Dermatan Sulfate Glycosaminoglycan Chain Research Articles

Determinants of Glycosaminoglycan (GAG) Structure.

Proteoglycans (PGs) are glycosylated proteins of biological importance at cell surfaces, in the extracellular matrix, and in the circulation. PGs are produced and modified by glycosaminoglycan (GAG) chains in the secretory pathway of animal cells. The most common GAG attachment site is a serine residue followed by a glycine (-ser-gly-), from which a linker tetrasaccharide extends and may continue as a heparan sulfate, a heparin, a chondroitin sulfate, or a dermatan sulfate GAG chain. Which type of GAG chain becomes attached to the linker tetrasaccharide is influenced by the structure of the protein core, modifications occurring to the linker tetrasaccharide itself, and the biochemical environment of the Golgi apparatus, where GAG polymerization and modification by sulfation and epimerization take place. The same cell type may produce different GAG chains that vary, depending on the extent of epimerization and sulfation. However, it is not known to what extent these differences are caused by compartmental segregation of protein cores en route through the secretory pathway or by differential recruitment of modifying enzymes during synthesis of different PGs. The topic of this review is how different aspects of protein structure, cellular biochemistry, and compartmentalization may influence GAG synthesis.

A Method to Cleave Target Molecules in a Neocartilage

The mechanical function of many matrix molecules is unknown. A common method to determine whether a molecule is a load-carrying structural molecule is to measure the mechanical properties of a tissue, digest the tissue with an enzyme specific for cleaving that molecule, and then remeasure the mechanical properties. A limitation of this technique is that there are no specific lytic enzymes for most molecules of interest. This article introduces a method that may allow evaluation of a large number of candidate structural molecules. A translated thrombin proteolytic recognition and cleavage site is inserted in the cDNA of a target molecule, and the target molecule then expressed in a cell that produces a tissue. After growing the tissue with cells expressing the engineered target molecule, the traditional procedure of mechanical testing, digesting, and retesting is performed. This method was demonstrated using decorin and its dermatan sulfate (DS) glycosaminoglycan chain in a neocartilage. A tissue was generated with cells expressing a genetically engineered decorin with a thrombin cleavage site. The tissue was then tested in tension and compression, digested with thrombin, and mechanically retested. The decorin protein was found in the tissue, the DS glycosaminoglycan chain was removed with thrombin digestion, and there was no change in the mechanical properties of the tissue due to the thrombin digestion relative to controls. These findings were in agreement with previously reported tests on decorin, collectively supporting the proposed method. All methods involving animals were reviewed and approved by our Institutional Review Board.

Deficiency of the decorin core protein in the variant form of Ehlers–Danlos syndrome with chronic skin ulcer

Decorin belongs to a family of small leucine-rich dermatan sulfate proteoglycans that are involved in the control of matrix organization and cell growth. Here, we described a patient whose skin glycosaminoglycans showed extremely decreased amount of dermatan sulfate compared with a normal control skin. This patient presented clinical features of Ehlers–Danlos syndrome with a chronic skin ulcer. Western blotting revealed that the deficiency of dermatan sulfate was due to the defect of decorin core protein. β-xyloside, an initiator of dermatan sulfate glycosaminoglycan chain elongation, enhanced the synthesis of dermatan sulfate in the fibroblasts of the patient to a similar extent to that of control. This result indicated that the enzymes for the elogation of dermatan sulfate side chains were normal. Northern blotting demonstrated remarkable reduction of decorin mRNA level, while biglycan mRNA level was concomitantly increased and procollagen α1(I) mRNA level was normal. cDNA and exons sequencing analysis showed there was no mutation in decorin gene of the patient. IL-1β stimulated decorin expression to about 140% in control fibroblasts while about 110% in patient fibroblasts. On the other hand, TGF-β1 resulted in 40% reductions of decorin expression in both control and patient fibroblasts. These data suggested that reduced decorin expression of fibroblasts from the patient of Ehlers–Danlos syndrome may be due to abnormalities in the regulatory regions, which is responsible for the IL-1β stimulation.

Effects of transforming growth factor β1 and l-ascorbate on synthesis and distribution of proteoglycans in murine osteoblast-like cells

Proteoglycans synthesized by osteoblasts are incorporated into bone matrix and thought to play a role in bone metabolism. Transforming growth factor (TGF) beta affects the synthesis of matrix proteins, including proteoglycans, in various stromal cells, and proteoglycans, especially decorin, are associated with matrix collagen. In the present study, the effects of TGF-beta 1 and L-ascorbate, a factor essential for collagen synthesis, on the synthesis and distribution of proteoglycans were examined using murine osteoblast-like MC3T3-E1 cells. TGF-beta 1 stimulated the synthesis of proteoglycans in MC3T3-E1 cells. Among various proteoglycans, the synthesis of decorin was preferentially enhanced by TGF-beta 1, and the effect was more pronounced on secreted decorin compared to that associated with the cell/matrix layer. TGF-beta 1 also stimulated the initiation and elongation of the dermatan sulfate glycosaminoglycan chain, resulting in a larger molecular size of decorin. TGF-beta 1 influenced the synthesis of a heparan sulfate proteoglycan only slightly. L-ascorbate had no effect on the synthesis of proteoglycans, but increased those associated with the cell/matrix layer. Furthermore, when L-ascorbate was added to the culture along with TGF-beta 1, the percentage of proteoglycans associated with the cell/matrix layer increased from 25.8 +/- 1.0 to 41.0 +/- 0.5%. These data demonstrate that TGF-beta 1 markedly stimulates the synthesis of proteoglycans, especially decorin, mainly as a secreting form, that the accumulation of decorin into matrix is enhanced by L-ascorbate, and that the effects of TGF-beta 1 and L-ascorbate are additive.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Small proteoglycans.

In this review the structure and functions of two non-related proteoglycan families are discussed. One family represents a group of extracellular matrix macromolecules characterized by core proteins with leucine-rich repeat motifs. Within this family special attention is given to those members which carry chondroitin or dermatan sulfate glycosaminoglycan chains. The second family is characterized by repeat sequences of serine and glycine. Their members are products of a single core protein gene and are characteristic constituents of secretory vesicles in cells of the haematopoietic lineage.

Structural properties and partial protein sequence analysis of the major dermatan sulfate proteoglycan of pigeon aorta

Dermatan sulfate proteoglycans (DSPG) were extracted from intima-media of grossly normal aortic tissue of White Carneau pigeons and were purified by ion exchange chromatography on DEAF-Sephacel followed by size exclusion chromatography on Sepharose CL-4B. The major aortic DSPG had an average size of 310 kDa. The core protein resulting from treatment of the PG with chondroitinase ABC: (1) was found to be ∼ 48 kDa by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis; (2) was recognized by monoclonal antibody (Mab) 2-B-6 but not by Mab 3-B-3 on Western blots, indicating the presence of ΔDi-4S and absence of ΔDi-6S; (3) was glycosylated with Asn-linked oligosaccharides; (4) contained a high content of Asx, Glx and Leu, similar to that found for core proteins of this size from other tissues and species and (5) contained an N-terminal sequence (Asp-Glu-Gly-Xaa-Ala-Asp-Met-Pro-Pro-Xaa-Asp-Asp-Pro-Val-lle-(ile)-GlyPhe-), which was similar to sequences of DSPG core proteins previously described as ‘decorin’ and distinct from DSPG described as ‘biglycan.’ The results suggest that the major DSPG of aorta can be classified as a decorin molecule. The overall size of the DSPG in aorta was larger than decorin molecules described in non-arterial tissues of other species. Evidence is presented to conclude the larger size results from more than one dermatan sulfate-glycosaminoglycan chain.

1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 inhibits synthesis and enhances degradation of proteoglycans in osteoblastic cells

The effects of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25-(OH)2D3), an active form of vitamin D3, on the metabolism of proteoglycans by an osteoblastic cell line MC3T3-E1 were studied. Cells metabolically labeled with [35S]sulfate and/or [3H]glucosamine synthesized large and small dermatan sulfate proteoglycans and heparan sulfate proteoglycan. The incorporation of [35S]sulfate into proteoglycans for 1 h was reduced by 1,25-(OH)2D3 in a dose-dependent manner with a maximum reduction of 40% obtained at 10(-8)M 1,25-(OH)2D3. This effect was observed for all the proteoglycans with the decrease for the large dermatan sulfate proteoglycan most prominent. Treatment with 1,25-(OH)2D3 did not influence the degree of sulfation nor the molecular size of the glycosaminoglycan chains. Thus, the change in the incorporation of [35S] sulfate reflects net change in the synthesis of proteoglycans. When cells were treated with beta-D-xyloside, 1,25-(OH)2D3 also inhibited net synthesis of dermatan sulfate glycosaminoglycan chains on this exogenous substrate suggesting that it decreases the capacity of the cells for glycosaminoglycan synthesis. The incorporation of [3H]glucosamine into hyaluronic acid was also inhibited up to 70% by 10(-8) M 1,25-(OH)2D3. Treatment with 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 did not cause significant changes in the proteoglycan synthesis. Degradation of proteoglycans associated with the cell layer was enhanced by treatment with 1,25-(OH)2D3 at 10(-8) M. Proteoglycans exogenously added to the culture were also degraded with a cell-mediated process which was stimulated by treatment with 10(-8) M 1,25-(OH)2D3. These results demonstrate that 1,25-(OH)2D3 reduces the synthesis and stimulates the degradation of proteoglycans in osteoblastic cells in culture.

Proteoglycans of fetal bovine tendon.

The proteoglycans (PG) of bovine fetal tendon (4-8 months in utero) were extracted with 4 M guanidine HCl and partially purified by ion exchange chromatography. Proteoglycans from fetal tendon were virtually entirely small molecules (Kav approximately equal to 0.55 by Sepharose CL-4B chromatography). These small proteoglycans had dermatan sulfate glycosaminoglycan chains and a core protein (after chondroitinase ABC digestion) with Mr approximately equal to 45,000 on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels. By electrophoretic mobility, immunocross-reactivity, and V8 protease sensitivity, these proteoglycans were determined to be of both PG I and PG II types. In contrast, adult tendon contains only the PG II type of small proteoglycan. Proteoglycans synthesized by fetal tendon explant cultures were, by both chromatographic and electrophoretic mobilities, somewhat larger than those extracted from the same tissue. There was no difference in the spectrum of proteoglycans observed between those regions of fetal tendon destined to receive only tensional forces (proximal) and those regions that will be subjected as well to compressive forces (distal) in the adult. These observations indicate that the proteoglycan content and synthetic capability of all regions of fetal tendon are constant and significantly different from those of both the tensional and fibrocartilaginous regions of adult tendon.

Peptide-specific antibodies identify the alpha 2 chain as the proteoglycan subunit of type IX collagen.

Type IX collagen is a recently characterized product of chondrocytes. The molecules of this collagen are heterotrimers of three genetically distinct polypeptide chains. One of the three chains contains chondroitin and/or dermatan sulfate glycosaminoglycan chains, giving the molecule a proteoglycan character. In fact, Type IX collagen has been identified with the proteoglycan Lt (PG-Lt), first isolated by Noro, A., Kimata, K., Oike, Y., Shinomura, T., Maeda, N., Yano, S., Takahashi, N., and Suzuki, S. (1983) J. Biol. Chem. 258, 9323-9331 from chick embryonic tibia and femur. Based on amino acid sequences predicted from the nucleotide sequences of cDNA and genomic clones specific for two of the chains of Type IX collagen, we have synthesized oligopeptides representing portions of the two chains. In addition, an oligopeptide has been made based on a partial amino acid sequence of the third chain. Antibodies against the synthetic peptides have been generated in rabbits, and the polyclonal sera have allowed identification of the three genetically distinct polypeptide subunits of Type IX collagen. In addition, labeling with [35S]sulfate and treatment with chondroitinase ABC demonstrates that glycosaminoglycan chains are present on the subunit that has been given the designation alpha 2(IX).