title: Role of chondroitin sulfate-hyaluronan interactions in the viscoelastic properties of extracellular matrices and fluids.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of chondroitin sulfate-hyaluronan interactions in the viscoelastic properties of tissues and fluids, using capillary and cone-on-plate viscometers. Chondroitin sulfate markedly increased the viscosity of hyaluronan solutions at a wide range of hyaluronan mass (50-1900 kDa) under physiological conditions of pH, temperature, ionic strength and glycosaminoglycan concentration (0.5-40 mg/ml), although the viscosity of the chondroitin sulfate solutions themselves was very low. In the assay using a cone-on-plate viscometer, chondroitin sulfate increased the viscosity of hyaluronan solutions at various shear rates. At low shear rates, the viscosity of a chondroitin sulfate (5 mg/ml)-hyaluronan (0.5 mg/ml) mixture was about 40% of that of an aggrecan (5 mg/ml)-hyaluronan (0.5 mg/ml) mixture, and at 2.8-fold higher concentrations, chondroitin sulfate elicited the same effect on the viscosity of hyaluronan solutions (5 mg/ml) as an aggrecan monomer. In the presence of oscillatory motion, the addition of aggrecan increased the elasticity (storage) modulus G' and the viscosity (loss) modulus G" of hyaluronan solutions and markedly decreased the loss tangent G"/G' at frequencies corresponding to normal joint movements. In contrast, chondroitin sulfate had only a marginal effect on the loss tangent G"/G', although it increased G' and G". These findings demonstrated that chondroitin sulfate, as well as aggrecan, increases the viscosity of hyaluronan solutions, although chondroitin sulfate has less effect on the elasticity of hyaluronan solutions than that of aggrecan, and suggest that chondroitin sulfate may play an important physiological role in determining the viscoelastic properties of extracellular matrices and fluids.
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthetic Dentistry, Hiroshima University, School of Dentistry, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nishimura
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mukudai
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakamasu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kawata
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawamoto
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Noshiro
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hamada
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kato
mesh_terms: D053674:Aggrecans; D000818:Animals; D002809:Chondroitin Sulfates / Q000737:chemistry*; D004548:Elasticity; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000737:chemistry*; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D005110:Extracellular Space / Q000737:chemistry*; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000737:chemistry; D012996:Solutions; D013696:Temperature; D014783:Viscosity
chemical_list: D053674:Aggrecans; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D011509:Proteoglycans; D012996:Solutions; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid; D002809:Chondroitin Sulfates