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Mode of degradation of the chondroitin sulphate proteoglycan in rat costal cartilage.

ABSTRACT: 1. Chondroitin sulphate was isolated from different regions of rat costal cartilage after extensive proteolysis of the tissues. The molecular weight, determined by gel chromatography, of the polysaccharide obtained from an actively growing region (lateral zone) near the osteochondral junction was higher than that of the polysaccharide isolated from the remaining portion of the costal cartilage (medial zone). 2. In both types of cartilage the molecular weight of chondroitin sulphate, labelled with [(35)S]sulphate, remained unchanged in vivo over a period of 10 days, approximately corresponding to the half-life of the chondroitin sulphate proteoglycan. The molecular-weight distribution of chondroitin [(35)S]sulphate, labelled in vivo or in vitro, was invariably identical with that of the bulk polysaccharide from the same tissue. It is concluded that the observed regional variations in molecular-weight distribution were established at the time of polysaccharide biosynthesis. 3. In tissue culture more than half of the (35)S-labelled polysaccharide-proteins of the two tissues was released into the medium within 10 days of incubation. The released materials were of smaller molecular size than were the corresponding native proteoglycans. In contrast, the molecular-weight distribution of the chondroitin [(35)S]sulphate (single polysaccharide chains) remained constant throughout the incubation period. 4. A portion (about 20%) of the total radioactive material released from (35)S-labelled cartilage in tissue culture was identified as inorganic [(35)S]sulphate. No corresponding decrease in the degree of sulphation of the labelled polysaccharide could be detected. These findings suggest that a limited fraction of the proteoglycan molecules had been extensively desulphated. 5. It is suggested that the initial phase of degradation involves proteolytic cleavage of the proteoglycan, but the constituent polysaccharide chains remain intact. The partially degraded proteoglycan may be eliminated from the cartilage by diffusion into the circulatory system. An additional degradative process, which may occur intracellularly, includes desulphation of the polysaccharide, probably in conjunction with a more extensive breakdown of the polymer.

SUBMITTER: Wasteson A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1174511 | biostudies-other | 1972 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

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Project description:The excretion and degradation was studied of (35)S-labelled 4-chondroitin sulphate injected into guinea pigs in the form of proteoglycan isolated from cartilage and in the form of free chondroitin 4-sulphate prepared from the same proteoglycan by proteolysis. When the proteoglycan was injected there was a delay of about 15-20min before significant amounts or radioactivity were excreted, whereas after injection of chondroitin 4-sulphate a considerable amount of radioactivity was excreted within 10min and a much higher proportion of the radioactive dose was excreted in 1h or 24h compared with the proteoglycan. In both cases, however, a major part of the radioactivity was not excreted even in 24h. Sterile conditions were used to collect the radioactive material directly from the bladder. When chondroitin 4-sulphate was injected, the molecular sizes of injected and excreted materials were similar, as assessed by gel chromatography on Sephadex G-200, whereas when proteoglycan was injected the molecular size of the excreted labelled material was similar to that of the chondroitin 4-sulphate chains in the original proteoglycan. In neither case did the size of the excreted labelled material change with time over 1h, and low-molecular-weight labelled material was virtually absent. In contrast, when urine was collected for 24h without preservative the labelled material in it was extensively degraded after either the proteoglycan or chondroitin 4-sulphate had been given. Chondroitin 4-sulphate became similarly degraded when incubated with non-sterile urine, but not when the urine was passed through a bacterial filter, suggesting that degradation was caused by contaminating micro-organisms in the experiments in which urine was collected for 24 h. It is concluded that chondroitin 4-sulphate chains of about 18000 molecular weight can be excreted readily as such, whereas intact proteoglycans must be degraded to free glycosaminoglycans first, although both are taken up by the tissues more rapidly than they are excreted.

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Mode of degradation of the chondroitin sulphate proteoglycan in rat costal cartilage.

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