Activity of Exoglycosidases in the Aneurysmal Aortic Wall

Abstract

The mechanical properties of the arterial wall depend not only on collagen and elastin, but also on proteoglycans. The quantity and quality of proteoglycans depend on the rate of their synthesis and degradation. Proteoglycans are degraded by exoglycosidases and proteases. In the wall of an aortic aneurysm, we found an increase in the activity of exoglycosidases (beta-hexosaminidase, beta-galactosidase and alpha-mannosidase) in comparison with normal and atheromatous aortas, which may indicate a participation of exoglycosidases in decreasing the concentration of proteoglycans in an aneurysmatic arterial wall.

Is There Enough Evidence to Support the Role of Glycosaminoglycans and Proteoglycans in Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm and Dissection?—A Systematic Review

“…Exoglycosidases are glycoside hydrolase enzymes which cleave the glycosidic bond at the terminal residue in a saccharide. One study reported an increase in exoglycosidases activity in aneurysmal compared with normal aortas ( Table 3 ), which may suggest a role of exoglycosidases in altering the concentration or structure of PGs in TAA [ 53 ].…”