Atsunobu Yokosawa

Biochemical Characterization of Hyaluronic Acid from a Case of Benign, Localized, Pleural Mesothelioma

The tissue of a benign, localized, pleural mesothelioma was digested with protease, and the crude polysaccharide was fractionated by a column of Dowex-1 (Cl-form). The eluate from the column was electrophoresed and incubated with various mucopolysaccharide lysases. Based on the results of column chromatography, electrophoresis, and enzymatic digestion, it was found that hyaluronic acid was the major constituent of the glycosaminoglycans in pleural mesothelioma. The hyaluronic acid from pleural mesothelioma seemed to be identical in structure with that from human umbilical cord; however, the hyaluronic acid from mesothelioma was eluted before that from human umbilical cord when fractionated by the column of Sepharose 4B, suggesting a differnence in molecular size between the two. Also, evidence was obtained for the presence of dermatan sulfate and heparan sulfate.

Morphology and biochemistry of the lung from guinea pig after repeated injections of freund’s complete adjuvant

Guinea pigs received 5 daily injections of Freund’s complete adjuvant and the changes in the lung were investigated by light microscope and electron microscope. In the 20th week of experiment, fibrotic changes were found around the granulomata close to the surface of the lung. In addition the fraction of glycosaminoglycans was isolated from the lung and analyzed quantitatively. As a result, a decrease in quantity of hyaluronic acid and an increase in quantity of dermatan sulfate were observed.ZusammenfassungMeerschweinchen erhielten während 5 Tagen täglich eine Injektion von Freundschem kompletten Adjuvans. Die Veränderungen in den Lungen der so behandelten Tiere wurden licht- und elektronenmikroskopisch untersucht. In der 20. Woche fand man fibrotische Veränderungen um die Granulomata vorwiegend nahe der Lungenoberfläche. Gleichzeitig wurden Rohglykosaminoglykanen aus den Lungen fraktioniert und einer quantitativen Untersuchung unterworfen. Dabei wurden die Abnahme in der Menge von Hyaluronsäure und die Zunahme in der Menge von Dermatansulfat beobachtet.