SYNTHESIS OF GLYCOCONJUGATES BY HUMAN DISEASED VEINS - MODULATION BY PROCYANIDOLIC OLIGOMERS

Venous diseases become steadily more common and severe with age, and a re often accompanied by venous lymphatic oedema. We have investigated the role of glycoconjugates in this disorder and the action of procyan idols used to treat these diseases. Explants of vein wall from patient s with or without venous lymphatic oedema were cultured for 24 hours a nd the incorporation of radioactive glucosamine into total glycoconjug ates and into hyaluronan was measured. The explants from patients with oedema incorporated more glucosamine than those without oedema (+42% expressed as c.p.m./mg dry weight into total glycosaminoglycans and +1 2% expressed as c.p.m./mg dry weight into hyaluronan). The explants fr om oedematous patients secreted less glycoconjugates into the culture medium than those from nonoedematous veins (-63% of total incorporated radioactivity into hyaluronan and -66% into hyaluronidase-resistent g lycoconjugates). Explants placed in medium containing procyanidols (1 mg/ml, 2.8 mM) incorporated less glucosamine (-19%) and secreted more into the medium (+119%). Glycoprotein and sulphated glycosaminoglycan synthesis were mainly affected which may well explain the beneficial e ffect of procyanidols on vein disorders.