title: Developmental expression of dermatan sulfate proteoglycans in the elastic bovine nuchal ligament.
abstract: The nuchal ligament of bovines is a useful system in which to study elastic fibre formation since it contains up to 83% elastin and undergoes a period of rapid elastinogenesis during the last trimester of fetal development and in the first four post-natal months. To identify proteoglycans (PGs) which may be involved in this process we initially investigated changes in the glycosaminoglycan (GAG) profiles during nuchal ligament development. In contrast to the collagenous Achilles tendon, nuchal ligament exhibited: (a) elevated hyaluronan (HA) levels in the peak period of elastin-associated microfibril (fibrillin) synthesis (130-200 days) which precedes elastinogenesis; and (b) markedly increased synthesis of a glucuronate-rich copolymeric form of dermatan sulfate (DS) in the period corresponding to elastin formation (200-270 days). Analysis of DSPGs isolated from 230-day nuchal ligament showed that this copolymer was predominantly associated with a glycoform of biglycan which was specifically elevated at this stage in development. This finding was consistent with Northern blot analysis which showed that steady-state biglycan mRNA levels increased significantly during the elastinogenic period. In contrast, the mRNA levels for decorin, the only other DSPG detected in this tissue, declined rapidly after 140 days of fetal development. In conclusion, the results suggest that HA may play a role in microfibril assembly and that a specific glycoform of biglycan may be associated with the elastinogenic phase of elastic fibre formation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Adelaide, South Australia.
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Reinboth
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Finnis
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Gibson
authors.forename: L B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Sandberg
authors.forename: E G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Cleary
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D011508:Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycans / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D002809:Chondroitin Sulfates / Q000378:metabolism; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D003871:Dermatan Sulfate / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D004547:Elastic Tissue / Q000378:metabolism*; D004549:Elastin / Q000378:metabolism; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans / Q000378:metabolism; D006497:Heparan Sulfate / Q000378:metabolism; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D008022:Ligaments / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D013710:Tendons / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D011508:Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycans; D002809:Chondroitin Sulfates; D003094:Collagen; D003871:Dermatan Sulfate; D004549:Elastin; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans; D006497:Heparan Sulfate; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C032649:dermatan sulfate proteoglycan