title: Structural change in decorin with skin aging.
abstract: Decorin, the main proteoglycan in skin, has a small size with a core protein of approximately 40kDa and one chondroitin sulfate/dermatan sulfate glycosaminoglycan (GAG) chain. The main function of decorin is to regulate the collagen matrix assembly. Decorin is distributed along collagen fibrils with the core protein and the decorin GAG chain controls the distance between the collagen fibrils. Reducing the length of the decorin GAG chain reduces the distance between the collagen fibrils. Age-related changes in decorin are apparent in the GAG chain in respect to the molecular size and sulfate position but not in the core protein. Structural changes in the decorin GAG chain may be involved in changes in collagen matrix assembly during the aging process.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Protein Chemistry, Faculty of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, Japan. ny318@cc.tuat.ac.jp
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nomura
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002809:Chondroitin Sulfates / Q000737:chemistry; D003094:Collagen / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D058575:Decorin; D003871:Dermatan Sulfate / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000737:chemistry; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008970:Molecular Weight; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000502:physiology; D021122:Protein Subunits / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: C546878:DCN protein, human; D058575:Decorin; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D021122:Protein Subunits; D011509:Proteoglycans; C069524:dermatan sulfate chondroitin sulfate; D003871:Dermatan Sulfate; D002809:Chondroitin Sulfates; D003094:Collagen