title: A simple assay for hyaluronidase activity using fluorescence polarization.
abstract: Hyaluronan is a large glycosaminoglycan and is a major constituent of the extracellular matrix, interacting with cell surface receptors such as CD44. We previously reported that fragmented hyaluronan, with the size frequently detected in cancer patients, induces CD44 cleavage and concomitantly enhances tumor cell migration. Although hyaluronan degradation to smaller fragments has been revealed to be a key reaction in regulating cancer progression, simple methods for continuously detecting hyaluronidase activity have not been established. Here, we show that fluorescently-labeled hyaluronan serves as a substrate for continuous assay of hyaluronidase activity. A very simple assay was established to measure degradation of hyaluronan based on fluorescence polarization. The developed assay method would provide a way for continuous measurement of cellular hyaluronidase activity and also for measurement of binding of hyaluronan to its receptors, and thus should be useful for investigation of the function of hyaluronan in cancer progression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, 2-2 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan. murai@orgctl.med.osaka-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Toshiyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Murai
authors.forename: Hiroto
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kawashima
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005454:Fluorescence Polarization / Q000379:methods*; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000737:chemistry; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D006821:Hyaluronoglucosaminidase / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012756:Sheep; D013737:Testis / Q000201:enzymology
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid; D006821:Hyaluronoglucosaminidase