INHIBITION OF HYALURONAN UPTAKE IN LYMPHATIC TISSUE BY CHONDROITIN SULFATE PROTEOGLYCAN

Abstract

Afferent lymph vessels entering the popliteal lymph nodes of sheep were infused with [3H]acetyl-labelled hyaluronan [HA; Mr of (0.85-1.2) x 10(5)] for up to 4 h at a rate of 17.4-23.1 micrograms/h. As much as 22.8 micrograms (99%) of infused [3H]HA was taken up by the node per h and degraded. During this interval it was observed that infused HA polymers of higher Mr were absorbed by the node to a greater degree than those of lower Mr. When proteoglycan monomer (PG; Mr 5 x 10(5); 400 micrograms of hexuronic acid/h) was infused concurrently with [3H]HA, the absolute amount of radioactivity appearing in efferent lymph (i.e. labelled material not absorbed by the node) increased, whereas the amou..