Catabolism of Mucopolysaccharides by Rat Liver Lysosomes in Vivo

Rats treated by injection of the radioactive mucopolysaccharides, 35S-labeled chrondroitin 4- or 6-sulfate and tritium-labeled chondroitin sulfate B, have been shown to be capable of concentrating about 1% of these materials within their liver lysosomes. The chondroitin 4-sulfate, which is a substrate for lysosomal hyaluronidase, was depleted from the lysosomes 4 days after injection, whereas, after this same time period, one-third of the chondroitin sulfate B remained in these cellular particles. The role of this phenomenon in Hurler's syndrome, a connective tissue disorder involving storage of chondroitin sulfate, is discussed.