acid, a polymer of sialic acid, is known to be covalently linked to neural cell adhesion molecule (N-CAM) and fish egg polysialoglycoproteins (PSGP), and to play regulatory roles not only in neurogenesis and neural functions but also in fertilization and early development. During the last decade, remarkable advances have been achieved in knowledge of structural diversity, biosynthesis and its regulation, involvement in neural plasticity, memory and circadian rhythm, and immunogenicity of polysialic acid. Notably, a great deal of contributions to these advances have been done in Japan. For example, the existence and functional significance of chain length diversity of polysialic acid have been clearly shown in terms of its stage-dependent, tissue-specific, and carrier protein-specific expression. Furthermore, new functions of polysialic acid in regulation of various neural activities, other than well-known function of polysialic acid in inhibition of cell adhesion through repulsive interaction between the polyanionic molecules on the cell surface, have been described. The aim of this seminar is to summarize and discuss historical background, present status and future directions of various research aspects of polysialic acid. Not only researchers who are studying on natural occurrence, structure, biosynthesis, chemical synthesis, and function of polysialic acid, but also those who are interested in these studies from the viewpoints of Glycobiology, Neuroscience, Oncology, Pathology, Chemistry, and Polymer Science are welcome to this seminar.

Date: July 14-15, 2001

Place: Granship (the same place of 22nd Japanese Carbohydrate Symposium; 79-4 Ikeda, Shizuoka 422-8005; Tel 054-203-5713) (http://www.granship.or.jp/c_map.html)

Presentation: Oral presentation by seminar speakers (50 min including extensive discussion) and selected speakers from participants (25 min including discussion). A 35 mm slide projector and an OHP will be available.

Seminar speakers: Dr. Tatsunori Seki (Juntendo University School of Medicine) "Polysialic acid is a useful marker for generating neurons in adult brain"; Dr. Katsuhiko Ono (Shimane College of Medicine) "Neural cell migration and polysialic acid"; Dr. Shogo Oka (Kyoto University, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences) "Polysialic acid and HNK antigens, carbohydrate units involved in the regulation of NCAM function"; Dr. Ryohei Yamasaki (Tottori University, School of Agriculture) "Epitope expression of polysialic acids produced by pathogenic Gram-negative bacteria"; Dr. Ken Kitajima (Nagoya University Bioscience Center) "Sialyltransferases involved in biosynthesis of polysialic acid chains on O-linked glycan chains"; Dr. Chihiro Sato (Nagoya University Bioscience Center) "Structure and function of oligo/polysialic acid-containing glycoprotein family in mammals"

Registration: free for FCCA members and students; 1000 JPYen for no-FCCA members. No pre-registration is necessary. However, if possible, please send the following information to Dr. Ken Kitajima, secretary, Nagoya University Bioscience Center, Chikusa, Nagoya 464-8601; TEL: +81-52-789-4130 or 4297, FAX:+81-52-789-4128, E-mail: kitajima@agr.nagoya-u.ac.jp): names of participants; affiliation; and participation in the snack/beer party (yes or no). Participants who want to give a talk on polysialic acid research and the related topics must send the abstract (100-150 words) to the secretary by June 30, 2001. Please indicate a title of your talk, names (the name of speaker must be underlined), affiliation, mail address, FAX number, e-mail address.

Organizing committee: Dr. Tatsunori Seki, Chairman, Juntendo University; Dr. Katsuhiko Ono, Shimane College of Medicine; Dr. Shogo Oka, Kyoto University; Dr. Ken Kitajima, Secretary, Nagoya University; Dr. Shu-ichi Tsuji, Basic Research Foundation of Oncology; Dr. Ryohei Yamasaki, Tottori University