Human abdominal aortic aneurysm is closely associated with compositional and specific structural modifications at the glycosaminoglycan level.

Human abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a commonly occuring disease of blood vessels and is related to alterations in extracellular matrix molecules. In this study we report on the type and fine structural characterization of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) present in AAA as compared with those present in normal abdominal aorta. Hyaluronan (HA), the galactosaminoglycans-chondroitin sulfate (CS) and dermatan sulfate (DS) with average molecular size (Mr) of 35-kDa-as well as heparan sulfate (HS) with Mr of 40-kDa were identified in both tissues. No significant intrabatch differences in total GAG content were identified in normal and aneurysmal aortas. Comparing, however, tissue composition and structure of GAGs between AAAs and normal aortas, significant differences (P < or = 0.001) were found. The overall GAG content in AAAs was approx. 60% lower than the normal ones. A 90% decrease in HS content, and 65 and 73% in CS and HA, respectively, were also recorded. In contrast, only a slight decrease in the amount of DS was noted (8%). Structural alterations in disaccharide composition of GAGs correspond mainly to significant decreases (P < or = 0.001) of HS-derived N-sulfated disaccharides, CS-derived 6-sulfated disaccharide and DS-derived disulfated disaccharides. These results demonstrate that the development of AAA is related to dramatic quantitative and structural modifications at the GAG level and this may well be attributed to the destruction of arterial wall architecture and further significant functional inadequacies of the tissue.