Studies on human scar tissue proteoglycans

The proteoglycans (PGs) in pooled normal scars and pooled hypertrophic scars were extracted with 4 M guanidinium chloride and isolated by DEAE-cellulose chromatography. The PG samples were then fractionated further by dissociative CsCl density gradient sedimentation. Following cleavage of the density gradient PG fractions with alkaline NaB3H4, the glycosaminoglycan (GAG) constituents were isolated and analyzed by quantitative cellulose acetate electrophoresis. In addition, single samples of normal skin and a keloid scar were also analyzed. The results showed that the hypertrophic scars had a higher average content of extractable and also residual PGs than did the normal scars but a wide range of values was obtained for each type of scar. Some differences were noted in the amounts and distribution of the GAGs in CsCl gradient fractions, in the different types of scar tissue. The PGs in tissues were distributed in low-, medium-, and high density fractions and are, therefore, heterogeneous. Dermatan sulfate (DS) was the major GAG in each tissue and smaller quantities of chondroitin sulfate (CS), heparan sulfate (HS), and heparin (HP) were also present. In addition, 2 other GAG constituents were also detected. Based on the susceptibility of these GAGs to enzymes and nitrous acid treatments, one was a HS or HP while the second was a DS. The major differences in the PG composition of the scar tissues were the higher proportions of low-density CS-PGs in the keloid scar and of low density DS-PGs in hypertrophic and keloid scars.