Previous studies revealed that exposure of mesangial cells to high glucose concentration induces the production of matrix proteins mediated by TGF-beta1. We tested if structural analogues of D-glucose may mimic the high glucose effect and found that D-glucosamine was strikingly more potent than D-glucose itself in enhancing the production of TGF-beta protein and subsequent production of the mat...

Radioactivity from d-glucosamine-(14)C is incorporated into particulate fractions of hypocotyls of Phaseolus aureus (mung bean) seedlings. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the sodium dodecyl sulfate-solubilized materials revealed that several polypeptide components varying considerably in molecular weight had become radioactive during the incubation. A considerable amount of (14)C was also...

The particulate enzyme fraction obtained from Micrococcus Zysodeikficus catalyzed the incorporation of D-[r4C]glucose from uridine diphospho-n-[r4C]glucose into a polymer which resembled the n-glucoseand N-acetyl-n-mannosaminuronic acid-containing polysaccharide of the cell walls of this organism. In vifro biosynthesis of the polysaccharide depended upon the presence of the uridine diphospho-Na...

The GH94 glycoside hydrolase cellodextrin phosphorylase (CDP, EC 2.4.1.49) produces cellodextrin oligomers from short β-1→4-glucans and α-D-glucose 1-phosphate. Compared to cellobiose phosphorylase (CBP), which produces cellobiose from glucose and α-D-glucose 1-phosphate, CDP is biochemically less well characterised. Herein, we investigate the donor and acceptor substrate specificity of recombi...

N-acetyl-B-D-Glucosaminidase was purified by affinity and ionexchange chromatography. Two major, A and B, and three minor intermediate forms were isolated and characterized. NAG-A and NAG-B were purified 440 and 1200 fold with final yields of 16 and 23 percent respectively. Each activity was represented by a single protein band. After 70 min preincubation at 55°C a loss of70% activity of N...

The purpose of this report is to present the results of analysis of actual glucosamine and/or chondroitin contents of several such products in the market place and to determine if they significantly deviate from their label claim. A total of fourteen products containing glucosamine sulfate and nine products containing chondroitin sulfate were evaluated. The amounts of glucosamine and chondroiti...

The purpose of this report is to present the results of analysis of actual glucosamine and/or chondroitin contents of several such products in the market place and to determine if they significantly deviate from their label claim. A total of fourteen products containing glucosamine sulfate and nine products containing chondroitin sulfate were evaluated. The amounts of glucosamine and chondroiti...

The effects of D-glucosamine on the fine structures of Walker carcinoma and of the liver and kidney in rats were studied in vivo. Continuous administration of D-glucosamine for 18 hr resulted in a slight dilation of the cisternae of the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi sacs of the tumor cells and liver parenchymal cells. The epithelial cells of the renal tubules contained lamellar structures wit...