DEGRADATION OF SYNOVIAL FLUID AND HYALURONIC ACID BY SERUM AND TESTICULAR HYALURONIDASE, AND BY L-ASCORBIC ACID AND EFFECT OF INHIBITORS

Hyaluronic acid, but not synovial fluid, was degraded aerobically in acetate buffer pH 4.2 in the presence of l-ascorbic acid and copper to produce acetylhexosamine or oligosaccharides containing acetylhexosamines. This reaction was inhibitedby by sodium aurothiomalate, which inhibited bovine testicular but not human serum hyaluronidase, by dl-penicillamine, which inhibits both enzymes, and by dithiothreitol, iodoacetic acid and iodoacetamide, which inhibit serum but not testicular hyaluronidase. These results do not support the concept that ascorbic acid is responsible for the degradation of synovial fluid in inflammatory arthritis, and provide further distinction between the two hyaluronidases from the two sources. © 1969.