Abstract
Glycosaminoglycan (GAG) synthesis by cultured normal human dermal fibroblasts was examined. Hyaluronic acid (HA) synthesis reached a maximum on day 3 (0.3μg/ml medium) and then decreased to a low level (0.15μg/ml medium). The amounts of dermatan sulfate (DS) and chondroitin sulfate (ChS) synthesized by the cells increased with increasing cell numbers during the initial stage to attain constant levels (0.092μg DS/ml, 0.026μg ChS/ml medium) after the cells reached confluence. We also tested the effects of dibutyryl cyclic AMP (dbcAMP) and retinoic acid (RA) on GAG synthesis by the cells. The synthesis of HA and ChS by cells was stimulated, when the cells were cultured in medium containing dbcAMP (0.1mM), whereas DS synthesis was scarcely affected. However, addition of RA (5mM) suppressed GAG synthesis by the cells.
