Arthritis Information Basic Information Arthritis Studies Ibuprofen Chondroiten Glucosamine Traditional Treatments	Vibrant Life Home Web Family Of Three Chelation Formulas MSM Other VL Products The Wednesday Letter Frequently Asked Questions Testimonials	Arthritis Information Center Shopping Cart	Separate Search Page or search below
Navigation Help	MSM	Ingredients Technical	Write To Karl Loren	Table Of Contents

Arthritis Information Center

Chondroitin

Chondroitin Sulphate

The structure of Chondroitin / Dermatan Sulphate.

The differences between Chondroitin and Dermatan Sulphates

Chondroitin sulphate and dermatan sulphate are both derived from the same polymer D-glucuronic acid beta (1-3)D-N-acetyl galactosamine beta (1-4). They can be sulphated at positions 4 or 6 of N-acetyl galactosamine and position 2 of the uronic acid. They are not N-sulphated

The difference between chontroitin sulphate and dermatan sulphate is the epimerisation of glucuronic acid to iduronic acid.

There are problems however with the nomenclature of a CS/DS chain. These are dealt with in depth elsewhere, and it is sufficient to say that the frequency with which iduronic acid must occur rather than glucuronic acid, for the chain to be called a DS chain is open to interpretation. Thus a chondroitin sulphate chain may have sequences of dermatan sulphate and visa versa.

Chondroitin Sulphate - A

GlcUA-GalNAc-6S

Chondroitin sulphate A is the alternative name for chondroitin 6-sulphate i.e chondroitin sulphate which is sulphated on the C6 position of the GlcNAc.

Chondroitin Sulphate - B / Dermatan sulphate

IdoUA-GalNAc-4S

Chondroitin sulphate B is the alternative name for dermatan sulphate. It is sulphated on the C4 position of GlcNAc but the C5 of the uronic acid has undergone epimerisation to Iduronic acid. Note the difference between this molecule and chondroitin 4-sulphate below.

Chondroitin Sulphate - C

GlcUA-GalNAc-4S

Chondroitin sulphate C is the alternative name for chondroitin 4-sulphate i.e CS which is sulphated on the C4 position of the GlcNAc.

CS/DS Methods

It is possible to use enzymes to differentiate between choindroitin sulphate and dermatan sulphate. Chondroitinase AC will cleave only at glucuronate-containing disaccharides i.e. chondroitin sulphate, while chondroitinase B cleaves only at iduronate-containing disaccharides i.e. dermatan sulphate. Finally chondroitinase ABC cleaves at either, which given its name is no surprise

The ABC terminology is a throwback to the original nomenclature for these disaccharides which is still used. It is explained fully above.

Chondroitin ABC lyase (Proteus vulgaris, EC 4.2.2.4)

Digestion buffer 0.1M TRIS/HCl pH 8.0; [1mM NaF (to inhibit sulphatases),- NOT NORMALLY ADDED]

For digesting GAGs to completion use 0.3units/mg GAG, 37 C.

This enzyme produces unsaturated disaccharides that can be monitored at 232nm. To assay the enzyme, monitor the increase in A232 over the first 5 minutes of reaction under controlled conditions. Dividing the increase in absorbance in 1 minute by the molar extinction coefficient (5.5) gives the (µ/m?)mole released per aliquot.

Chondroitin AC I lyase (EC ?.?.?.?)

Chondroitin AC II lyase (EC ?.?.?.?)

Chondroitin B lyase (EC ?.?.?.?)

1 unit enzyme activity = release of 1 (µ/m?)mole disaccharide/minute

CS/DS Biblography

A biblography of general Chondroitin Sulphate references along with some key primary references.

Back to the Top of this page.

Back to the Proteoglycan / glycosaminoglycan home page.

SUBSCRIBE:  The Wednesday Letter is a free electronic monthly newsletter written and published by Karl Loren.  You can view more than 50 back issues of this publication by clicking here.  The Wednesday Letter subscription list is maintained on a secure server, no name is ever given or sold to anyone, and it is never used except for this Newsletter.  It is automatically published on the Tuesday night just before the first Wednesday of every month.  You can subscribe to this free monthly electronic letter by entering your eMail address and name below.  You will then automatically receive a request for confirmation, sent to whatever address you have entered.  If you do NOT receive this confirmation request, then you will not be subscribed.  There may have been an error with your address and you should resubmit.  The letter is never sent twice to the same address -- so you do not have to worry about a duplicate subscription.  When you receive this confirmation request you must reply to it, or your subscription will not become active.  No one can subscribe your name, and address, without you being notified, and if you get an unwanted notice of subscription you only need to DO NOTHING and the subscription will NOT be active.

REMOVAL:  You can remove yourself from the subscription list in several different ways.  Click here to read about this entire newsletter system.  Every edition of The Wednesday Letter is delivered to your address with YOUR name and address in view on the letter, with a link that allows you to remove THAT name from the subscription list.  If you try to send this removal message from an address different from the one you used to send in your original confirmation, then you will get a warning notice first, sent to the subscription address, asking you to confirm that you want to be removed from the list -- by replying to THAT request for confirmation, you will then be automatically removed.  Thus, no one else can unsubscribe you, from some other computer, without your knowledge.  But, if you send in the unsubscribe notice from the same machine used to receive the Letter, then the removal from the subscription list is automatic.

Personal Message:  When you send a personal message to Karl Loren, you will receive a personal reply as per his instructions.  Karl pledges that every personal message will get a personal answer. When you provide your mail address, we will send you free information including our free catalog and a cassette tape lecture by Karl Loren about heart disease, no charge, by mail, even if outside the US.  You can select particular information you would like to receive, along with the free cassette tape and catalog.

You can reach Vibrant Life in many ways, including by mail to Vibrant Life, 2808 N. Naomi St., Burbank, CA 91504.  Within the US and Canada, use the toll free number:  (800) 523-4521, the local number:  (818) 558-1799, the FAX:  (818) 558-7299, eMail to kimberly@oralchelation.com or any one of the hundreds of message forms throughout the 50 web sites.  Vibrant Life normally ships the same day we get an order.  There are message forms on each of the 100,000+ pages on this and other sites where you can communicate with Vibrant Life.  Check out our companion site, at:  http://www.oralchelation.net where Karl's 2000 page book is published.  Karl Loren is the author and webmaster for this BOOK, as well as for another web site about ORAL CHELATION.  His personal philosophical articles are at PHILOSOPHY. 

Copyright © May 20, 2008 6:24 AM by Karl Loren on behalf of Vibrant Life, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  Permission is granted for non-commercial downloading, copying, distribution or redistribution on two conditions:  One, that some form of copyright notice is included in every copy distributed or copied, showing the copyright belonging to Vibrant Life, Burbank, CA, at www.oralchelation.com . The second condition is that the material is not to be used for any purpose contrary to the purposes and objectives of this site.  This permission does not extend to materials on this site which are copyrighted by others.