Glycosaminoglycan synthesis by cultured human skin fibroblasts after transformation with simian virus 40.

The synthesis of glycosaminoglycans by human skin fibroblasts derived from normal subjects, Hurler and Marfan patients before and after transformation by SV40 virus has been studied. Virus transformation results in a marked increase in hyaluronic acid synthesis in normal and Hurler fibroblasts and, to a lesser extent, in Marfan fibroblasts which show augmented synthesis of this polysaccharide before transformation. There is also an increase in heparan sulfate synthesis but a moderate decrease in dermatan sulfate synthesis on transformation. Incubation of transformed fibroblasts with 4-methylumbelliferyl-beta-D-xyloside results in a marked increase in synthesis of free chondroitin sulfate chains. The synthesis of hyaluronic acid, but not of dermatan sulfate, is inversely proportional to cell density in normal fibroblasts but not in transformed fibroblasts.