Chemical analysis of glycosaminoglycans inhibiting DNA synthesis

Sulfated glycosaminoglycans having inhibitory activity in cellular and subcellular systems were found in some tumor tissues from humans. These glycosaminoglycans inhibited more efficiently DNA synthesis of virus transformed cells (SV40-WIRL-3 cells) than their parent normal cells (WIRL-3 cells). Sulfated glycosaminoglycans found in normal human and non-tumor tissues did not have as high an inhibitory activity on DNA synthesis by cells used in this investigation as those from some human tumor tissues. The former did not inhibit as effectively DNA synthesis by virus transformed cells, as DNA synthesis by their normal parent cells. The monosaccharide composition of these sulfated glycosaminoglycans showed N-acetyl glucosamine (Glu-NAc) as a main monosaccharide, and xylose (Xyl), glucose (Glu), galactose (Gal), hyaluronic acid (Hu-A) as minor monosaccharides. N-acetyl galactosamine was not detected.