Effect of proteoglycans (Pg) and glycosaminoglycans (GAG) on prostacyclin (PGI2) and PGI2-formation of rat arteries.

Heparin had no effect on PGI2-activity if heparin and PGI2 have been incubated-together in an ice bath for 3 minutes. But heparin was able - unlike the other Pg or GAG - to abolish PGI2-activity if it had been incubated with PGI2 in an ice bath for 15 minutes. Pg and GAG, which had been isolated from bovine aortas according to the method of Hascall, and commerically available GAG (hyaluronic acid, chondroitin-40-sulfate, chondroitin-6-sulfate and heparin) had no effect on PGI2-formation of rat aortas in short time incubation (3 min). After long time incubation (15 min) or rat aortas in heparin less PGI2 was detectable compared to a buffer incubation. These data suggest that Pg and GAG do not influence PGI2-formation of arteries. The diminished PGI2-activity after long time incubation should be due to the PGI2-degrading effect of heparin.