Sulphated glycosaminoglycans in regenerating rat liver

Characterization of glycosaminoglycans in regenerating canine liver

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy is accompanied by hepatocyte proliferation and alteration of the extracellular matrix. Glycosaminoglycans, which are components of the extracellular matrix, interact with other matrix components, and are related to hepatocyte growth. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between hepatocyte proliferation and changes in glycosaminoglycan.

METHODS

Hepatocyte proliferation and changes in glycosaminoglycan were investigated in dogs after 55% partial hepatectomy. Hepatocyte mitosis was investigated by immunohistochemistry using anti-proliferating cell nuclear antigen antibody. The amount of glycosaminoglycan was determined by the carbazole-sulfuric acid method. We used a new method for analysis of glycosaminoglycan chains, involving endo-beta-xylosidase digestion and fluorescence labelling, to investigate the components of glycosaminoglycan.

RESULTS

Hepatocyte mitosis was increased after hepatectomy, reaching a peak at postoperative day 7. The total amount of hepatic glycosaminoglycan reached a maximum at 1 to 2 weeks afer hepatectomy, and the ratio of the components showed a concomitant change, the amount of heparan sulfate increasing, and that of chondroitin sulfate/dermatan sulfate decreasing. Increased heparan sulfate has shorter chains at 1 to 2 weeks after hepatectomy.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that the transient changes in heparan sulfate with a decreased chain length and chondroitin sulfate/dermatan sulfate and observed during liver regeneration are associated with hepatocyte proliferation.

Release of interleukin-1 beta by dermatan sulfate suppresses hepatocyte growth

Among glycosaminoglycans, dermatan sulfate (DS) is the strongest inhibitor of DNA synthesis in adult rat hepatocytes in primary culture stimulated with insulin and epidermal growth factor. Hyaluronate also inhibited DNA synthesis, whereas chondroitin-6 sulfate, 4-sulfate or heparin had no effect on DNA synthesis in hepatocytes. Analysis of growth regulatory factors in hepatocyte culture medium treated with DS revealed that interleukin-1 (IL-1) was released into the medium. IL-1 beta mRNA was detected in DS-treated hepatocytes by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, but not in untreated hepatocytes. For a marked inhibition of DNA synthesis, more than 10 hr of exposure to DS before cultured hepatocytes started DNA synthesis, was required. Similarly, more than 10 hr was required after the addition of DS before IL-1 beta mRNA was detected. These findings suggest that DS in the medium induced the production of IL-1 beta which, in turn, reduced DNA synthesis in hepatocytes.

Effects of p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-xylopyranoside (beta-D-xyloside) on the androgen-induced growth of the lateral prostate of the prepubertally castrated guinea pig

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of beta-D-xyloside (XYL), a compound which interferes with stromal proteoglycan (PG) synthesis, on androgen induced growth of the lateral prostate (LP). Young male guinea pigs were castrated at 3 weeks of age and divided into three groups 6 weeks after castration. In group one, the animals were injected subcutaneously daily with 80 mg/kg of XYL, followed 3 days later by a daily dose of 10 mg/kg of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) for 2 more weeks. The second group served as control and received DHT only. In the third group, animals were treated first with XYL, like those in group one, and then followed by DHT alone for 2 weeks to check reversibility of the XYL effect. At the end of the experiment, the lateral prostate was removed and processed for morphological and cytochemical examination. The results showed that XYL inhibited the DHT stimulated growth of the lateral prostate. The fibroblasts showed a dilated granular endoplasmic reticulum filled with granular substances. In the interstitial spaces, there was a drastic increase in Cuprolinic Blue (CB) positive filaments and polygonal granules believed to be PGs or glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). Their number was much greater than the control. The distribution and density of the collagen fibers appeared similar to the control. The secretory alveoli were lined by epithelium with few secretory granules of low electron density and a larger number of clear vesicles. There was a slight reduction in glycoconjugate reactivities in the epithelial cells. The lectin binding patterns and the structural features were comparable between the control and recovery groups, indicating the XYL effects were reversible. The results suggest that stromal PG biosynthesis may play a role in epithelial function and an altered stromal matrix would hamper the effects of DHT on the target organ.

Alteration of rat liver proteoglycans during regeneration

Sepharose CL-6B column chromatography of crude extracts from the slices of regenerating rat livers after partial hepatectomy and sham-operated controls labeled with [35S]sulfuric acid revealed an enhancement of [35S]sulfate incorporation into proteoglycan fractions during regeneration. The 35S-labeled proteoglycans contained heparan sulfate (more than 80% of the total) and chondroitin/dermatan sulfate. The 35S-incorporation into both glycosaminoglycans increased to maxima 3-5 days after partial hepatectomy and decreased thereafter toward the respective control levels. When [35S]sulfuric acid was replaced by [3H]glucosamine, similar results were obtained. These results suggest that the maximal stimulation of proteoglycan synthesis in regenerating rat liver follows the maximal mitosis of hepatic cells 1-2 days after partial hepatectomy. The 35S-labeled proteoglycans from regenerating liver 3 days after partial hepatectomy and control were analyzed further. They were similar in chromatographic behavior on a gel filtration or an anion-exchange column and in glycosaminoglycan composition. Their glycosaminoglycans were indistinguishable in electrophoretic mobility. However, these proteoglycans were slightly but significantly different in their affinity to octyl-Sepharose and in the molecular-weight distribution of their glycosaminoglycans.

Cytochemical localisation and characterisation of proteoglycans (glycosaminoglycans) in the epithelial-stromal interface of the seminal vesicle of the guinea pig

The proteoglycans (PGs) in the guinea pig seminal vesicle were demonstrated ultrastructurally by both cuprolinic blue (CB) and ruthenium red (RR) staining. The PGs appeared as electron-dense granules with RR, but were filamentous following CB staining using the critical electrolyte concentration method. Three major types of PGs (T1, T2, T3) have been described according to their different locations and sizes. T1 filaments were short and were found mostly on both sides of the lamina densa of the basal lamina of the glandular epithelium (40-60 nm long) and also on the basal laminae of smooth muscle cells and capillary endothelial cells (20-30 nm long). In the epithelial basal lamina they were regularly spaced at an interval of 40-60 nm. T1 filaments in the lamina densa were smaller and more randomly distributed. Cytochemical characterisation of these PGs by various GAG degrading enzymes showed that T1 PGs are rich in heparan sulphate. T2 filaments were 30-40 nm long and closely associated with the collagen fibrils. They were arranged perpendicular to the long axis of collagen fibrils, also at intervals of about 60 nm. T2 filaments were removed by chondroitinase (Ch)-ABC, Ch-ABC plus Streptomyces (S)-hyaluronidase and pronase, but resistant to nitrous acid, heparitinase, heparinase, neuraminidase and S-hyaluronidase. These show that T2 filaments are rich in dermatan sulphate. T3 filaments (60-100 nm) were widely distributed in the stroma at sites such as the interstitial spaces of the lamina propria, the reticular layer below the basal lamina, around individual collagen fibrils or bundles of such fibres, and on the cell surfaces of fibroblasts. The T3 filaments were removed by Ch-ABC, Ch-AC and pronase but were resistant to heparitinase, heparinase, S-hyaluronidase, neuraminidase and nitrous acid. They are therefore rich in chondroitin sulphate.

Binding of zinc ions to heparin. Analysis by equilibrium dialysis suggests the occurrence of two, entropy-driven, processes

Analysis by equilibrium dialysis of the binding of Zn2+ to heparin suggested that two interactions, one of high affinity and one of low affinity, occur. The stoichiometry of binding in both cases is about one Zn2+ ion bound per average heparin disaccharide unit. Both types of interaction appear to be entropy-driven.

Polydispersity of acidic glycosaminoglycan components in human liver and the changes at different stages in liver cirrhosis

The aim of this study was to characterize acidic glycosaminoglycan components in normal human liver and in alcoholic cirrhosis, and to determine whether the proportions of individual glycosaminoglycans change with advancing cirrhosis. Acidic glycosaminoglycans are components of extracellular matrices and consist of repeating disaccharides of hexosamine and hexuronic acid with molecular weights ranging from 5 X 10(3) to 5 X 10(4), except for hyaluronic acid, whose molecular weight ranges from 3 X 10(4) to 1.6 X 10(6). The acidic glycosaminoglycan components in normal liver and at different stages of liver cirrhosis were found to be polydisperse as to the molecular weight and the degree of sulfation. The increased content of glycosaminoglycans with advancing liver cirrhosis was related to those of heparan sulfate and dermatan sulfate components. Heparan sulfates were the most prominent components of smaller molecular weight fractions. In the normal state, moderate amounts of dermatan sulfate and the oversulfated isomer were present in intermediate molecular weight fractions, but increasing amounts of the components shifted to higher molecular weight fractions with advancing cirrhosis. A small amount of hyaluronic acid was found in higher molecular weight fractions and the amount increased at the initial stage as a reversible phenomenon. The possible roles of hepatic glycosaminoglycan components in the process of fibrosis are discussed.

Changes in hepatic glycosaminoglycans following endotoxin administration

Incorporation of [35]S-sulfate into hepatic glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) is affected by intravenous administration of endotoxin. There are significant increases in total labeled glycosaminoglycans and in the percentage of labeled dermatan sulfate 72 h post-endotoxin.

Synthesis in vitro of glycosaminoglycans in regenerating rat liver

Chronic liver damage is accompanied by both liver cell multiplication and stimulated synthesis of proteoglycans, but the relationship between the two biochemical processes has not been investigated so far. We found that the incorporation of [14C]glucosamine into total glycosaminoglycans of rat liver slices from regenerating tissue is depressed by about 50% 1 and 3 days after operation if referred to that measured in sham-operated control liver slices. 6 h after partial hepatectomy [14C]glucosamine incorporation into glycosaminoglycans is stimulated by more than 30% in relation to sham operated livers. The proportional rates of synthesis of heparan sulfate and chondroitin sulfate (about 8:1) did not change in regenerating liver tissue. Furthermore, there was no difference in the intracellular uptake of [14C]glucosamine by rat liver slices from sham operated and partially hepatectomized rats; the pool size of UDP-N-acetylhexosamine was only slightly larger (about 14%) under the latter experimental condition. We conclude that liver regeneration by itself is not responsible for the elevated production and the changing pattern of proteoglycans in long-lasting hepatic injury.

The anticoagulant activity of dermatan sulphates: evidence against the involvement of antithrombin III

Anticoagulant activity of dermatan sulphates is unaffected by antiserum specific for antithrombin III (AT III) unless the glycosaminoglycan preparation contains demonstrable heparin. 2 Only dermatan sulphate preparations of considerable heparin content potentiate AT III inhibition of thrombin, factor Xa and plasmin. 3 These data suggest that dermatan sulphates exert anticoagulant activity which, unlike that of heparin, is largely or totally independent of AT III.