Contribution to the mode of action of glycosaminoglycan-polysulphate (GAGPS) upon human osteoarthrotic cartilage. Biochemical study of the collagen and proteoglycan turnover.

The effect of glycosaminoglycan polysulphate (GAGPS) upon the metabolism of proteoglycan (PG) and collagen in chick embryos and human cartilage was studied. GAGPS treatment caused an accumulation of studied compounds. According to the results with osteoarthrotic cartilages the marked increase of radioactivity in collagen and PG (mainly in the fraction containing glycoprotein link) is due to the inhibition of catabolic processes.