Dataset Information

Regional Differences in the Glycosaminoglycan Role in Porcine Scleral Hydration and Mechanical Behavior.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

This study characterized the role of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in the hydration, thickness, and biomechanical properties of posterior and anterior porcine sclera.

Methods

The scleral discs and strips were obtained from the anterior and posterior parts of porcine eyes, and their initial hydration and thickness were measured. The anterior and posterior scleral discs were used to show the efficacy of the GAG removal protocol by quantifying their GAG content. The strips were divided into three groups of PBS treatment, buffer treatment, and enzyme treatment in order to assess the effects of different treatment procedures on the thickness, hydration, and viscoelastic properties of the samples. The mechanical properties of the strips were determined by performing uniaxial tensile stress relaxation experiments.

Results

It was found that the control and buffer groups had insignificant differences in all measured quantities. The samples from the posterior region had a significantly larger GAG content and thickness in comparison with those from anterior region; however, there was an insignificant difference in their hydration. The GAG depletion process decreased the hydration of both anterior and posterior samples significantly (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the mechanical tests showed that the removal of GAGs resulted in stiffer mechanical behavior in both anterior and posterior samples (P < 0.05). In particular, the peak stress and equilibrium stress were significantly larger for the strips in the enzyme treatment group.

Conclusions

GAGs and their interaction with the collagen network are important in defining the hydration and mechanical properties of both posterior and anterior sclera.

SUBMITTER: Pachenari M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7991977 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Similar Datasets

Project description:PurposeThe purpose of this study was to describe the cellular architecture of normal human peripapillary sclera (PPS) and evaluate surface topography's role in fibroblast behavior.MethodsPPS cryosections from nonglaucomatous eyes were labelled for nuclei, fibrillar actin (FA), and alpha smooth muscle actin (αSMA) and imaged. Collagen fibrils were imaged using second harmonic generation. Nuclear density and aspect ratio of the internal PPS (iPPS), outer PPS (oPPS), and peripheral sclera were determined. FA and αSMA fibril alignment with collagen extracellular matrix (ECM) was determined. PPS fibroblasts were cultured on smooth or patterned membranes under mechanical strain and in the presence of TGFβ1 and 2.ResultsThe iPPS (7.1 ± 2.0 × 10-4, P < 0.0001) and oPPS (5.3 ± 1.4 × 10-4, P = 0.0013) had greater nuclei density (nuclei/µm2) than peripheral sclera (2.5 ± 0.8 × 10-4). The iPPS (2.0 ± 0.3, P = 0.002) but not oPPS (2.4 ± 0.4, P = 0.45) nuclei had smaller aspect ratios than peripheral (2.7 ± 0.5) nuclei. FA was present throughout the scleral stroma and was more aligned with oPPS collagen (9.6 ± 1.9 degrees) than in the peripheral sclera (15.9 ± 3.9 degrees, P =0.002). The αSMA fibers in the peripheral sclera were less aligned with collagen fibrils (26.4 ± 4.8 degrees) than were FA (15.9 ± 3.9 degrees, P = 0.0002). PPS fibroblasts cultured on smooth membranes shifted to an orientation perpendicular to the direction of cyclic uniaxial strain (1 Hz, 5% strain, 42.2 ± 7.1 degrees versus 62.0 ± 8.5 degrees, P < 0.0001), whereas aligned fibroblasts on patterned membranes were resistant to strain-induced reorientation (5.9 ± 1.4 degrees versus 10 ± 3.3 degrees, P = 0.21). Resistance to re-orientation was reduced by TGFβ treatment (10 ± 3.3 degrees without TGFβ1 compared to 23.1 ± 4.5 degrees with TGFβ1, P < 0.0001).ConclusionsRegions of the posterior sclera differ in cellular density and nuclear morphology. Topography alters the cellular response to mechanical strain.

Project description:BackgroundDentin sialophosphoprotein (Dspp) is a multidomain, secreted protein that is critical for the formation of tooth dentin. Mutations in DSPP cause inherited dentin defects categorized as dentin dysplasia type II and dentinogenesis imperfecta type II and type III. Dentin sialoprotein (Dsp), the N-terminal domain of dentin sialophosphoprotein (Dspp), is a highly glycosylated proteoglycan, but little is known about the number, character, and attachment sites of its carbohydrate moieties.ResultsTo identify its carbohydrate attachment sites we isolated Dsp from developing porcine molars and digested it with endoproteinase Glu-C or pronase, fractionated the digestion products, identified fractions containing glycosylated peptides using a phenol sulfuric acid assay, and characterized the glycopeptides by N-terminal sequencing, amino acid analyses, or LC/MSMS. To determine the average number of sialic acid attachments per N-glycosylation, we digested Dsp with glycopeptidase A, labeled the released N-glycosylations with 2-aminobenzoic acid, and quantified the moles of released glycosylations by comparison to labeled standards of known concentration. Sialic acid was released by sialidase digestion and quantified by measuring β-NADH reduction of pyruvic acid, which was generated stoichiometrically from sialic acid by aldolase. To determine its forms, sialic acid released by sialidase digestion was labeled with 1,2-diamino-4,5-methyleneoxybenzene (DMB) and compared to a DMB-labeled sialic acid reference panel by RP-HPLC. To determine the composition of Dsp glycosaminoglycan (GAG) attachments, we digested Dsp with chondroitinase ABC and compared the chromotagraphic profiles of the released disaccharides to commercial standards. N-glycosylations were identified at Asn37, Asn77, Asn136, Asn155, Asn161, and Asn176. Dsp averages one sialic acid per N-glycosylation, which is always in the form of N-acetylneuraminic acid. O-glycosylations were tentatively assigned at Thr200, Thr216 and Thr316. Porcine Dsp GAG attachments were found at Ser238 and Ser250 and were comprised of chondroitin 6-sulfate and chondroitin 4-sulfate in a ratio of 7 to 3, respectively.ConclusionsThe distribution of porcine Dsp posttranslational modifications indicate that porcine Dsp has an N-terminal domain with at least six N-glycosylations and a C-terminal domain with two GAG attachments and at least two O-glycosylations.

Project description:PurposeThe aim of this study was to identify the presence of collagen-binding integrin subunits in human scleral fibroblasts (HSFs) and investigate their actual functions in maintaining the mechanical creep properties of the HSFs-seeded collagen matrix.MethodsPrimary HSFs were cultured in vitro. Reverse- transcription PCR was used to detect mRNA expression of integrin α1, α2, and β1 subunits in HSFs. In addition, western blot analysis and immunofluorescence were used to detect their protein in HSFs. Monoclonal antibodies were applied directly against the extracellular domains of integrin subunits in HSFs cultured in the three-dimensional collagen gels to block the interaction between HSFs and the extracellular collagen matrix. The effects of anti-integrin antibodies on HSFs morphology in collagen gel were observed. The effects of the added antibodies on fibroblast-mediated collagen gels' contraction were evaluated. Furthermore, the changes in mechanical creep properties of collagen gel were measured by a biomechanics test instrument.ResultsThe mRNA and protein expressions of collagen-binding integrin α1, α2, and β1 subunits were present in HSFs. The elongated bipolar cells converted to spherical shapes after 6 h after the addition of integrin α1β1 and α2β1 antibody. The blocking of integrin α1β1 and α2β1 subunits noticeably decreased the contraction in the collagen gels. In addition, all samples were subjected to a constantly applied load of 0.03 N for 600 s. The blocking of integrin α1β1 and α2β1 subunits also induced increases in the values of final extension, creep extension, and creep rate, compared to those of the controls (p<0.01). Furthermore, the creep elements were significantly increased with the augmentation of the integrin antibody dose (p<0.01). The final extension of the integrin α2β1 antibody (1 μg/ml or 4 μg/ml) group was significantly higher compared to that of the integrin α1β1 antibody (1 μg/ml or 4 μg/ml) group (p<0.01). However, the creep extension and creep rate of the integrin α2β1 antibody (1 μg/ml or 4 μg/ml) group were not significantly different from those in the integrin α1β1 antibody (1 μg/ml or 4 μg/ml) group (p>0.05).ConclusionsOur findings suggested that HSF integrin α1β1 and α2β1 participated in maintaining the mechanical creep properties of the HSFs-seeded collagen matrix. Furthermore, integrin α2β1 might play a more crucial role in maintaining the mechanical creep properties of the collagen matrix than does integrin α1β1.