Glycosaminoglycans and Chondroitin/Dermatan Sulfate Proteoglycans in the Myocardium of a Non-Human Primate

Lyophilized mid-wall left ventricular myocardial tissues of the long-tailed non-human primate, Macaca fascicularis, were examined for the presence of glycosaminoglycans and chondroitin/dermatan sulfate proteoglycans. Mean uronic acid concentration in all samples was 0.97 ± 0.27 μg per mg dry weight myocardium. The distribution of the glycosaminoglycans in the myocardium, determined by cellulose acetate strip electrophoresis was 62 ± 4% heparan sulfate, 20 ± 6% hyaluronan, and 16 ± 5% chondroitin/dermatan sulfate. The analysis of chondroitin/ dermatan sulfate proteoglycans, done directly on the extracts of lyophilized myocardium using agarose-acrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western blotting with monoclonal antibodies to various carbohydrate epitopes and with polyclonal antibodies to the protein core, showed the presence of biglycan and decorin. That these two and no other chondroitin/dermatan sulfates were present was established by core protein analysis using SDS PAGE and Western blotting. Quantification of chondroitin/dermatan sulfate proteoglycans uncovered high individual specific variability of the chondroitin/dermatan sulfate epitopes, but only moderate variability of biglycan and decorin core proteins. The variability of the chondroitin/dermatan sulfate epitopes is most likely related to individual specific differences in chain number, iduronate content and sulfation patterns of biglycan and decorin.