Qualitative and quantitative analysis of bovine, rabbit and human dental pulp glycosaminoglycans.

Bovine, rabbit and human dental pulp glycosaminoglycans were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively using two-dimensional electrophoresis. The major components of bovine and rabbit dental pulp were chondroitin 4-sulphate and hyaluronic acid, while in the human dental pulp dermatan sulphate and chondroitin 4-sulphate were the major components.     

Calcium- and hydroxyapatite-binding properties of glucuronic acid-rich and iduronic acid-rich glycosaminoglycans and proteoglycans

This study describes the interaction of a small chondroitin sulphate proteoglycan and the glycosaminoglycans chondroitin 4-sulphate, dermatan sulphate and heparan sulphate with hydroxyapatite. All macromolecules possessed a high affinity, with the iduronic acid-rich dermatan sulphate and heparan sulphate displaying higher adsorption maxima than the glucuronic acid-rich chondroitin 4-sulphate. At similar concentrations, dermatan sulphate produced a 30% inhibition of hydroxyapatite-induced crystal growth, whilst chondroitin 4-sulphate yielded 50% inhibition. Estimation of the calcium binding capacity of these glycosaminoglycans using equilibrium dialysis indicated that chondroitin 4-sulphate bound five times more calcium than dermatan sulphate at a calcium concentration similar to that of serum. The data indicate a possible important role for chondroitin 4-sulphate in dentinogenesis where it is the dominant glycosaminoglycan, since it could act as a capture point for calcium ions during mineralisation, with the leucine-rich domain of its parent proteoglycan acting as anchor points to type I collagen.     

Glycosaminoglycan patterns in gingival proteoglycans of rat with age.

Among the potential biochemical indices that are closely associated with craniofacial development are the proteoglycans. Gingival segments from the palate of 4-, 6-, 8-, 12- and 18-week-old rats were incubated for 4 h in medium containing [3H]-glucosamine and [35S]-Na2SO4, and subjected to proteoglycan isolation and glycosaminoglycan analysis. Two distinct proteoglycan fractions differing in the degree of sulphation were obtained by ion-exchange chromatography. The incorporation of both labels in the undersulphated fraction increased with age; there was a pronounced decrease with age in the sulphated proteoglycan fraction. The undersulphated proteoglycans showed an age-dependent decrease in hyaluronic acid, and increase in dermatan sulphate and chondroitin 4- and 6-sulphates. Gel filtration of the sulphated proteoglycan fraction yielded high and low molecular-weight proteoglycans, the glycosaminoglycans of which were particularly rich (61-76%) in dermatan sulphate. Smaller quantities of chondroitin 4- and 6-sulphates, and heparan sulphate were also present. All glycosaminoglycans showed a decrease in content with age. The findings suggest a possible correlation between gingival proteoglycan/glycosaminoglycan patterns and development.     

Biochemical changes in periodontal ligament ground substance associated with short-term intrusive loadings in adult monkeys (Macaca Fascicularis)

Proteoglycan-like fractions (PG) were isolated from the ligaments of teeth undergoing various degrees of intrusive loadings. The PG were characterized by their molecular-size profiles on Sepharose 4B, the presence of uronic acid in the separated fractions and by the electrophoretic detection of constituent glycosaminoglycans including heparan sulphate, hyaluronic acid, dermatan sulphate and chondroitin-4-sulphate. The high molecular-weight fraction, peak i (estimated minimum size, 2 X 10(6) daltons) of the normal-functioning (stressed) ligament was reduced approx. 70 per cent, compared with ligament undisturbed for 3 h. There was a decrease in peak-i size between 0.25 and 1 N loadings of approx. 72 per cent. The 4 N loadings produced a further decrease followed by an increase during a 3 h undisturbed recovery phase. Thus changes in the chemistry and properties of the ground-substance components of the periodontal ligament could partly explain changes in tooth mobility.     

The electrophoretic detection of acidic glycosaminoglycans in human gingival sulcus fluid

Fluid collected from non-inflamed sites contained only hyaluronic acid, whereas fluid collected from severely inflamed sites possessed additional components corresponding in electrophoretic mobility to dermatan sulphate and chondroitin-4-sulphate. The results imply that the source of gingival fluid glycosaminoglycans is the associated periodontal tissue and that the fluid may well be a vehicle for the transport and subsequent detection of glycosaminoglycans in the tooth integuments.     

Molecular size distribution analysis of human gingival glycosaminoglycans in cyclosporin- and nifedipine-induced overgrowths

Glycosaminoglycans are thought to accumulate in formative lesions like drug-induced gingival overgrowth. Recent evidences, however, suggest that the amounts of glycosaminoglycans are comparable in overgrown and healthy gingiva. Besides, alterations in the size distribution of glycosaminoglycan molecules isolated from phenytoin-induced overgrown samples have also been suggested. Therefore, we sought to determine possible differences in molecular size distribution of gingival glycosaminoglycans in other types of drug-induced overgrowths. Purified gingival glycosaminoglycans from healthy and cyclosporin- and nifedipine-induced overgrown gingival tissues were analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis and their molecular-size distribution was evaluated by both gel filtration chromatography and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Our results on the gingival glycosaminoglycan composition showed presence of chondroitin sulfate, dermatan sulfate, heparan sulfate and hyaluronic acid in all types of gingival tissues examined. In addition, hyaluronic acid was predominantly of a large size eluting near to the void volume of a Superose-6 column, while the sulfated glycosaminoglycans were mainly composed of low molecular size glycosaminoglycans. Our results show no differences in the molecular-size distribution of hyaluronic acid and sulfated glycosaminoglycans among healthy and drug-induced overgrown gingival tissues.     

Proteoglycans and glycosaminoglycans in phenytion-induced gingival overgrowth

Proteoglycans and glycosaminoglycans in normal gingival and phenytoin-induced gingival overgrowth were studied by gel electrophoresis and HPLC methods after extration with guanidinium hydrochloride and subsequent cesium chloride gradient centrifugation. The results showed that normal gingival. The relative collagen content was decreased in the phenytoin lesion. These results are in agreement with our revious stereological study, which reported an accumulation of the non-collagenous matrix chondroitin sulfates Containing non-sulfated, 4-sulfated and 6-sulfated disaccharide units, dermatan sulfate, hyaluronic acid and presumably also heparan sulfate in both normal gingival. and phenyton-induced gingival overgrowth. The increased amounts of PGs seen in the PHT lesion were associated with an increase mainly in chondroitinase sensitive glycosaminoglycans of high molecular weight and with a relative increase in iduroinc acid content. This study is consistent with the view that the PHT-lesion represents a tissue with an altered composition of the connective tissue.     

The effect of the outer membrane fraction of Bacteroides gingivalis W50 on glycosaminoglycan metabolism by human gingival fibroblasts in culture

The synthesis of extracellular [35S]-SO4- and [3H]-glucosamine-labelled glycosaminoglycan (GAG) was studied in confluent human gingival fibroblast cultures in vitro. The differential synthesis of the total chondroitin sulphate/dermatan sulphate (CS/DS) and heparan-sulphate (HS) fraction was measured following chondroitinase-ABC digestion, nitrous-acid treatment and column chromatography on Sephadex G50. Control cultures synthesized a CS/DS fraction that represented 78 per cent of the total [35S]-SO4-GAG; the residual 22 per cent was heparan sulphate. Similar cultures were labelled with [3H]-glucosamine and the proportions of a high molecular-weight hyaluronic acid (HA) and proteoglycan fractions measured by gel-filtration HPLC after papain and hyaluronidase digestions. The HA fraction represented 66 per cent of the total isotope incorporated in control cultures. GAG chains released on treatment with papain (24 per cent of the total label incorporated) were of apparent molecular weight 17-20 kDa. All cultures exposed to Bacteroides gingivalis W50 outer membrane at concentrations between 2 and 50 micrograms ml-1 displayed a decrease in the CS/DS fraction and a reciprocal increase in the HS. However, the proportion of HA synthesized was slightly enhanced with a reciprocal decrease in the proteoglycan (papain-digestible) fraction. There was no alteration in the molecular weight of the papain-digestion products or the size distribution of the hyaluronic-acid fraction.     

Glycosaminoglycans of human cementum

The glycosaminoglycans in human cementum have been studied. Following proteolytic digestion of guanidine/EDTA and collagenase extracts of cementum, glycosaminoglycans were isolated and then separated by cellulose acetate membrane electrophoresis. After specific elimination by enzymatic and chemical treatments the glycosaminoglycans were identified as hyaluronic acid, chondroitin sulfate and dermatan sulfate. Neither heparan sulfate nor keratan sulfate were observed. Quantitation of the glycosaminoglycans in both extracts revealed chondroitin sulfate to represent the major species present. Hyaluronic acid was observed predominantly in the guanidine/EDTA extract while dermatan sulfate was a quantitative minor component of both extracts.     

Isolation, identification, and quantitation of glycosaminoglycans synthesized by human gingival fibroblasts in vitro

The glycosaminoglycans synthesized by diploid fibroblasts obtained from healthy human gingivae of three donors were isolated, identified, and quantified. Degradation with specific enzymes identified the glycosaminoglycans as hyaluronic acid, chondroitin sulfate, dermatan sulfate, and heparan sulfate; hyaluronic acid predominating. The distribution of the sulfated glycosaminoglycans in the cell layer and the medium was not the same. The cells contained mainly heparan sulfate (48.3%) and the medium mainly dermatan sulfate (47%).     

Human gingival glycosaminoglycans in cyclosporin-induced overgrowth

Glycosaminoglycans in normal and cyclosporin‐induced gingival overgrowth were extracted by papain digestion and purified by Mono Q‐FPLC chromatography. The purified glycosaminoglycans were analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis and by the pattern of degradation products formed by chondroitin lyases on HPLC chromatography. Our results on the glycosaminoglycan composition showed presence of chondroitin 4‐ and 6‐sulfate, dermatan sulfate, heparan sulfate and hyaluronic acid in both normal gingiva and cyclosporin‐induced gingival overgrowth. The total and relative amounts of glycosaminoglycans were similar between normal and overgrown gingiva. This suggests that the glycosaminoglycan composition is not changed in cyclosporin‐induced gingival overgrowth. Our present biochemical results conflict with histochemical and biosynthetic data previously reported by other groups. Those studies suggested that the affected tissues contained higher levels of glycosaminoglycans and that cyclosporin induced comparably high levels of these compounds in in vitro cultures of gingival fibroblasts. Therefore, these discrepant results suggest that a cyclosporin‐induced increase on gingival glycosaminoglycans still remains an open question. The implications of these conflicting results are discussed.     

Glycosaminoglycan synthesis by adult rat submandibular salivary-gland secretory units

The synthesis of glycosaminoglycans (GAG) by a preparation of purified, functional submandibular-gland secretory units (acini and intercalated ducts) was examined. Such units were isolated from Sprague-Dawley rats by digestion of minced gland with hyaluronidase and collagenase followed by gentle sieving of the digest through a graded series of Teflon screens. They incorporated amino acids into exocrine proteins which could be released by stimulation with isoproterenol as in vivo, indicating their functional integrity. Secretory units, incubated for 2 h in medium containing [35S]-sodium sulphate alone or in combination with [3H]-glucosamine, were then washed, homogenized and digested in pronase. The resulting material was then sequentially digested by specific enzymic and chemical procedures and analysed by chromatography on Sephadex G-50 columns to identify the various GAG synthesized. Secretory units synthesized a GAG mixture which was 20-25 per cent hyaluronic acid, 70-75 per cent heparan sulphate, and only 3-5 per cent chondroitin or dermatan sulphates, similar to that synthesized in vivo. No GAG was present in the secretory material, suggesting that all the GAG synthesized was destined for the basement membrane or cell surface.     

Effects of glucocorticoids upon the glycosaminoglycans in salivary glands in the rat

The glycosaminoglycans of the salivary glands were studied in male rats after adrenalectomy and after the daily administration of either 100 or 300 μg of cortisol acetate to adrenalectomized rats during one month. Total uronic acid concentration was determined in the salivary glands. Chromatographic separation of the uronic acid fractions was performed on cellulose microcolumns. Adrenalectomy decreased the uronic acid concentration in the submaxillary and retrolingual glands, while the administration of cortisol acetate increased its concentration in these glands. No changes were detected in the uronic acid concentration in the parotid glands. Adrenalectomy affected the glycoprotein, hyaluronic acid and dermatan sulphate fractions, while cortisol acetate affected the hyaluronic acid, chondroitin-4-sulphate and chondroitin-6-sulphate fractions.     

Isolation and characterization of the proteoglycans synthesized by adult human pulp fibroblasts in vitro

The proteoglycans synthesized by fibroblasts derived from healthy human adult dental pulps have been isolated and characterized on the basis of their glycosaminoglycan content, molecular size and charge. The proteoglycans were identified by their labelling with [³⁵S] sulphate and susceptibility to digestion by papain. The sulphated glycosaminoglycans associated with the proteoglycans were identified following specific enzymatic and chemical degradations as chondroitin sulphate, dermatan sulphate and heparan sulphate. Dermatan sulphate and chondroitin sulphate were identified as the major glycosaminoglycans secreted into the medium, whereas chrondroitin sulphate and heparan sulphate were the principal glycosaminoglycans associated with the cell layers. The proteoglycans could be fractionated on the basis of their charge and size into a number of heterogeneous pools. The principal proteoglycans isolated were small and contained either chondroitin sulphate or dermatan sulphate and most likely correspond to decorin and biglycan. Other molecules with features similar to versican and syndecan were also identified.     

In vivo and in vitro glycosaminoglycans from human dental pulp.

A qualitative assessment was made of the type of glycosaminoglycans (GAG) present in normal human dental pulp using electrophoresis on cellulose-acetate plates. A comparison was also made between the GAG derived directly from the dental pulp (in vivo) and those derived from cultured pulp fibroblasts from the same individual (in vitro). The results of this study showed four main types of GAG in normal human dental pulp tissue, which were dermatan sulfate, heparan sulfate, hyaluronic acid, and chondroitin sulfate. GAG synthesis from cultured pulp fibroblasts in vitro was different from the GAG present in the dental pulp (in vivo). Extracellular GAG, as well as pericellular GAG consisted of dermatan sulfate, hyaluronic acid, chondroitin sulfate, and heparin. Cellular GAG, however, contained only dermatan sulfate, hyaluronic acid, and chondroitin sulfate. There was no difference in type of GAG from the second and fourth passaged pulp fibroblasts.     

Glycosaminoglycans in normal and osteoarthrotic human temporomandibular joint disks.

Glycosaminoglycans in normal and osteoarthrotic temporomandibular joint disks were studied by means of high-performance liquid chromatography methods. Normal disk tissue contains galactosaminoglycans (chondroitin sulfate and dermatan sulfate) as the main polysaccharides and with smaller amounts of hyaluronate and heparan sulfate. The galactosaminoglycans are mainly sulfated in 6-position, and some of the disaccharides contain iduronic acid. There was a slight general variation in glycosaminoglycan concentration with increasing age. In the severely arthrotic disks the content of glycosaminoglycans was considerably lower than in normal disk tissue. This decrease was far more extensive than that observed in relation to age in normal tissue. The 4/6-sulfate ratio of the galactosaminoglycans was increased, whereas the proportion of iduronic acid was markedly decreased.     

Glycosaminoglycans of gingival epithelium and connective tissue during experimental periodontitis in dogs

The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes in concentration of glycosaminoglycans (CAGs) and to investigate the incorporation of 3H-glucosamine into GAGs in vitro in the epithelium and sub-epithelium connective tissue separated from the gingiva during a period of experimental periodontitis. Periodontitis was induced by placement of a silk ligature below the gingival margin in dog molars. The GAGs extracted from gingival samples obtained 0, 7, 21, 60 and 90 days before and after the ligature placement were separated by cellulose acetate membrane electrophoresis for both qualitative and quantitative analysis. Hyaluronic acid content of the epithelium was decreased significantly at the acute phase of inflammation. In the connective tissue, the amounts of dermatan sulfate and hyaluronic acid were higher, but chondroitin sulfate and heparan sulfate levels lower than in the control. The incorporation of 3H-glucosamine into GAGs in the epithelium was greater than that in connective tissue at the acute phase. The greatest incorporation of 3H-glucosamine was found in chondroitin sulfate at the acute phase, and did not return to the basal level at the chronic phase. These findings suggest that the biochemical response of GAGs in the epithelium to inflammation might be different from that in connective tissue.     

Isolation and identification of acid glycosaminoglycans in oral calculus

Samples of supra- and subgingival calculus were pooled, decalcified in EDTA and the organic matrix solubilized by autoclaving and proteolytic digestion. Acid glycosaminoglycans precipitated with ethanol and cetyl pyridinium chloride were studied both by chemical and electrophoretic techniques. Chondroitin sulphate, hyaluronic acid and possibly heparan sulphate were shown to be present in the organic phase. It is suggested that chondroitin sulphate may have a role in the mineralization of dental calculus as postulated for other calcified tissues.     

Age changes in the rat temporomandibular joint articular disc: a biochemical study on glycosaminoglycan content

SUMMARY The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) articular discs were removed from female Sprague-Dawley rats 3, 5, 10, 32, 90 and 130 weeks of age. Glycosaminoglycans (GAGS) were extracted from the discs by heat treatment, alkali treatment and digestion with Pronase E, and purified by precipitation with cetylpyridinium chloride and ethanol. The concentration of total GAG was highest in the 3 week extracts and tended to decrease with age. Dermatan sulphate was the predominant GAG detected in all age groups along with chondroitin sulphate, hyaluronic acid and heparan sulphate. The disaccharides obtained from chondroitin sulphate were ΔDi-4S, ΔDi-6S and ΔDi-OS, with ADi-4S being the predominant isomer followed by ADi-6S for all ages of all the GAG examined. The concentration of chondroitin sulphate showed a decrease with age. Quantitative changes of GAG with age may be related to functional changes in TMJ discs.     

Lectin-binding glycoconjugates and immunoreactive proteoglycans in resorption pits freshly excavated by isolated rabbit osteoclasts

Staining with FITC-conjugated concanavalin A, wheatgerm agglutinin and peanut agglutinin demonstrated that abundant sugar residues are present in resorption pits produced in vitro and over the cell surface of rabbit osteoclasts resorbing bovine femoral bone slices. After chondroitinase ABC digestion the stubs of chondroitin 4-sulphate and dermatan sulphate could be detected in the resorption pits by monoclonal antibodies.