Sulfated glycosaminoglycans in amyloid plaques of prion diseases

Summary Brain sections from cases of human Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, Gerstmann-Sträussler syndrome, kuru, and hamster scrapie containing amyloid were examined for the presence of sulfated glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), the anionic component of proteoglycans, using the sulfated Alcian blue method and Alcian blue technique with 0.3 M and 0.7 M magnesium chloride. These studies suggest that sulfated glycosaminoglycans are part of the CNS amyloid plaques in each of the above human prion disorders as well as in experimental scrapie. All the amyloid plaques stained positively with Alcian blue at 0.3 M, and less so at 0.7 M magnesium chloride indicating the presence of sulfated GAGs. Therefore, the amyloid plaques of prion diseases possess similar histochemical features to those found in Alzheimer's disease.Supported by Grant MT-3153 from the Medical Research Council of Canada, as well as research grants from the John Douglas French Foundation for Alzheimer's disease and the National Institutes of Health (NS22786, AG02132 and NS14069) and gifts from the R.J. Reynolds Industries, Sherman Fairchild Foundation, and Joseph and Stephaine Koret Foundation     

Binding of calcium by proteoglycansin vitro

Summary Proteoglycans from bovine nasal septa or the Swarm rat chondrosarcoma, as potassium salts, effectively inhibit the precipitation of tricalcium phosphatein vitro at pH 7.8. The same preparations, and many other similar preparations, however, do not site bind calcium, as assessed with a calcium ion specific electrode. However, after treatment of aggregate preparations of proteoglycans with EDTA, the preparations can site bind calcium. The amount thus bound is approximately equal to one-half the sum of the equivalents of the ester sulfate and the uronic acid carboxyl groups in the preparations. This latter observation suggested the possibility that the supposed potassium salts of the proteoglycans had, in the course of preparation, acquired calcium and held onto it strongly. In checking this possibility, using neutron activation analysis, it was found that some of the preparations do contain small amounts of calcium but these amounts are insufficient to saturate the binding sites potentially available to this end. In view of the above observations, it is suggested that the proteoglycans inhibit the formation of calcium phosphate precipitatesin vitro not because the calcium is site bound but because the calcium ions are territorially bound.     

Effect of postnatal age on the ultrastructure of six anatomical areas of canine flexor digitorum profundus tendon

We report findings of a transmission electron microscopic study comparing the morphological appearance of cells and extracellular matrix of two fibrocartilaginous regions of canine flexor digitorum profundus (FDP) tendon with that for typical tendinous regions. In addition, we determined the size distribution of collagen fibrils in six anatomical areas of the tendon from animals of three different ages. Average collagen fibril diameters for each of the six anatomical sites of 11-week-old FDP tendon were consistently different from that for older tissue. As growth proceeds, fibrils in tendinous regions almost double in size and take on a broad bimodal distribution. Collagen diameters in fibrocartilaginous areas do not increase, but rather decrease in size with age. Finally, the cells and associated pericellular matrix of fibrocartilaginous areas of adolescent and mature FDP tendon are ultrastructurally distinct from those of typical tendinous regions. On the contrary, the cellular morphology of 11-week-old tendon was invariant regardless of the anatomical region examined. In summary, fibrocartilage of canine FDP tendon, although not evident at 11 weeks of age, is well established by 6-12 months after birth and is the result of cellular and extracellular matrix specialization.     

Chondroitin sulphate proteoglycan and embryonic brain enlargement in the chick

Previous studies of the early development of the neural tube have shown the existence of an intraneural fluid, which causes a positive pressure inside this primordium, and seems to play a key role in the early development of the central nervous system. In the present study we investigated the composition and synthesis of this intraneural fluid. By using a sequential method, which includes fixation with glutaraldehyde plus cetylpyridinium chloride, opening the neural cavity after critical point drying and scanning electron microscopy analysis, we found a water-soluble extracellular matrix that filled up the brain vesicles of chick embryos at the earliest stages of the neural tube. An ultrastructural study of the neural epithelium during these stages revealed the existence of a secretion process in the neural cells toward the apical side, the future neural cavity. An immunocytochemical study to asses the nature of the secreted material has shown that the intraneural matrix contains chondroitin sulphate proteoglycan, which appeared homogenously distributed throughout the neural cavity. Our findings demonstrate that the intraneural liquid is a fluid of complex composition and includes chondroitin sulphate proteoglycan as an osmotically active molecule. This suggests a morphogenetic role for the proteoglycan during early brain enlargement. The neural ectoderm is a polarized epithelium from early developmental stages and secretes the intraneural matrix.     

Elevated levels of insulin-like growth factor (IGF) binding protein-3 in rheumatoid arthritis synovial fluid inhibit stimulation by IGF-I of articular chondrocyte proteoglycan synthesis

The objective of this study was to quantify insulin-like growth factor (IGF) binding proteins (IGFBPs) in the synovial fluid (SF) and plasma of patients with rheumatic diseases and to study the role of these proteins in the regulation of cartilage proteoglycan (PG) synthesis. Immunological determination of IGFBP-2, IGFBP-3, IGF-I, IGF-II, interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumour necrosis fac-tor α (TNFα) was undertaken in the SF and plasma of 115 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA; n = 53), osteoarthritis (OA; n = 44) and other rheumatic disorders. We also determined the effects of SF on bovine cartilage PG synthesis in culture. IGFBP-2 and IGFBP-3 were elevated in the plasma (by 38% and 28%, respectively) and SF (by 56% and 59%, respectively) of patients with RA compared to age- and sex-matched OA controls (determined by RIA and confirmed by Western ligand blot). IGF-I and IGF-II did not differ significantly between the two groups. OA SF, and, to a lesser extent, RA SF stimulated cartilage PG synthesis in culture, and more than 60% of this activity was neutralised by a specific monoclonal anti-IGF-I antibody. Human IGFBP-3 dose-dependently inhibited the stimulation of cartilage PG synthesis effected by SF or human IGF-I. In RA patients, the SF concentration of IGFBP-3 was positively correlated with SF levels of IL-1β and TNFα, with the serum level of C-reactive protein and with the erythrocyte sedimentation rate. We concluded that IGF-I is, under the conditions studied, the most important anabolic factor in human SF with respect to articular cartilage PG synthesis. The bioactivity of IGF-I in joints is modulated by IGFBP-3, which is elevated in RA SF compared to OA SF. Elevated IGFBP-3 in RA SF may reduce the availability of IGF-I to articular chondrocytes, thus interfering with cartilage PG synthesis in RA. Received: 30 November 1996 / Accepted: 19 February 1997     

Oxidized lipid-mediated alterations in proteoglycan metabolism in cultured pulmonary endothelial cells

Compared to cholesterol or linoleic acid (18:2), oxidized lipids such as cholestan-3β,5,6β-triol (triol) and hydroperoxy linoleic acid (HPODE) markedly impair endothelial barrier function in culture [Hennig and Boissonneault, 1987; Hennig et al. 1986]. Because proteoglycans contribute to vascular permeability properties, the effects of cholesterol and 18:2 and their oxidation products, triol and HPODE, on endothelial proteoglycan metabolism were determined. While cholesterol was without effect, a concentration-dependent decrease in cellular proteoglycans (measured by ³⁵S incorporation) was observed after exposure to triol. Compared to control cultures, cholesterol reduced mRNA levels for the proteoglycans, perlecan and biglycan. Triol had a similar effect on biglycan but not on perlecan mRNA levels. Compared to 18:2, 1, 3 and 5 μM HPODE depressed cellular proteoglycans. Perlecan mRNA levels were reduced more by HPODE when compared to 18:2. Biglycan mRNA levels were reduced by 3 μM, but not by 5 μM HPODE. These data demonstrate that oxidized lipids such as triol and HPODE can decrease cellular proteoglycan metabolism in endothelial monolayers and alter mRNA levels of major specific proteoglycans in a concentration-dependent manner. This may have implications in lipid-mediated disruption of endothelial barrier function and atherosclerosis.     

Articular cartilage and intervertebral disc proteoglycans differ in structure: an electron microscopic study

Articular cartilage and the intervertebral disc tissues have different material and biological properties and different patterns of aging and degeneration. To determine if the proteoglycans of these tissues differ in structure, we used the electron microscopic monolayer technique to compare baboon articular cartilage proteoglycans with baboon annulus fibrosus, transition zone, and nucleus pulposus proteoglycans. Intervertebral disc and articular cartilage proteoglycans differed significantly. Articular cartilage contained large proteoglycan aggregates formed from hyaluronic acid central filaments, multiple monomers, and large nonaggregated monomers. These molecules were identical to those of nasal cartilage, growth plate cartilage, chondrosarcomas, or menisci. In contrast, the intervertebral disc tissues contained only nonaggregated proteoglycan monomers and clusters of monomers without apparent central filaments. Intervertebral disc nonaggregated monomers were shorter and more variable in length than those from articular cartilage, and nucleus pulposus nonaggregated monomers were even shorter and more variable in length than transition zone and annulus fibrosus monomers. These observations suggest that significant differences in proteoglycan metabolism exist between articular cartilage and intervertebral disc.     

蛋白聚糖异常代谢在关节炎损伤机制中的作用

以关节损伤为主要病变特征的各种关节炎,可导致关节慢性持续性肿痛、关节僵硬及功能障碍,最常见的两种关节炎是骨关节炎(osteoarthritis,OA)和类风湿关节炎(rheumatoid arthritis,RA)。OA以关节软骨退行性病变为特点,主要的病理变化是软骨细胞功能减退,软骨基质的分解加速,软骨组织的磨耗,进而继发滑膜炎症和关节周边的骨质增生。RA则是以慢性关节滑膜炎症为特征的全身自身免疫性疾病,在发病关节腔内有大量淋巴细胞和巨噬细胞浸润,主要的病理特征是关节滑膜及周围结缔组织     

Molecular aspects of skin ageing

Ageing of human skin may result from both the passage of time (intrinsic ageing) and from cumulative exposure to external influences (extrinsic ageing) such as ultraviolet radiation (UVR) which promote wrinkle formation and loss of tissue elasticity. Whilst both ageing processes are associated with phenotypic changes in cutaneous cells, the major functional manifestations of ageing occur as a consequence of structural and compositional remodeling of normally long-lived dermal extracellular matrix proteins. This review briefly considers the effects of ageing on dermal collagens and proteoglycans before focusing on the mechanisms, functional consequences and treatment of elastic fibre remodeling in ageing skin. The early stages of photoageing are characterised by the differential degradation of elastic fibre proteins and whilst the activity of extracellular matrix proteases is increased in photoexposed skin, the substrate specificity of these enzymes is low. We have recently shown however, that isolated fibrillin microfibrils are susceptible to direct degradation by physiologically attainable doses of UV-B radiation and that elastic fibre proteins as a group are highly enriched in UV-absorbing amino acid residues. Functionally, elastic fibre remodeling events may adversely impact on: the mechanical properties of tissues, the recruitment and activation of immune cells, the expression of matrix metalloproteinases and cytokine signaling (by perturbing fibrillin microfibril sequestration of TGFβ). Finally, newly developed topical interventions appear to be capable of regenerating elements of the elastic fibre system in ageing skin, whilst systemic treatments may potentially prevent the pathological tissue remodeling events which occur in response to elastic fibre degradation.