Glycosaminoglycans and electrokinetic behavior of rat ascites hepatoma cells

Cellular electrophoretic mobility of AH-130, an island-forming strain of rat ascites hepatomas, was reduced by chondroitinase-ABC treatment of cells but not affected by neuraminase. Assay of released sugars demonstrated the presence of chondroitin sulfates at the cell surface of AH-130, indicating that acidic residues of chondroitin sulfates were one of the factors responsible for negative surface charge of these cells and sialic acid was not. Surface-located chondroitin sulfates in AH-130 cells were abundant in chondroitin sulfate A. The mobility of free-cell-type subline cells was also lowered by the chondroitinase as well as by the neuraminidase, indicating the presence of chondroitin sulfates on the cell surface. The mobility of rat erythrocytes, however, was not affected by the chondroitinase.