Chondroitin sulfate chondroitinase

Chondroitin sulfate was identified in embryonic basement membrane on the basis of studies showing the susceptibility of sulfate-labeled material to chondroitinase and a reaction with monoclonal antibodies (Couchman et al., 1984 Paulsson et al., 1985b). Similarly, Reichert s membrane, endothelial L2, PYS cells, EHS tumor cells, and isolated glomeruli produce variable amounts of these proteoglycan (Oohira et al., 1983 Stow et al., 1983 Oldberg et al., 1981 Tyree et al., 1984 Hassell et al., 1980). The molecule produced by L2 cells (Mr 40K) contains a small protein core with a unique amino acid sequence (Bourdon et al., 1985). It appears that in such systems, little of the chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan is deposited in the matrix. 

Effect of chondroitinase ABC. This enzyme (chondroitin ABC lyase, EC A.2.2.A.) also depolymerizes the hyaluronic acid backbone of aggregate. In addition, it can degrade chondroitin sulfate chains of monomer, but not its keratan sulfate chains. 

J. Du, N. Eddington, Determination of the chondroitin sulfate disaccharides in dog and horse plasma by HPLC using chondroitinase digestion, precolumn derivatization, and fluorescence detection. Anal. Biochem. 306 (2) (2002) 252-258. 

A series of six unsaturated disaccharides derived from hyaluronic acid and chondroitin sulfate were derivatized with dansylhydrazine and analyzed on an aminopropyl column (A = 350nm, ex 530 nm, em). A 90/20 acetonitrile/water (0.1 M acetate buffer at pH 5.6) generated good peak shq)e and elution in 50 min [1207]. Linear curves from 50 to 500pmol injected were reported. Samples of chondroitinase ABC digests of trachea and shark cartilage were presented. Detection limits of <50 pmol (20 ng) were cited. 

Chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans appear to be important in the developmental patterning of the central nervous system. This is exemplified in a recent study where embryonic thalamic neurons were plated onto living slices of mouse forebrain [19]. Cell attachment and neurite outgrowth on different layers of the developing cerebral cortex varied in ways that correlated with timing and pattern of thalamocortical innervation. The cortical plate possessed inhibitory activity, while the intermediate zone and subplate regions possessed stimulatory activity. Both the inhibitory and stimulatory layer-specific differences were abolished by pretreatment of tissue slices with chondroitinase. 

Pek, Y.S., Spector, M., Yannas, I.V., and Gibson, L.J. 2004. Degradation of a collagen-chondroitin-6-sulfate matrix by collagenase and chondroitinase. Biomaterials 25 473-482. 

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