Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB-stimulated glycosaminoglycan (GAG) synthesis/secretion in fetal lung fibroblasts is dependent on sequential activation of the PDGF beta-receptor, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), the serine/threonine kinase Akt-1,2, and the GTPase Rab3D. Because the Akt pathway has been implicated in cell survival mechanisms, we investigated whether the pathway regu...

Chondroitin sulfate (CS) proteoglycans in perineuronal nets (PNNs) from the central nervous system (CNS) are involved in the control of plasticity and memory. Removing PNNs reactivates plasticity and restores memory in models of Alzheimer's disease and ageing. Their actions depend on the glycosaminoglycan (GAG) chains of CS proteoglycans, which are mainly sulfated in the 4 (C4S) or 6 (C6S) posi...

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) due to their hydrophilic character and high anionic charge densities play important roles in various (patho)physiological processes. The identification and quantification of GAGs in biological samples and tissues could be useful prognostic and diagnostic tools in pathological conditions. Despite the noteworthy progress in the development of sensitive and accurate metho...

Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-3 (TIMP-3) belongs to a family of proteins that regulate the activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), which can process various bioactive molecules such as cell surface receptors, chemokines, and cytokines. Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) interact with a number of proteins, thereby playing an essential role in the regulation of many physiological/patho-phys...

Xenopus laevis is an excellent animal for analyzing early vertebrate development. Various effects of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) on growth factor-related cellular events during embryogenesis have been demonstrated in Xenopus. To elucidate the relationship between alterations in fine structure and changes in the specificity of growth factor binding during Xenopus development, heparan sulfate (HS) ...

Abstract Aortic dissection is a life-threatening pathology that mainly affects the medial layer, which consists of multiple lamellar units. Glycosaminoglycans/proteoglycans (GAGs/PGs) can accumulate in interlamellar space within media and under certain circumstances swell considerably. Such behavior GAGs/PGs induces high stresses elements connecting elastic laminae and, event tissue failure, le...

The expression of glypicans in different hair follicle (HF) compartments and their potential roles during shaft growth are still poorly understood. Heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) distribution HFs is classically investigated by conventional histology, biochemical analysis, immunohistochemistry. In this report, a novel approach proposed to assess histology HSPG changes at phases the cycle us...

Bruno Baggio, Istituto di Medicina Interna, Via Giustiniani 2, I-35128 Padova (Italy) Dear Sir, In reference to the contribution from the Lambert group [1], we have recently obtained similar data [2,3] also in agreement with Baba et al. [4], but different from those of Mathiesen et al. [5]. In fact, a statistically significant reduction of erythrocyte anion charge (RBCCh) was observed in insuli...

Karen E. Yates, Ph.D. Orthopedic Research Brigham and Women’s Hospital 75 Francis Street Boston, MA 02115 INTRODUCTION Interplay between protein and carbohydrate components in the extracellular matrix sustains the unique biomechanical properties of cartilage. Long-chain sugars known as glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are enmeshed within a collagen lattice. Water is attracted to the highly-6sulfated G...

BACKGROUND/AIMS Multipotent mesenchymal stem cells affect homeostasis of adipose and joint tissues. Factors influencing their differentiation fate are of interest for both obesity and joint problems. We studied the impact of a mixture of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) (hyaluronic acid: dermatan sulfate 1:0.25, w/w) used in an oral supplement for joint discomfort (Oralvisc™) on the differentiation fa...