Initial change of glycosaminoglycans in systemic scleroderma.

7 clinically uninvolved as well as 8 involved (6 moderately, 2 markedly) back or forearm skin specimens from 12 patients with systemic scleroderma were subjected to quantitative evaluation and to qualitative analysis of glycosaminoglycans (GAG) by one-dimensional and two-dimensional cellulose acetate electrophoresis. Skin specimens from the back, clinically uninvolved but histologically demonstrating the initial change, revealed increased amounts of hyaluronidase, chondroitinase-resistant GAG of varying electrophoretic mobilities, and one of them was chemically confirmed to be heparan sulfate variant, whereas involved skin specimens showed hardly this increase.