[Age-related changes in the content and characteristics of glycosaminoglycans in human aortas]

The vascular wall is rich in glucoseaminglicanes (GAG), which form the basic intercellular substance and determine its multiple functions. Using analytic and chromatographic methods the author examined hexauronic acid (HA), pentoses (P), sulphate groups and various derivatives of GAG (hyaluronic acid (HA), pentoses (P), sulphate groups and various derivatives of GAG (hyaluronic acid (HA), dermatan-sulfate (DS), keratansulfate (KS), chondroitinsulfate (HS), and cheransulfate (HES) in human aorta, obtained from persons at the age of 10 and over 70 years of age. Ten aortas of each group were examined. The studies showed that in the aortas of the adult persons the content of HA, P, HS, KS and sulphate groups was considerably higher than that of the aourtas, obtained form the young persons. There was an impression that the adult factor affected substantialy the qualitative characteristics of GAG--with advancement of age the lenght of polysaccharide chains was shortened and the degree of sulphatation was increased. The accumulation of acid GAG in the aorta of adult persons impaired the metabolism of substances between blood and tissue, which enhanced the infiltration of the blood vessels with lipids and proteins, especialy when there was a blood increase in their content (hyperlipemia, hypercholesterinemia, ect.)