Effect of ascorbic acid on secreted proteoglycans from rabbit articular chondrocytes

Addition of ascorbic acid (25, 50 100 micrograms/ml) to cultures of rabbit articular chondrocytes did not change the total amount of proteoglycans produced. However, it induced an increased retention of these macromolecules in the pericellular fraction. The size of the proteoglycan subunits and the length of glycosaminoglycan chains, released in the medium, were not modified on exposure to ascorbic acid (25 micrograms/ml). On the other hand, the rate of non-sulfated chondroitin was increased 2.5-fold, whereas chondroitin-4-sulfate was depressed 1.5-fold.