Cartilage proteoglycan aggregates. The link protein and proteoglycan amino-terminal globular domains have similar structures

Cartilage proteoglycan aggregates contain two components (proteoglycan monomer and link protein) which interact with each other and with hyaluronic acid. Data from amino acid sequence analysis are presented that shows that a domain of the proteoglycan, the hyaluronic acid binding region, which interacts with link protein and hyaluronic acid is very similar to link protein in terms of its primary structure. However, the pattern of glycosylation in the hyaluronic acid binding region is different from that found in link protein. After removal of N-linked oligosaccharides, the tryptically prepared hyaluronic acid binding region from rat chondrosarcoma has a mass by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis of 43 +/- 2 kDa. The COOH-terminal two-thirds of rat chondrosarcoma link protein, starting at residue 105, has 41.3% identity with a similar region in the hyaluronic acid binding region. We show that, in addition to the hyaluronic acid binding region, proteoglycan contains another region with similarity to the two repeating loop structures in the COOH-terminal two-thirds of link protein. This presumably corresponds to the second globular domain reported in rotary shadowing studies of cartilage proteoglycans. We have deduced the positions of all of the disulfide bonds in the hyaluronic acid binding region and find them to be in the same positions as would be expected from comparison of these sequences with link protein.     

Cell-free translation of mRNA encoding an arterial smooth muscle cell proteoglycan core protein

The size and immunological reactivity of the primary gene products of a small non-aggregating dermatan sulfate proteoglycan from bovine and monkey arterial smooth muscle cells were examined after cell-free translation of mRNA. Antisera against the dermatan sulfate proteoglycans from bovine articular cartilage, DSPG II [Rosenberg et al. J. Biol. Chem. 260, 6304 (1985)] and human skin fibroblasts [Glossl et al. J. Biol. Chem. 259, 14144 (1984)] were used to show that the unmodified smooth muscle precursor core protein was immunologically related to both the cartilage and fibroblast core proteins. The size of the precursor core proteins within each species was identical regardless of the tissue source. Comparison of the precursor core proteins synthesized by primate and bovine cells revealed that the bovine core proteins were approximately 1500 Da larger than the primate core proteins as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. A similar size difference was observed when the mature core proteins of monkey smooth muscle cells and bovine articular chondrocytes were compared after removal of the glycosaminoglycan chains. These results indicate that arterial smooth muscle cells synthesize a dermatan sulfate proteoglycan whose core protein is similar to, if not the same as, the cartilage and fibroblast dermatan sulfate proteoglycan core proteins. These core proteins may be encoded by the same gene that has diverged in size during speciation.     

Cell-free translation of messenger RNA for chondroitin sulphate proteoglycan core protein in rat cartilage.

Total RNA was extracted from the cartilage tissues rat Swarm chondrosarcoma, neonatal-rat breastplate and embryonic-chicken sterna and translated in wheat-germ cell-free reactions. The core protein of the chondroitin sulphate proteoglycan subunit was identified among translation products of rat mRNA by its apparent Mr of 330 000 and by its immunoprecipitation with specific antisera prepared against rat or chicken proteoglycan antigens. The apparent Mr of the rat proteoglycan core protein is 8000-10000 less than that of the equivalent chicken cartilage core-protein product.     

Biosynthesis and processing of bovine cartilage link proteins

We have examined posttranslational modifications which are responsible for converting an apparently single precursor (Hering, T. M., and Sandell, L. J. (1988) J. Biol. Chem. 263, 1030-1036) to the two major forms of link protein in bovine articular cartilage. Resistance to endoglycosidases H and F suggests that Asn-linked oligosaccharides of link protein secreted by bovine chondrocytes in culture are of the complex or hybrid type. There is no evidence for O-linked oligosaccharides. There is no apparent precursor-product relationship between link protein (LP)1 and LP2, since after a short pulse with [3H]leucine two forms are present, consistent with the existence of two glycosylation sites. An immunoprecipitate of LP1 from pulse-labeled chondrocytes was observed to show a decrease in electrophoretic mobility and increased microheterogeneity during transit through the Golgi, whereas LP2 did not change. During processing both LP1 and LP2 become endoglycosidase H resistant. LP1, but not LP2, can be biosynthetically labeled with [35S]sulfate. Incorporation of [35S]sulfate is inhibited by tunicamycin, indicating that the sulfate is associated with Asn-linked carbohydrate. Sulfation may be important for normal processing, secretion, or degradation of link protein and with sialylation may confer considerable charge heterogeneity upon LP1. We conclude that there are considerable biochemical differences between glycoproteins LP1 and LP2 which may provide a basis for functional differences.     

Pharmacological actions of 17 beta-oestradiol on articular cartilage chondrocytes and chondrosarcoma chondrocytes in the absence of oestrogen receptors

(1) Pharmacological concentrations (greater than 10(-5) M) of 17 beta-oestradiol inhibited 35S-labelled proteoglycan synthesis in bovine articular cartilage explant cultures. They also inhibited 35S-labelled proteoglycan synthesis and 3H-labelled protein synthesis in cell cultures of chondrocytes from bovine articular cartilage and Swarm rat chondrosarcoma. Maximal inhibition was about 30-50%. Physiological concentrations (10(-9)-10(-8) M) of oestradiol had no effect on the synthesis of either protein or proteoglycan. (2) The inhibitory action of high concentrations of oestradiol on these biosynthetic pathways is not common to all steroids since 10(-4) M cortisol had no effect on articular chondrocyte cell cultures. 10(-4) M testosterone had a similar action to oestradiol. (3) Neither physiological nor pharmacological concentrations of 17 beta-oestradiol had any effect on 35S-labelled proteoglycan turnover in the cartilage explant system. (4) 10(-5) M oestradiol inhibited cell division in cultures of articular chondrocytes which had entered the log growth phase. 10(-7) M oestradiol had no effect on articular chondrocyte growth. (5) In male rats implanted with silastic capsules releasing 17 beta-oestradiol, increase in body weight was retarded by about 25% over a period of 6 weeks, compared to control rats. Rat chondrosarcoma grew to the same size in oestrogen-treated rats as it did in controls. (6) Oestrogen receptors could not be detected in freshly isolated bovine articular chondrocytes or in rat chondrosarcoma. (7) In conclusion, neither the mitotic rate of articular chondrocytes nor their proteoglycan metabolism is under the direct physiological control of oestradiol. Growth and biosynthetic activity of the rat chondrosarcoma chondrocytes are independent of either direct control by the hormone or control effected by oestradiol regulation of a second hormone or growth factor.     

Degradation of proteoglycan aggregate by a cartilage metalloproteinase. Evidence for the involvement of stromelysin in the generation of link protein heterogeneity in situ.

Cartilage proteoglycan aggregates were subjected to degradation by a metalloproteinase, capable of degrading proteoglycan, released from cartilage in culture. This proteinase was demonstrated to be immunologically identical with fibroblast stromelysin. An early release of hyaluronic acid-binding region and large glycosaminoglycan-attachment regions was observed. With increasing time the glycosaminoglycan-attachment regions were digested into smaller fragments and the hyaluronic acid-binding regions accumulated. The degradation of link proteins also occurred concomitantly with these events. Link proteins were converted into a component of similar size to that of the smallest native link protein component. N-Terminal sequence analysis of the three human link protein components indicated that they are all derived from the same protein core, which is closely homologous to that of the rat chondrosarcoma link protein. The two larger link proteins (Mr 48,000 and 44,000) contain the same N-terminal sequence, but they differ by the apparent presence of an N-linked oligosaccharide at residue 6 of the largest link protein component. The smallest link protein (Mr 41,000), however, has an N-terminal sequence equivalent to that commencing at residue 17 in the larger link proteins. It was found that the cartilage metalloproteinase cleaves link proteins in human neonatal cartilage proteoglycan aggregates at the His-16-Ile-17 bond, the same position at which the smallest link protein component appears to be derived naturally from the two larger link protein components. These results suggest that stromelysin secreted by chondrocytes can account for the increased accumulation of hyaluronic acid-binding regions and much of the degradation of link protein observed during aging within human articular cartilage.     

Formation of proteoglycan aggregates in rat chondrosarcoma chondrocyte cultures treated with tunicamycin

Proteoglycan monomer and link protein isolated from the Swarm rat chondrosarcoma both contain glycosylamine-linked oligosaccharides. In monomer, these N-linked oligosaccharides are concentrated in a region of the protein core which interacts specifically with both hyaluronate and link protein to form proteoglycan aggregates present in cartilage matrix. Chondrocyte cultures were treated with tunicamycin to inhibit synthesis of the N-linked oligosaccharides, and the ability of the deficient proteoglycan and link protein to form aggregates was studied. Cultures were pretreated with tunicamycin for 3 h and then labeled with either [3H]mannose, [3H]glucosamine, [3H]serine, or with [35S]sulfate for 6 h in the presence of tunicamycin. Formation of link protein-stabilized proteoglycan aggregates in the culture medium was inhibited by up to 40% when the cells were treated with 3 micrograms of tunicamycin/ml, a concentration which inhibited 3H incorporation with mannose as a precursor by about 90%, but by only 15% with glucosamine as a precursor. When exogenous proteoglycan aggregate was added to the culture medium, however, it was found that both endogenous monomer and link protein synthesized in the presence of tunicamycin were fully able to form link-stabilized aggregates. This suggests that glycosylamine-linked oligosaccharides on monomer and on link protein are not necessary for their specific interactions with hyaluronate and with each other. Further, although tunicamycin did not inhibit net synthesis of hyaluronate, transfer of hyaluronate from the cell layer to the culture medium was retarded. This phenomenon accounted for most if not all of the decrease in the amount of proteoglycan which formed aggregates in the medium of cultures treated with tunicamycin.     

Isolation and characterization of developmentally regulated chondroitin sulfate and chondroitin/keratan sulfate proteoglycans of brain identified with monoclonal antibodies

A panel of monoclonal antibodies prepared to the chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans of rat brain was used for their immunocytochemical localization and isolation of individual proteoglycan species by immunoaffinity chromatography. One of these proteoglycans (designated 1D1) consists of a major component with an average molecular size of 300 kDa in 7-day brain, containing a 245-kDa core glycoprotein and an average of three 22-kDa chondroitin sulfate chains. A 1D1 proteoglycan of approximately 180 kDa with a 150-kDa core glycoprotein is also present at 7 days, and by 2-3 weeks postnatal this becomes the major species, containing a single 32-kDa chondroitin 4-sulfate chain. The concentration of 1D1 decreases during development, from 20% of the total chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan protein (0.1 mg/g brain) at 7 days postnatal to 6% in adult brain. A 45-kDa protein which is recognized by the 8A4 monoclonal antibody to rat chondrosarcoma link protein copurifies with the 1D1 proteoglycan, which aggregates to a significant extent with hyaluronic acid. A chondroitin/keratan sulfate proteoglycan (designated 3H1) with a size of approximately 500 kDa was isolated from rat brain using monoclonal antibodies to the keratan sulfate chains. The core glycoprotein obtained after treatment of the 3H1 proteoglycan with chondroitinase ABC and endo-beta-galactosidase decreases in size from approximately 360 kDa at 7 days to approximately 280 kDa in adult brain. In 7-day brain, the proteoglycan contains three to five 25-kDa chondroitin 4-sulfate chains and three to six 8.4-kDa keratan sulfate chains, whereas the adult brain proteoglycan contains two to four chondroitin 4-sulfate chains and eight to nine keratan sulfate chains, with an average size of 10 kDa. The concentration of 3H1 increases during development from 3% of the total soluble proteoglycan protein at 7 days to 11% in adult brain, and there is a developmental decrease in the branching and/or sulfation of the keratan sulfate chains. A third monoclonal antibody (3F8) was used to isolate a approximately 500-kDa chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan comprising a 400-kDa core glycoprotein and an average of four 28-kDa chondroitin sulfate chains. In the 1D1 and 3F8 proteoglycans of 7-day brain, 20 and 33%, respectively, of the chondroitin sulfate is 6-sulfated, whereas chondroitin 4-sulfate accounts for greater than 96% of the glycosaminoglycan chains in the adult brain proteoglycans.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Proteoglycans from bovine nasal and articular cartilages. Fractionation of the link proteins by wheat germ agglutinin affinity chromatography

Two forms of link protein, 46 and 51 kDa, are present in proteoglycan aggregates from both bovine nasal and bovine articular cartilages. Studies reported here show that the link proteins bind to concanavalin A, Lens culinaris agglutinin, Ricinus communis agglutinin, soybean agglutinin, and wheat germ agglutinin lectins. When the link proteins are eluted from these lectins with appropriate competing sugars, the 46- and the 51-kDa link proteins elute together and no separation is achieved. However, when the link proteins bound to wheat germ agglutinin are eluted with a 0 to 4 M guanidine hydrochloride linear gradient, a good separation of the 46- and 51-kDa link proteins is achieved. Wheat germ agglutinin affinity chromatography has been used on a preparative scale to isolate the 51-kDa link protein from mature bovine articular cartilage to homogeneity, in amounts sufficient to examine its effect on proteoglycan aggregate size and stability in sedimentation velocity studies. Proteoglycan aggregates were reassembled from proteoglycan monomers and hyaluronate in the absence of link protein, in the presence of both 46- and 51-kDa link proteins, and in the presence of the individual 51-kDa link protein. The sizes of the aggregates were compared in terms of sedimentation coefficients (s(0)20). The stability of the aggregates was compared in terms of the per cent aggregate present at pH 7 and 5. At pH 7, the sedimentation coefficients (s(0)20) of link-free aggregates, aggregates formed with both link proteins, and aggregates formed with 51-kDa link protein were 72, 93, and 112 S, respectively. Thus, the 51-kDa link protein has a pronounced effect on aggregate size. The link-free aggregate was grossly unstable, and only 36% aggregate was present at pH 5. The aggregate formed with both link proteins was effectively stabilized against dissociation and 79% aggregate was present at pH 5. The aggregate formed with 51-kDa link protein was not effectively stabilized against dissociation, and only 60% aggregate was present at pH 5. Thus, despite its pronounced effect on aggregate size, the 51-kDa link protein does not effectively stabilize the proteoglycan aggregate against dissociation. These results suggest that the 51-kDa link protein may selectively increase aggregate size, while the 46-kDa link protein may be required to effectively stabilize the proteoglycan aggregate against dissociation.     

Cell-free translation and characterization of corneal keratan sulfate proteoglycan core proteins.

Bovine corneal keratan sulfate proteoglycan (KSPG) contains two core proteins, 37 and 25 kDa, if fully deglycosylated, but 47 and 35 kDa, respectively, after endo-beta-galactosidase (Funderburgh, J. L., and Conrad, G. W. (1990) J. Biol Chem. 265, 8297-8303). Chicken corneal KSPG released a single core protein of 47 kDa after endo-beta-galactosidase, and of 35 and 36 kDa, if deglycosylated with N-glycanase or trifluoromethanesulfonic acid. Affinity purified rabbit antibodies against each KSPG recognized only the intact proteoglycan or its core proteins in immunoblots of unfractionated guanidine-HCl extracts of whole cornea after sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Affinity purified antibody to a synthetic peptide duplicating the NH2-terminal sequence of the 37-kDa bovine core protein showed little reactivity with untreated corneal extract but reacted with the 47-kDa bovine protein in endo-beta-galactosidase-treated extracts. RNA was isolated from bovine and chick corneal stromas and used for in vitro translation. Antibody against bovine KSPG immunoprecipitated two proteins of 56-53 kDa and a protein of 41 kDa after translation of bovine RNA. Translation of chick RNA produced a double band of 38-39 kDa and a single band of 25 kDa precipitating with antibody against chicken KSPG. Homologous unlabeled KSPG competed for binding of antibodies to these translation products. These data suggest that in vertebrate corneas, the multiple KSPG core protein isoforms may arise as products of separate mRNAs, rather than from proteolytic processing of a large polypeptide precursor.     

The N-terminal sequence of the large proteoglycan of articular cartilage

A peptide with hyaluronic acid-binding properties was isolated from trypsin digests of bovine articular cartilage proteoglycan aggregate. This peptide originated from the N-terminus of the proteoglycan core protein, retained its function of forming complexes with hyaluronate and link protein and contained at least one keratan sulfate chain. Amino acid sequence data demonstrated that the first six amino acid residues of the N-terminus of bovine articular cartilage proteoglycan core protein differed from the same region from the rat chondrosarcoma proteoglycan. Further sequence data indicate areas of considerable sequence homology in the hyaluronic acid-binding regions of proteoglycans from the two species.     

Studies on the biosynthesis of cartilage proteoglycan in a model system of cultured chondrocytes from the Swarm rat chondrosarcoma

Biosynthesis of cartilage proteoglycan was examined in a model system of cultured chondrocytes from a transplantable rat chondrosarcoma. Extensive modification with the addition of chondroitin sulfate glycosaminoglycan, N-linkcd oligosac-charide, and O-linked oliogosaccharide is required to convert a newly synthesized core protein precursor into a proteoglycan. Kinetic analyses revealed the presence of a large pool of core protein precursor (t1/2 ～ 90 min) awaiting completion into proteoglycan. The large t1/2 of this pool allowed kinetic labeling experiments with a variety of radioactive precursors to distinguish between early biosynthetic events associated primarily with the rough endoplasmic reticulum from late events associated primarily with the Golgi apparatus. The results of a series of experiments indicated that the addition of N-linked oligosaccharide chains occurs early in the biosynthetic process in association with the rough endoplasmic reticulum, whereas the initiation and completion of O-linked oligosaccharides occurs much later, at about the same time as chondroitin sulfate synthesis. This also indicated that keratan sulfate chains, when present in the completed molecule, are added in the Golgi apparatus, as they are probably built on oligosaccharide primers closely related to the O-oligosaccharide chains. Furthermore, when ³H-glucose was used as the precursor, the entry of label into xylose, the linkage sugar between the core protein and the chondroitin sulfate chain, was found to occur within 5 min of the entry of label into galactose and galactosamine in the remainder of the chondroitin sulfate chain. This indicated that the initiation and completion of the chondroitin sulfate chain occurs late in the pathway probably entirely in the Golgi apparatus. Thus, proteoglycan synthesis can be described as occurring in two stages in this system, translation and N-glycosylation of a core protein precursor which has a long half-life in the rough endoplasmic reticulum, followed by extensive rapid modification in the Golgi complex in which the majority of glycosaminoglycan and oligosaccharide chains are added to the core protein precursor with subsequent rapid secretion into the extracellular matrix.     

Monoclonal antibodies directed against epitopes within the core protein structure of the large aggregating proteoglycan (aggrecan) from the swarm rat chondrosarcoma.

The core protein of the large hyaline cartilage proteoglycan, aggrecan, is composed of six distinct domains: globular 1 (G1), interglobular, globular 2 (G2), keratan sulfate attachment, chondroitin sulfate (CS) attachment, and globular 3 (G3). Monoclonal antibodies that recognize epitopes in these domains were raised against Swarm rat chondrosarcoma aggrecan that was either denatured through reduction and alkylation or partially deglycosylated through chondroitinase ABC digestion or alkali elimination, the latter with or without sulfite addition. Monoclonal antibodies were further characterized for reactivity to purified aggrecan substructures including rat chondrosarcoma G1 and CS attachment domains, a recombinant rat chondrosarcoma G3 domain fusion protein, bovine articular cartilage G2 domain, and rat chondrosarcoma link protein (LP). Biochemical characterization of the specificities of these monoclonal antibodies indicated that one (1C6) recognized an epitope shared by both the G1 and the G2 domains; one (5C4) recognized an epitope shared by both LP and the G1 domain; one (7D1) recognized an epitope shared by both the G1 and the CS attachment domains; two (14A1 and 15B2) recognized epitopes in the CS attachment domain; one (14B4) recognized an epitope in the G3 domain; and one (13D1) recognized a ubiquitous epitope shared by the G1, G2, G3, and CS attachment domains of aggrecan and also LP. Collectively the specificities of these antibodies confirm the occurrence of multiple repeated epitopes (both carbohydrate and protein in nature) throughout the different domain structures of aggrecan. These antibodies have been proven to be useful for identifying aggrecan-like molecules in several connective tissues other than cartilage.     

Biosynthesis pathway of gp90MEL-14, the mouse lymph node-specific homing receptor

The mouse lymph node specific homing receptor gp90MEL-14 is a 95-kDa molecular mass ubiquitinated cell surface molecule involved in the binding of lymphocytes to high endothelial venules in peripheral lymph nodes. The molecule is thought to consist of a core protein to which ubiquitin side chains are covalently bound. Recently we cloned the cDNA encoding the core protein; this cDNA clone encodes for a polypeptide with an estimated molecular mass of 37 kDa. We have studied the biosynthesis of gp90MEL-14 in an effort to explain the difference in molecular mass between the core protein and the 95-kDa mature molecule. Pulse labeling experiments show a rapid synthesis of a 70-kDa precursor form that contains high-mannose N-linked oligosaccharides. On processing of the high-mannose oligosaccharides into complex N-linked oligosaccharides, the precursor matures in a single step into the 95-kDa form. Experiments using deglycosylating enzymes and inhibitors of N-linked glycosylation demonstrate that the molecular mass of deglycosylated gp90MEL-14 is 45 kDa; extensive N-linked glycosylation is responsible for the difference in molecular mass with the mature 95-kDa form. The core protein molecular weight of in vitro transcribed and translated gp90MEL-14 cDNA is consistent with the estimated molecular mass of 37 kDa, calculated from the cDNA sequence of the core protein, and 8 to 10 kDa less than the protein molecular mass of gp90MEL-14 translated in vivo in the presence of tunicamycin (45 kDa). Inasmuch as we have ruled out glycosylation as accounting for this discrepancy, this is consistent with the addition of one ubiquitin moiety to the core protein during biosynthesis. Limited proteolysis confirms the similarity between in vitro transcribed gp90MEL-14 cDNA and the tunicamycin form of gp90MEL-14.     

Partial cDNA sequence encoding a globular domain at the C terminus of the rat cartilage proteoglycan

We have isolated and sequenced a cDNA clone of 872 base pairs from the 3' end of the mRNA for the large cartilage specific proteoglycan from rat. Identification was confirmed by a comparison with published protein sequence. Hybridization analysis shows the presence of an 8-9-kilobase mRNA for this proteoglycan in rat and chick sternal chondrocytes and rat chondrosarcoma cells, but not in RNA from rat fibroblasts, vitamin A-treated chick chondrocytes, chick crop, or bone. The carboxyl portion of the proteoglycan is deduced to terminate in a globular domain, which includes a region homologous to a chick hepatic lectin, and is possibly involved in binding to N-acetylglucosamine. The clone extends into a region where serines are clustered, probably the start of the chondroitin sulfate-rich region.     

Monoclonal antibodies as probes for determining the microheterogeneity of the link proteins of cartilage proteoglycan

Monoclonal antibodies were raised against Swarm rat chondrosarcoma link protein 2. Two of the resultant hybridomas (9/30/6-A-1 and 9/30/8-A-4) were used in structural analyses of the link proteins. The 9/30/6-A-1 monoclonal antibody recognized an epitope which was only present on rat chondrosarcoma link protein 2. This epitope was absent in rat chondrosarcoma link protein 3 obtained after trypsin or clostripain treatment of rat chondrosarcoma proteoglycan aggregate, indicating that proteolytic digestion either removed or modified the epitope. Contrasting this, the 9/30/8-A-4 monoclonal antibody recognized an epitope present in link protein(s) 1, 2, or 3 isolated from cartilage of several animal species (rat, bovine, human, and chicken). Rat chondrosarcoma link protein 2 was digested with Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease, and the resulting peptides were fractionated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and subjected to immunolocation analyses. The 9/30/6-A-1 and 9/30/8-A-4 monoclonal antibodies recognized epitopes in two different halves of the link protein molecule. The 9/30/8-A-4 monoclonal antibody was used to identify proteolytic cleavage peptides common to the individual link proteins (1, 2, or 3) purified from cartilage proteoglycans of several animal species. Digestion of rat chondrosarcoma link protein 2 with endoglycosidase H or alpha-mannosidase increased its electrophoretic mobility to that of link protein 3 and removed or altered the determinant recognized by the 9/30/6-A-1 monoclonal antibody, indicating that a high-mannose oligosaccharide chain was part of the antigenic determinant. The 9/30/8-A-4 monoclonal recognition of epitope was unaffected by endo- or exoglycosidase treatment. Endo- and exoglycosidase treatment of bovine nasal cartilage link proteins also altered their electrophoretic mobility, indicating that high-mannose oligosaccharide structures on the various link proteins (1, 2, or 3) accounted for the microheterogeneity observed in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels.     

Isolation and characterization of proteoglycans from the swarm rat chondrosarcoma.

Proteoglycan monomer (D1) and aggregate (A1) preparations were isolated from 4 M guanidinium chloride extracts of the Swarm rat chondrosarcoma. When EDTA, 6-aminohexanoic acid, and benzamidine were present in the solutions, the D1 preparation contained a single component (SO = 23 S), and the A1 preparation contained 30% monomer (SO = 23 S) and 70 percent aggregate (SO = 111 S). In the absence of EDTA, 6-aminohexanoic acid, and benzamidine, the A1 preparations contained only small proteoglycan fragments, indicating that extensive enzymatic degradation had occurred. The composition of the proteoglycan monomer was different from that of proteoglycan monomer preparations from normal hyaline cartilages in that it did not contain keratan sulfate and chondroitin 6-sulfate; only chondroitin 4-sulfate was found. The A1 preparation from the chondrosarcoma contained only one link protein, which was like the smaller (molecular weight of 40,000) of the two link proteins present in A1 preparations from bovine nasal cartilage. When the A1 preparation from the chondrosarcoma was treated with chondroitinase ABC and trypsin and the digest was chromatographed on Sepharose 2B, a complex was isolated which contained the link protein and the segments of the protein core from the hyaluronic acid-binding region of the proteoglycan molecules.