Inerot S, Heinegård D, Audell L, Olsson S E
Biochem J. 1978 Jan 1;169(1):143-56. doi: 10.1042/bj1690143.
The composition of macroscopically normal hip articular cartilage obtained from dogs of various ages was studied. Pieces of cartilage with signs of degeneration were studied separately. In normal aging, the extraction yield of proteoglycans decreased; the keratan sulphate content of extracted proteoglycans increased and the chondroitin sulphate content decreased. The extracted proteoglycans were smaller in the older cartilage, mainly owing to a decrease in the chondroitin sulphate-rich region of the proteoglycan monomers. The hyaluronic acid-binding region and the keratan sulphaterich region were increased and the molar concentration of proteoglycan probably increase with increasing age. The degenerated cartilage had higher water content and the proteoglycans, as well as other tissue components, gave higher yields. The proteoglycan monomers from the degenerated cartilage were smaller than those from normal cartilage of the same age, and hence had a smaller chondroitin sulphate-rich region and some of the molecules also appeared to lack the hyaluronic acid-binding region. Increased proteolytic activity may be involved in the process of cartilage degeneration.
对从不同年龄段犬类获取的宏观正常髋关节软骨的组成进行了研究。对有退变迹象的软骨块进行了单独研究。在正常衰老过程中，蛋白聚糖的提取率降低；提取的蛋白聚糖中硫酸角质素含量增加，硫酸软骨素含量降低。老年软骨中提取的蛋白聚糖较小，主要是由于蛋白聚糖单体中富含硫酸软骨素的区域减少。透明质酸结合区域和富含硫酸角质素的区域增加，并且蛋白聚糖的摩尔浓度可能随年龄增长而增加。退变软骨的含水量较高，蛋白聚糖以及其他组织成分的提取率也较高。退变软骨中的蛋白聚糖单体比同年龄正常软骨中的小，因此富含硫酸软骨素的区域较小，并且一些分子似乎也缺乏透明质酸结合区域。蛋白水解活性增加可能参与了软骨退变过程。
