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Detection of Glycosaminoglycans by Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis and Silver Staining
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Role of glycosaminoglycans in infectious disease

Akiko Jinno1, Pyong Woo Park

  • 1Division of Respiratory Diseases, Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 320 Longwood Avenue, Enders-461, Boston, MA, 02115, USA, akiko.ohno@childrens.harvard.edu.

Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.)
|October 19, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) bind pathogens in vitro, but their in vivo role in infectious disease is unclear. This study uses mouse models to investigate GAGs' function in bacterial lung and corneal infections.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Immunology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) bind diverse microbial pathogens in vitro.
  • GAGs are hypothesized to promote pathogenesis by aiding pathogen attachment, invasion, or immune evasion.
  • The in vivo role and pathophysiological significance of GAGs in infectious diseases remain largely unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To directly investigate the role of GAGs in vivo during infectious diseases.
  • To establish the importance and specificity of GAGs in pathogenesis.
  • To define essential GAG structural features and identify pathogenic biological activities.

Main Methods:

  • Development of mouse models for bacterial lung and corneal infections.
  • Direct investigation of GAGs' role in vivo.
  • Experimental strategies to determine GAG specificity and structural requirements.

Main Results:

  • Methods established to directly investigate GAGs in vivo.
  • Experimental strategy designed to elucidate GAG functions in pathogenesis.
  • Focus on defining structural features and biological activities of GAGs.

Conclusions:

  • This study lays the groundwork for understanding GAGs' in vivo role in infection.
  • The developed methods will enable detailed investigation into GAG-mediated pathogenesis.
  • Future research will define specific GAG structures and activities crucial for infectious disease progression.

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