MOLECULAR-WEIGHT OF HYALURONATE IN THE SERUM OF PATIENTS WITH CHRONICLIVER-DISEASE

Hyaluronate in tissue and lymph is known to be heterogenous and to sho w a wide range of molecular weights (10(4) to 10(7) Da). Serum hyaluro nate concentrations are increased under various pathophysiological con ditions such as liver disease, postgastrectomy, and after the ingestio n of food. To clarify whether the chromatographic patterns of hyaluron ate in serum from patients with chronic liver disease are different un der these conditions, we subjected sera to chromatography using a Seph acryl S 400 HR column. The chromatograms revealed that the hyaluronate in serum was eluted as a single peak at the position corresponding to the molecular weight of blue dextran, the molecular weight being more than 2 x 10(6) Da. The patterns of the chromatogram were similar amon g the patients with liver disease and the healthy subject although the heights of the peaks were different. Ingestion of food and a history of gastrectomy for gastric cancer did not influence the elution patter ns of serum hyaluronate. These results indicate that hyaluronate in se rum has molecular weight of more than 2 x 10(6) Da, and that its eluti on patterns are not influenced by pathophysiological factors, such as the severity of liver disease, or history of gastrectomy or by food in take in patients with chronic liver disease.