FIGURE 1.
Comparison of HS structure and HS biosynthetic gene expression in TA muscles of WT and SulfSK-DN mice. Purified HS from the muscle was enzymatically digested into disaccharides followed by mass spectrometry analysis to assess levels of N-sulfated (N-S) and N-acetylated (N-Ac) disaccharides in A, average number of sulfate groups per disaccharide in B, and the abundance of disulfated Sulf substrate (D0S6) and di-sulfated non-substrate (D2S0) in C. Sulf deficiency selectively increases the abundance of D0S6 without affecting N-sulfation or general sulfation levels of HS in the skeletal muscle. D, quantitative RT-PCR analysis compares mRNA expression of genes involved in HS biosynthesis in TA muscles of WT and SulfSK-DN mice. No change in mRNA expression of Ndst1–4, Hs2Ost, and Hs6Ost1 genes was observed. Data represent the mean and S.D. of four independent assays. **, p < 0.05. GE, gene expression.