Copyright © 1990 by the European Society of Cardiology.
© 1990 The European Society of Cardiology
Arterial wall proteoglycans—Biological properties related to pathogenesis of atherosclerosis
* Department of Medicine, Louisiana State University Medical Center New Orleans, U.S.A.
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Louisiana State University Medical Center New Orleans, U.S.A.
Address for correspondence: Gerald S. Berenson, M.D., LSU Medical Center, 1542 Tulane Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70112, U.S.A.
The arterial wall is a complex organ system with respect to carbohydrate-protein macromolecules, particularly proteoglycans. Proteoglycans in the arterial wall display polydispersity and heterogeneity even in the same family. At least two major types are known: chondroitin sulphate-dermatan sulphate type and heparan sulphate type. These proteoglycans have varied biological properties, and some of these properties are implicated in the development of atherosclerosis. The chondroitin sulphate-dermatan sulphate proteoglycans are capable of forming complexes with serum low-density lipoproteins, a process conducive to lipid accumulation in the extracellular space of the arterial wall. Also, such reactions render low-density lipoprotein particles electronegative aggregates. These altered low-density lipoproteins are taken up by macrophages (and possibly by proliferative smooth muscle cells) through a high-affinity receptor pathway devoid of feedback regulation, which results in intracellular lipid accumulation and foam-cell formation, a hallmark of atherosclerosis. On the other hand, heparan sulphate proteoglycan located on the cell surface and internal elastic lamina is antithrombogenic, and facilitates binding of the lipid-clearing enzyme, lipoprotein lipase to endothelium. Thus, chondroitin sulphate and heparan sulphate proteoglycans with divergent biological properties play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.
Key Words: Atherosclerosis • arterial wall • proteoglycans • proteoglycan-lipoprotein interactions • macrophages • foam cells
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  F. D. Kolodgie, A. P. Burke, A. Farb, D. K. Weber, R. Kutys, T. N. Wight, and R. Virmani Differential Accumulation of Proteoglycans and Hyaluronan in Culprit Lesions: Insights Into Plaque Erosion Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, October 1, 2002; 22(10): 1642 - 1648. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
P. J. Little, L. Tannock, K. L. Olin, A. Chait, and T. N. Wight Proteoglycans Synthesized by Arterial Smooth Muscle Cells in the Presence of Transforming Growth Factor-{beta}1 Exhibit Increased Binding to LDLs Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, January 1, 2002; 22(1): 55 - 60. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|