Comparative biochemistry of human skin: glycosaminoglycans from different body sites in normal subjects and in patients with localized scleroderma.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this investigation is to compare the relative proportions of disaccharides of chondroitinase-digestible glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) among the different body sites in control human skin and in the skin lesions of patients with localized scleroderma.


METHODS
The disaccharide relative proportions were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).


RESULTS
DeltaDi-4S, the main disaccharide unit of dermatan sulphate (DS), was the major skin GAG disaccharide (approximately 70% of the total) in control skin among all different body sites studied here. In scleroderma there was an increase in the relative proportion of both deltaDi-HA, the main disaccharide unit of hyaluronic acid (HA), and deltaDi-diS(B) (alpha-deltaUA(2SO4)-1-->3-GalNAc(4SO4)), derived from DS, and a decrease in deltaDi-4S, as compared with the uninvolved skin or the site-matched control skin.


CONCLUSIONS
DS is the major GAG species in normal skin from different body sites. In addition, our results suggest a decrease and also a structural change in DS and an increase in the proportion of HA in scleroderma skin.
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Laboratório de Tecido Conjuntivo, Hospital Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, 21941-590, Caixa Postal 68041, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
Werneck
C C
CC
Onofre
G R
GR
Pagani
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EA
Filgueira
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AL
Silva
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LC
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003871:Dermatan Sulfate / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D012594:Scleroderma, Localized / Q000378:metabolism*; D012867:Skin / Q000737:chemistry*
D006025:Glycosaminoglycans; D003871:Dermatan Sulfate; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid