THE GROWTH PROMOTER SPERMINE INTERACTS SPECIFICALLY WITH DERMATAN SULFATE REGIONS THAT ARE RICH IN L-IDURONIC ACID AND POSSESS ANTIPROLIFERATIVE ACTIVITY

We have investigated interactions between spermine, a member of the gr owth promoting polyamine family, and various glycosaminoglycans. By us ing gel chromatography and equilibrium dialysis experiments we found t hat spermine binds to L-iduronic acid-rich dermatan sulfate (K(d), app roximately 3.9 x 10(-4)M) with an affinity similar to that between spe rmine and DNA. By digesting spermine-dermatan sulfate complexes with c hondroitin ABC lyase, the formation of oligosaccharide fragments (tetr a-to-decasaccharides) was demonstrated by polyacrylamide gel electroph oresis. Chondroitin sulfate, which is deficient in L-iduronic acid, ge nerates no spermine-protected fragments. Analysis of protected dermata n sulfate oligosaccharides indicates that the majority of the L-iduron ic acid residue is non-sulfated and in a periodate-resistant conformat ion. The oligosaccharides also possess antiproliferative activity.