Heparin interaction with a receptor on hyperglycemic dividing cells prevents intracellular hyaluronan synthesis and autophagy responses in models of type 1 diabetes.

Previous studies and ongoing research indicate the importance of an interaction between a putative receptor on dividing cells in hyperglycemia and the non-reducing end motifs of heparin stored in mast cell secretory granules and how this interaction prevents activation of hyaluronan synthesis in intracellular compartments and subsequent autophagy. This suggests a new role for endosomal heparanase in exposing this cryptic motif present in the initial large heparin chains on serglycin and in the highly sulfated (NS) domains of heparan sulfate.