Electrophoretic Characterization of Surface Heparan Sulphates in Normal and Virus Transformed 3T3 Cells

Abstract

SUMMARYGlycosaminoglycans (GAGs) of normal, SV-40 and Polyoma virus transformed 3T3 cells were characterized electrophoretically with an improved technique. A variety of compounds were removed from the cell surface with a mild trypsin treatment including hyaluronic acid (HA), chondroitin-4-sulphate {C4S), derma tan sulphate (DS), two heparan sulphate subclasses (HS1 and HS2) and sialosaccharides. Cellular transformation is accompanied by a relative lowering of the amount of heparan sulphate and an increase in hyaluronate. Dermatan sulphate is lowered too while large amounts of chondroitin-4-sulphate appear particularly in polyoma virus transformed cells. The molecular specie of heparan sulphate with the higher degree of iduronate and sulphate (HS2) is lost in transformed cells.