Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are a major component of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and consist of N- or O- sulfate groups covalently linked to core proteins. The most common GAGs are hyaluronic acid, dermatan sulfate, chondroitin sulfate, heparin, heparan sulfate, and keratan sulfate.

GAGs play an important role in cellular adhesion, growth, migration, and differentiation. They are also involved in regulation of enzymes and tissue remodeling in response to injury or destruction in diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.

Sulfated GAGs can be measured directly by use of a metachromatic dye: 1,9 dimethymethylene blue. The GAG-dye complex results in an absorption spectrum shift which can be measured at 525 nm.

Bovine chondrocytes were thawed, suspended in X VIVO 15 medium and added to 96 well plates at 100,000 cells per well. TGF beta was added the next day at the indicated concentrations.  Culture medium was removed after two days or 4 days and assayed for the presence of glycosaminoglycans using Astarte Biologics' proteoglycan kit.

Publications

Akhtar N, Miller M, Haqqi T.  Effect of a Herbal-Leucine mix on the IL-1beta-induced cartilage degradation and inflammatory gene expression in human chondrocytes BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2011  11:66. http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6882/11/66