TRANSIENT APPEARANCE OF PERISINUSOIDAL CHONDROITIN SULFATE PROTEOGLYCANS ASSOCIATED WITH ENHANCED EXPRESSION OF BIGLYCAN GENE DURING D-GALACTOSAMINE-INDUCED ACUTE LIVER-INJURY IN RATS

The present study investigated the chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan ch anges in the liver during acute liver injury induced by a one-shot adm inistration of D-galactosamine in rats. Chondroitin sulfate proteoglyc ans mere immunohistochemically stained with monoclonal antibodies. 1B5 , 2B6. and 3B3, which recognize different stub structures of chondroit in sulfate chain exposed after treatment with chondroitinase ABC. The presence of biglycan, a dermatan sulfate/chondroitin sulfate proteogly can, in the chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans was examined by determin ing the expression of biglycan gene by PCR and RNase protection assay. Immunoreactive chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans were detected in the ECM of portal areas and along the sinusoid, in either a radial or sca ttered dot pattern, out from the portal area, The positive signals in the portal area were detected in both control and injured rats. Howeve r, those along the sinusoid were detected only in injured rats, transi ently from day 1 to 4 after the administration of D-galactosamine. The expression of biglycan gene was detected in both control and injured rats, and was four-five-fold the basal level at day 1 to 2 in the inju red rats. These results suggest that the appearance of chondroitin sul fate proteoglycan along liver sinusoid is specific to acute liver inju ry, and biglycan is partially involved. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Irel and Ltd.