STUDY OF SULFATED GLYCOSAMINOGLYCANS FROM PORCINE SKELETAL-MUSCLE EPIMYSIUM INCLUDING ANALYSIS OF IDURONOSYL AND GLUCURONOSYL RESIDUES IN GALACTOSAMINOGLYCAN FRACTIONS

A sulfated glycosaminoglycan fraction was isolated from porcine longis simus dorsi epimysium. It contained galactosaminoglycans with high idu ronic acid content (78% of total uronic acid). Galactosaminoglycans we re fractionated by precipitation with different concentrations (18, 25 , 40, 50, and 75%) of ethanol to obtain five fractions (I-V). Fraction s I-III, which accounted for 91% of total uronic acid recovered, were dermatan sulfates with varying proportions of iduronic acid (42-87% of total uronic acid). Fractions IV and V were galactosaminoglycans with high glucuronic acid contents. These results were supported by those from ELISA and immunohistochemical studies. Digestion with chondroitin ase B or chondroitinase AC II showed that at least 70% of the epimysia l galactosaminoglycans are copolymeric chains containing both iduronos yl and glucuronosyl residues. The composition of the remaining galacto saminoglycans, resistant to both enzymes is less certain.