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1: Dev Neurosci. 2004 Jan-Feb;26(1):1-10.Click here to read Links

Reduced glycosaminoglycan sulfation diminishes the agrin signal transduction pathway.

McDonnell KM, Grow WA.

Department of Anatomy, Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine, Midwestern University, Glendale, Ariz. 85308, USA.

Proteoglycans consist of a protein core complexed to glycosaminoglycan (GAG) side chains, are abundant in skeletal muscle cell membranes and basal lamina, and have important functions in neuromuscular synapse development. Treatment with chlorate results in the undersulfation of heparan sulfate and chondroitin sulfate GAGs in cell culture. In addition, chlorate treatment decreases the frequency of spontaneous acetylcholine receptor (AChR) clustering in skeletal muscle cell culture. AChRs and other molecules cluster to form the postsynaptic component of neuromuscular synapses. Chlorate treatment is shown here to decrease the frequency of agrin-induced AChR clustering and agrin-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of the AChR beta-subunit. These data suggest that reduced GAG chain sulfation decreases the frequency of AChR clustering by diminishing the agrin signal transduction pathway. 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel.

PMID: 15509893 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]