Mineral-binding proteoglycans of fetal porcine calvarial bone

To provide a more definitive characterization of the hydroxylapatite-associated proteoglycans (HAPG) of bone, proteins were extracted from the mineralized matrix of fetal porcine calvaria with 0.5 M EDTA in the absence of guanidine HCl. The small proteoglycans obtained in the extract were fractionated by gel filtration on Sepharose CL-6B, purified by ion-exchange chromatography on Polyanion matrix (fast protein liquid chromatography), and then separated into three major populations of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans by chromatography on hydroxylapatite, all in the presence of 7 M urea. Based on immunological and chemical properties, two classes of bone proteoglycan were resolved. In one class (HAPG1), the proteoglycan and specific CNBr-derived peptides cross-reacted with three monoclonal antibodies that recognize different epitopes of the protein core of bovine skin proteodermatan sulfate. The other class of proteoglycan included two species (HAPG2, HAPG3) which were not recognized by these antibodies. In addition, these proteoglycans did not stain with Coomassie Blue R-250 nor with silver stain nor did they bind to nitrocellulose membranes used in Western blots. However, the cationic dye Stains-all stained both HAPG2 and HAPG3; the protein cores of these proteoglycans were stained a characteristic turquoise blue, whereas the protein core of HAPG1 was stained pink. The average Mr values of the bone proteoglycans, from gradient sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis were: HAPG1, 120,000, with a protein core (chondroitinase AC-digested) of 45,000; HAPG2 and HAPG3, 110,000, with protein cores of 37,000-38,000. On 15% polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, the protein cores of HAPG2 and HAPG3 migrated with an Mr 30,000, while HAPG1 protein core was unchanged (Mr 45,000). Based on amino acid analysis, the protein chains of HAPG2 and HAPG3 appear to be identical, although minor differences in the relative amount of glucosamine were evident. In contrast, the composition of HAPG1 was quite different, with higher relative amounts of hydrophobic and aromatic residues and lower amounts of Asx and Glx. The presence of 360 residues/1,000 of Asx and Glx in HAPG2 and HAPG3 may in part explain the characteristic staining and immunotransfer properties of these proteoglycans. The unique amino-terminal sequence of HAPG2 (Asn-Pro-Val-Ala-Arg-Tyr-Gln), together with the immunological and chemical properties, would indicate that HAPG2 and HAPG3 are novel proteoglycans and, unlike HAPG1, could be unique to mineralized tissues.