CHARACTERIZATION OF THE PROTEOGLYCANS SYNTHESIZED BY RABBIT TESTIS IN RESPONSE TO INFECTION BY TREPONEMA-PALLIDUM

Abstract

Organ cultures of syphilitic and normal rabbit testes were incubated with 35S-sulfate for labeling of proteoglycans. Syphilitic rabbit testes synthesized three macromolecular fractions (I, II, and III) which were not detected in extracts of normal uninfected tissue. The three fractions comprised a larger (approximately 10(6) mol wt) chondroitin sulfate/dermatan sulfate proteoglycan (Fraction I), a smaller (approximately 10(5) mol wt) chondroitin sulfate/dermatan sulfate proteoglycan (Fraction II), and a putative sulfated glycoprotein of Mr 40 kd (Fraction III). The glycosaminoglycan chains of both proteoglycans eluted with a Kav of 0.45 on Sepharose CL-6B, consistent with a molecular weight ..