URINARY POLYURONIDE EXCRETION IN MAN AFTER ENZYMIC DISSOLUTION OF CHONDROMUCOPROTEIN OF INTERVERTEBRAL DISC OR SURGICAL STRESS

Enzymic dissolution of intra-discal chondromucoprotein in man resulted in a moderate, temporary increase in urinary acid mucopolysaccharide which differed from the normal apparently only in the content of a high proportion of chondroitin 6-sulfate. In contrast, surgical stress resulted in a large temporary increase in non-dialyzable urinary polyuronide excretion. The major portion of the postsurgical polyuronide, when purified by DEAE-Sephadex column chromatography, stained with alcian blue and showed the same electrophoretic mobility on cellulose acetate as hyaluronic acid. It contained, however, more than twice as much uronic acid as hexosamine, was digested only slightly by testicular hyaluronidase, and thus was not hyaluronic acid or chondroitin. The results are discussed with regard to the possible clinical significance of various types of polyuronide excretion. © 1968.