Effects of Lipid-Derivatized Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), a Novel Probe for Functional Analyses of GAGs, on Cell-to-Substratum Adhesion and Neurite Elongation in Primary Cultures of Fetal Rat Hippocampal Neurons

The effects of glycosaminoglycans (GAG) on cell-to-substratum adhesion and neurite elongation were examined in primary cultures of fetal rat hippocampal neurons using tissue culture dishes coated with GAGs coupled to dipalmitoylphosphatidylethanolamine (PE), a novel probe for biological functions of GAGs. Both chondroitin sulfate conjugate to PE (CS–PE) and hyaluronic acid conjugate to PE (HA–PE) promoted neurite elongation from neurons in a dose-dependent manner when immobilized onto polylysine-coated dishes at various concentrations up to 1.0 μg/ml. The coating of CS–PE or HA–PE at a concentration higher than 1.0 μg/ml resulted in failure of neurite extension and adhesion of neurons to the substrata. In contrast, heparin conjugate to PE (HP–PE) did not exert any effects on neurite elongation or on cell attachment at these concentrations. These findings suggest that GAGs serve as a modulator for neurite elongation during neuronal network formation in the developing central nervous system.