| Grant number: | 95/04624-9 |
| Support type: | Research Projects - Thematic Grants |
| Duration: | March 01, 1996 - July 31, 2001 |
| Field of knowledge: | Biological Sciences - Biochemistry |
| Principal Investigator: | Carl Peter von Dietrich |
| Grantee: | Carl Peter von Dietrich |
| Home Institution: | Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil |
| Associated grant(s): | 97/05864-9 - Distribuition and composition of glycosaminoglycans in the left human coronary arterial branches under myocardial bridge., AR.EXT |
Abstract
The long term goal of this project is the understanding of the biological activities of proteoglycans. We have initially established a methodology for the identification and characterization of these molecules in different physiological and pathological conditions. The results obtained so far led to the suggestion that heparan sulfate proteoglycans would be involved in the processes of cell-cell recognition and control of cell growth whereas the chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans would function as antirecognition molecules and stimulant of cell growth. Heparin, on the other hand would be involved in organism defence mechanisms not directly related to the immune system. We have purified and characterized so far eight bacterial eliminases that act upon specific glycosidic linkages of each glycosaminoglycan besides glycosidases and sulfatases. More recently we have partially characterized and purified ten exo and endo-glycosidades from mollusc tissues. Those enzymes are fundamental tools and will be used through all the steps of the project. Our approach to the understanding of the biological activitiesof the proteoglycans is essentially based on the structural diversity of the polysaccharide chains, since the protein moieties of these compounds, elucidated by molecular biology techniques led to the observartion that the protein cores are extremely similar among themselves as well as to non related proteins. Thus, the determination of the disaccharide sequences of the heparan sulfates, chondroitins and dermatan sulfates in different adult and embrionary tissues as well as from tumors and other pathologies that have already furnished important clues for the biological activities of these compounds will be still investigated. Also the use of inhibitors of their synthesis in cells in culture and other models will give additional informations regarding the relationship between structure and biological activities of the proteoglycans. (AU)