Increased uptake of circulating low-density lipoproteins and fibrinogen by arterial walls after removal of sialic acids from their endothelial surface.

Carotid arteries of anaesthetized rabbits were perfused with neuraminidase to remove sialic acids from the endothelial surface. This resulted in significant accelerations of the uptake of low-density lipoproteins and of fibrinogen but not of albumin from the circulating blood.