[Proteoglycans and pathology--new aspects].

It is well documented that proteoglycans are involved in a wide range of pathological conditions. Recently published results in international journals provide new information on the role of proteoglycans in such conditions. A mutation in the gene encoding for a cell surface proteoglycan has been demonstrated in overgrowth syndromes. A proteoglycan has been isolated from urine and shown to induce cachexia in cancer patients. Furthermore, in both achondrogenesis and colon cancer, the reduced ability to sulphate proteoglycans is due to genetic defects in cellular sulfate transporters. Finally, fibrosis has been inhibited in glomerulonephritic mice by transferring the gene for decorin, a transforming growth factor beta-1 binding proteoglycan, into muscle tissue.