Molecular weight-dependent distribution of acidic glycosaminoglycans in human plasma.

Acidic glycosaminolglycans (AGAG) in human plasma were studied by enzymatic and electrophoretic procedures after fractionation by gel filtration on Sephadex G-100. Galactosaminoglycans were the predominant acidic glycosaminoglycans in the small molecular weight fraction, but glucosaminoglycans were predominant in the macromolecular weight fraction. The major constituents of plasma AGAG were estimated as udersulfated chondroitin sulfate isomers followed by a lesser amount of hyaluronic acid characterized by susceptibility to specific chondroitinases and streptomyces hyaluronidase. In addition, the presence of small amounts of heparan sulfate and oversulfated chondroitin sulfate in human plasma was indicated.