Quintarelli G, Vocaturo A, Rodén L, Bellocci M, Vassallo L M
Connect Tissue Res. 1978;5(4):237-48. doi: 10.3109/03008207809152278.
From studies of isolated cartilage proteoglycans in solution it has been inferred that they occur in the tissue as aggregates of high molecular weight which consist of proteoglycan monomers, hyaluronic acid and specific link proteins. The present investigation provides direct evidence for the existence of hyaluronic acid-containing aggregates in vivo, as indicated by the following observations: Treatment of sections of coastal cartilage from newborn rabbits with Streptomyces hyaluronidase led to complete disappearance of the electron dense granules, which have been previously identified as chondroitin sulfate proteglycans, from the extracellular matrix. Similar results were obtained on digestion with leech hyaluronidase which, like the Streptomyces enzyme, specifically degrades hyaluronic acid. Proteoglycan aggregation occurs not only in the extracellular compartment but intracellularly as well, since a portion of the hyaluronidase-senstive, electron dense proteoglycan granules are found in intracellular vesicles. It is concluded that the ability of proteoglycan monomers to form aggregates is a true reflection of the in vivo organization of these molecules and that aggregate formation is an important factor in the maintenance of the normal physiological function of cartilage tissue.
通过对溶液中分离出的软骨蛋白聚糖的研究可以推断，它们在组织中以高分子量聚集体的形式存在，这些聚集体由蛋白聚糖单体、透明质酸和特定的连接蛋白组成。本研究为体内含透明质酸聚集体的存在提供了直接证据，如下述观察所示：用链霉菌透明质酸酶处理新生兔肋软骨切片后，先前被鉴定为硫酸软骨素蛋白聚糖的电子致密颗粒从细胞外基质中完全消失。用蚂蟥透明质酸酶消化也得到了类似结果，该酶与链霉菌酶一样，能特异性降解透明质酸。蛋白聚糖聚集不仅发生在细胞外区室，也发生在细胞内，因为在细胞内小泡中发现了一部分对透明质酸酶敏感的电子致密蛋白聚糖颗粒。得出的结论是，蛋白聚糖单体形成聚集体的能力是这些分子体内组织的真实反映，并且聚集体的形成是维持软骨组织正常生理功能的一个重要因素。
