CHONDROITIN SULFATE ISOMERS IN SYNOVIAL-FLUID OF HEALTHY AND DISEASEDHUMAN TEMPOROMANDIBULAR JOINTS

Synovial fluid was collected from the superior articular cavity of the temporomandibular joint in patients with unilateral internal derangem ent and joint pain whose contralateral joint was healthy. Glycosaminog lycans were liberated by digestion with pronase E, and precipitated wi th cetylpyridinium chloride and ethanol. Unsaturated disaccharide isom ers of chondroitin sulfate, obtained following chondroitinase ACII dig estion, were analyzed by highperformance liquid chromatography. Analyt ic data indicated that Delta Di-0S and Delta Di-6S were often found in chondroitin sulfate from the fluid of the diseased joints. The amount s of Delta Di-0S and Delta Di-6S differed significantly between synovi al fluid samples from the diseased and healthy joints. Comparison of t he relative proportions of the unsaturated disaccharides in the synovi al fluid with previously reported values for several tissues, indicate d that the chondroitin sulfate originated from articular cartilage, wi th possibly some contributions from soft connective tissues and serum present in the synovial fluid. These results suggest that chondroitin sulfate in the synovial fluid provides a useful indicator of the degre e of internal derangement of the temporomandibular joint.