Effect of beta-D-xylosides on collagen synthesis in cultured fibroblasts.

Cultured normal human skin fibroblasts were incubated with ¹⁴C]proline in the presence and absence of 1.0 mM p-nitrophenyl-β-D-xylose. Formation of non-dialyzable hydroxyproline was used as a measure of collagen synthesis. Although total ¹⁴C]proline incorporation was similar in the two cultures, ¹⁴C]hydroxyproline formation was significantly decreased in the β-xyloside-treated cultures. Increasing the period of incubation increased the radioactivity of the insoluble collagen fraction in untreated fibroblasts, however, in β-xyloside-treated cultures no such increase was observed. In contrast to the decreased production of collagen, growth of cells in the presence of the β-xyloside induced the synthesis of high levels of soluble glycosaminoglycans as measured by ³⁵SO₄ incorporation into isolated polysaccharide.