[Interaction of glycosaminoglycans with positively charged fluorochromes]

Interaction of glycosaminoglycans (GAG) with cationic fluorochromes, which are used for binding with DNA, was studied in biological material (urine, extract from hyalin cartilage) obtained from patients with hereditary mucopolysaccharidoses and from healthy persons. Among the four fluorochromes studied in the reactions with standard GAG's, DAPI proved to be the most suitable fluorochrome. Quantitative fluorimetric technique enabled to estimate the GAG concentration and to evaluate the individual content of heparan-SO4 and keratan-SO4 in biological sources. Interaction of DAPI with GAG was electrostatic and depended on stereometry of DAPI-binding sites on the GAG molecule.