Am. Ferlazzo et al., CONCENTRATION AND COMPOSITION OF SERUM AND PLASMA GLYCOSAMINOGLYCANS IN DOMESTIC-ANIMAL SPECIES, Comparative biochemistry and physiology. B. Comparative biochemistry, 118(4), 1997, pp. 935-942
Acid glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) were isolated from serum and/or plasma
of some domestic animals and the composition of the isolated GAG mixtu
res were studied. Mean values of total GAG concentration, in terms of
hexuronic acid, ranged from a maximum of about 12 mg/l in serum of cal
ves, trained horses and sheep to about 9 mg/l in serum of cows and don
keys and in plasma of trained horses to about 6.5 mg/l in sedentary ho
rse serum and rabbit plasma to a minimum of 4 mg/l in dog serum and se
dentary horse plasma. Statistically significant differences in total G
AG concentrations (P < 0.0005) were found in horses between plasma and
serum and also between sedentary and trained subjects. Chondroitin su
lphate was the main component in serum and plasma GAG mixtures, accoun
ting for 81-84% of total GAGs in the examined animals, except in cow s
erum (72%), trained horse plasma (75.5%) and sheep serum (87%). Kerata
n sulphate-like structures, measured as galactose, ranged from 12% in
sheep serum to 17% in cattle serum. Fucose was associated with galacto
se in GAG fractions, which supports the hypothesis that articular cart
ilage is among the sites of origin of circulating GAGs. (C) 1997 Elsev
ier Science Inc.