Acidic glycosaminoglycans in developing sterno-costal cartilage of the hydrocephalic (ch+/ch+) mouse

The sterno-costal cartilage of the hydrocephalic mouse carrying the autosomal recessive gene (ch+/ch+) has 40 ± 3% of the acidic glycosaminoglycan concentration of the normal control containing the satin marker (+sa/+sa). The acidic glycosaminoglycan concentration of the sterno-costal cartilage in the heterozygous mouse (ch+/+sa) is significantly higher (114 ± 8%) than the normal control. The distribution of the acidic glycosaminoglycans in the sterno-costal cartilage is similar in the normal, heterozygous and homozygous mice at all stages of development studied, (prenatal, newborn and postnatal) being 78 ± 4% chondroitin 4(6)-sulfate and 22% hyaluronic acid and/or keratan sulfate. The concentration of acidic glycosaminoglycans in the sterno-costal cartilage decreases as development progresses in all three gene types of mice. The reduced level of acidic glycosaminoglycans in the sterno-costal cartilage of the autosomal recessive mouse, ch+/ch+, is associated with a defect in the formation of the sternum. The higher than normal acidic glycosaminoglycan concentration in the sterno-costal cartilage of the heterozygous mouse ch+/+sa is associated with delayed calcification of the sternum. This study characterizes the molecular locus of a defect in the extra-cellular matrix of a mouse carrying a lethal gene and may help in understanding proteoglycan disorders (mucopolysaccharidosis) in the human.     

Adverse Effect on Bacteria of Peritoneal Dialysis Solutions that Contain Acetate

Peritoneal dialysis solutions which contained 43 mEq per litre of acetate had a greater antibacterial effect than those containing lactate. Bacteria were isolated from 15 separate clinical infections, each caused by Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas sp., or Staphylo-coccus aureus. Incubation in the dialysate made with acetate substantially reduced the number of viable organisms from all but one of the 45 isolates. It is suggested that solutions made with acetate may provide greater protection from peritonitis.