chondroitin-sulfates and Lathyrism

BAPN-induced osteolathyrism in young and older male rats was examined for its responses to parathormone-free, gel-filtered bovine parathyroid extract (extract P) and to glutaurine (gamma-L-glutamyl-taurine), the latter being a hitherto unknown putative hormone isolated from bovine parathyroid and reproduced by synthesis. In case of the daily administration of 20 mg BAPN + 0.2 mg extract P/100 g body weight and of 40 mg BAPN + 0.2 micrograms glutaurine/100 g body weight, both substances were found to attenuate the manifestations of osteolathyrism, to a significant extent, without, however preventing their development completely. The significantly decreased Ca, P, chondroitine sulphate and chrondroprotein values due to the administration of BAPN showed a significant, or highly significant, increase for the cartilage in response to extract P, and for both cartilage and bone in response to glutaurine, without however, attaining the control values. Additional evidence has been furnished by the present study that synthetic glutaurine is equal to the parathormone-free, gel-filtered parathyroid extract (extract P) in its attenuating effect on experimental osteolathyrism.

Topics: Aminopropionitrile; Animals; Bone and Bones; Calcium; Cartilage; Cattle; Chondroitin Sulfates; Glutamine; Lathyrism; Male; Parathyroid Glands; Phosphates; Rats; Taurine; Tissue Extracts

Nine-day chick embryos were treated with 4-methylumbelliferyl beta-D-xyloside or beta-aminopropionitrile fumarate, and their gross chemical composition was examined one week later. Total DNA was 10--20% less in embryos treated with either drug than it was in control embryos. Xyloside-treated embryos showed marked increases in percent wet weight and in sodium/DNA and chloride/DNA ratios, and small decreases in protein/DNA, hydroxyproline/DNA and sulfate/DNA. None of these parameters was affected in embryos treated with beta-aminopropionitrile. Approximately 85% of the uronic acid of control embryos was present as chondroitin sulfate, with a degree of sulfation of 80% and charge density of 1.8; all of this chondroitin sulfate was covalently linked to peptide and had a number-average molecular weight of 29,300. In embryos treated with beta-xyloside, 90% of the uronic acid was present as chondroitin sulfate, with a degree of sulfation of 40% and charge density ranging from 1 to 2; 27% of this chondroitin sulfate, with an average molecular weight of 25,400, was peptide linked, while 73% was linked to 4-methylumbelliferone and had an average molecular weight of 22,900. The chemical differences between embryos treated with the xyloside and embryos treated with the lathyrogen reinforce the conclusion on morphological grounds that these are distinct syndromes involving different aspects of the extracellular matrix.

Topics: Abnormalities, Drug-Induced; Aminopropionitrile; Animals; Body Weight; Chick Embryo; Chondroitin Sulfates; DNA; Extracellular Space; Glycosaminoglycans; Glycosides; Hymecromone; Lathyrism; Umbelliferones