Changes in proteoglycans in endothelial cells under hyperglycemic conditions

Abstract

Heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) or heparan sulfate (HS) degradation may contribute to endothelial cell (EC) dysfunction in diabetes. HSPGs, syndecan and perlecan, contain a protein core with mainly HS glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) attached. HSPGs modulate growth factors and function in membrane filtering. Heparanase induction is likely responsible for diabetic HS degradation. Heparin protects endothelium and insulin regulates glucose metabolism. Our objectives were to observe HSPG changes by studying EC GAG content and gene expression of syndecan, perlecan and heparanase under hyperglycemic conditions with insulin and/or heparin treatment.

GAGs, including HS, were determined by the carbazole assay and visualized by agarose gel electrophoresis in porcine aortic EC cultures treated with high glucose (30 mM) and/or insulin (0.01 U/ml) for 24, 48 and 72 hours and/or heparin (0.5 µg/ml) for 72 hours. High glucose decreased cell GAGs and increased medium GAGs. GAGs increased with time in control cultures and in high glucose plus insulin treated medium. GAGs were decreased with insulin but increased with insulin or heparin plus high glucose.

Confluent cultured human aortic ECs were incubated with control medium, high glucose and/or insulin and/or heparin for 24 hours. Real time PCR determination showed that: high glucose increased heparanase, decreased syndecan and had no effect on perlecan mRNA; insulin or heparin with/without high glucose decreased and insulin and heparin with high glucose increased heparanase mRNA; heparin and insulin with high glucose increased but insulin decreased syndecan mRNA. Actinomycin D (10 µg/ml) inhibited heparanase and syndecan mRNA with high glucose plus insulin plus heparin and inhibited heparanase mRNA with high glucose compared to time 0 but not â-actin after addition for 0, 2, 4, 8 and 24 hours. Bioinformatic studies revealed that transcription factor Sp1 activates heparanase promoter by high glucose and may play a role in regulation of perlecan and syndecan promoters.

Insulin or heparin inhibited the reduction in EC GAGs and syndecan mRNA and induction in heparanase by high glucose, indicating their protective effect. Decreased GAGs by insulin may relate to the pathology of hyperinsulinemia. Transcriptional regulation by heparin and/or insulin may cause variation in gene expression of heparanase, syndecan and perlecan.