GLYCOSAMINOGLYCAN METABOLISM BY SCLERODERMA FIBROBLASTS IN CULTURE

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Abstract
Increased amounts of dermatan sulfate accumulated in scleroderma skin of fibrotic stage, compared with control skin. Cultures of dividing skin fibroblasts from normal and scleroderma patients permitted estimations of synthetic and degradative activity of each glycosaminoglycan using [3H]glucosamine incorporation and pulse-chase experiments. Hyaluronic acid production in scleroderma fibroblasts was almost the same level as the control fibroblasts, although the degradation rate was slower than in control cells. Sulfated glycosaminoglycan (dermatan sulfate, chondroitin sulfate and heparan sulfate) synthesis in scleroderma fibroblasts was lower than in control cells. Each prelabeled sulfated glycosaminoglycan was secreted into the medium without significant degradation in scleroderma fibroblasts, in contrast to control cells where it was secreted with partial degradation. Evidently, scleroderma fibroblasts manifest a diminished level of degradative activity of each glycosaminoglycan.