Proteoglycan synthesis in normal and Lowe syndrome fibroblasts.

G.S Harper,V.C Hascall,M Yanagishita,W.A Gahl

doi:10.1016/s0021-9258(18)45621-9

Abstract

Lowe (oculocerebrorenal) syndrome (LS) is an X-linked disorder characterized by congenital cataracts, generalized hypotonia, mental retardation, and renal Fanconi syndrome. The basic defect remains unknown, but the possibility that fibroblasts express reduced sulfation of glycosaminoglycans has been studied in several laboratories. A mechanism involving overproduction of an enzyme (nucleotide pyrophosphatase) active against adenosine 3'-phosphate, 5'-phosphosulfate (PAPS) has been postulated. Decreased synthesis of normally sulfated glycosaminoglycans was also reported. We measured the synthesis of proteoglycans and glycosaminoglycans by incorporation of [3H]glucosamine and Na2(35)SO4 into cultured fibroblasts from four LS patients and related it directly to the synthesis in six normal fibroblast cultures. We found that the rate of synthesis varied greatly among the normal cultures (cv, 30%), but not significantly between LS and the normal. The LS fibroblasts' ability to sulfate glycosaminoglycans was assayed as the amount of 3H-glycosaminoglycan eluting at low ionic strength on anion exchange chromatography, the amount of non-sulfated disaccharide present in chondroitinase digests of labeled proteoglycans, and the ratio of 35S to 3H incorporation into proteoglycans. Each parameter suggested that the LS cells were synthesizing normally sulfated glycosaminoglycans (e.g. % delta Di-0S, 21 +/- 6 in normal; 27 +/- 6 in LS). The cells' ability to sulfate glycosaminoglycans was tested under conditions of markedly stimulated glycosaminoglycan synthesis, by treating the cultures with a beta-D-xyloside. LS and normal cells responded to the treatment by elevating the rate of synthesis of normally sulfated glycosaminoglycans (3.5-6-fold in normal, 3-7-fold in LS). Nucleotide pyrophosphatase activities were found to be elevated in each of our four LS cell strains as in the previous studies, excluding genetic heterogeneity as an explanation for our findings. We conclude that LS fibroblasts do not express defects in sulfation of glycosaminoglycans or in synthesis of proteoglycans.

Highlights

Lowe syndrome (LS) isan X - disorder characterized by congenital cataracts, generalized linked disorder characterizedby congenital cataracts, hypotonia, mentalretardation,and renal tubular Fanconi generalized hypotonia, mental retardation, and renal syndrome (1).A range of other histological, clinical, and Fanconi syndrome
We found that the produced by Lowe (oculocerebrorenal) syndrome (LS) fibroblasts grown under both physiologic and rate of synthesisvariedgreatly among the normal reduced inorganic sulfate conditions
One study found an elevated level of this gested that the LS cells were synthesizing normally enzyme in 21 LS patients (12), with some genetic heterogesulfated glycosaminoglycans(e.g. % ADi-OS, 21 f 6 in neity

Summary

Introduction

Lowe (oculocerebrorenal) syndrome (LS) isan X - disorder characterized by congenital cataracts, generalized linked disorder characterizedby congenital cataracts, hypotonia, mentalretardation,and renal tubular Fanconi generalized hypotonia, mental retardation, and renal syndrome (1).A range of other histological, clinical, and Fanconi syndrome. One study found an elevated level of this gested that the LS cells were synthesizing normally enzyme in 21 LS patients (12), with some genetic heterogesulfated glycosaminoglycans(e.g. Et al(10)found aberrant extracellular localization of normally sulfated glycosaminoglycans in LS, as well as undersulfation, but highlighted the inconsistency of these observations with the proposed PAPS defect.

Results

Conclusion