Analysis of heparan-sulphate chains and oligosaccharides from proliferating and quiescent fibroblasts. A proposed model for endoheparanase activity.

Human skin fibroblasts in different growth states were incubated with [3H]glucosamine and/or Na(2)35SO4 and extracted with Triton X-100 for various periods of time. Free heparan-sulphate oligosaccharides and protein-bound heparan-sulphate chains were separated by chromatography on octyl-Sepharose and analyzed. A pool of endogenously produced oligosaccharides, present in the cultured cells and isolated after brief extraction, contained fragments of uniform size (approximately 7-10 kDa corresponding to approximately 14-20 disaccharides). Analysis by heparinase I and heparinase III degradations followed by electrophoretic separation (oligosaccharide mapping) showed that the oligosaccharides were rich in glucuronic acid but had a few sulphated iduronic acid residues at the periphery of each molecule. These results indicated that endoheparanase cleavage points were located close to linkages between N-sulphated glucosamine and sulphated iduronic acid, generating fragments that comprise a major portion of the unmodified segments and a minor portion of the highly modified segments. Prolonged extraction (24-48 h) of cells with Triton X-100 at 4 degrees C in the presence of proteinase inhibitors resulted in further degradation. There was an increase in the amount of heparan-sulphate oligosaccharides and a concomitant decrease in the amount of protein-bound heparan-sulphate chains present in the same extract. The heparan-sulphate oligosaccharides obtained after prolonged extraction were more heterogeneous in size comprising, in addition to the major species of approximately 7-10 kDa, intermediate and larger fragments of approximately 17 kDa and 30-40 kDa. This observation suggests that endoheparanase acted at periodically appearing, specific regions in the intact heparan-sulphate chain. Furthermore, the enzyme and substrate should remain closely associated during cold Triton X-100 extraction. To determine if the endogenously produced heparan-sulphate oligosaccharides were derived from a particular heparan-sulphate species degraded during the growth phase, proteoglycan-derived heparan-sulphate chains obtained from proliferating or quiescent fibroblasts were also examined. These chains showed similar oligosaccharide maps, except for a small increase in the amount of glucuronic acid as cell growth was arrested. Hence, an endoheparanase with restricted specificity may generate slightly different oligosaccharides in the various growth states.