Distribution and composition of glycosaminoglycans in the left human coronary arterial branches under myocardial bridge Original Research Article

The distribution and composition of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are reported in the anterior interventricular branch under the intermyocardial bridge (MB) and the ventricular branch without bridge, both from the left human coronary artery. Chondroitin sulfate (CS), dermatan sulfate (DS) and heparan sulfate (HS) were purified and quantified by a combination of electrophoretic migration and enzymatic degradation. The absolute amounts of GAGs in the intermyocardial bridge segment (MB) increased by 47%, when compared to the pre (PreMB) and post (PostMB) segments and the ventricular arterial branch (VB). Furthermore, the relative distribution of GAGs in the intermyocardial bridge segment differs when compared to the pre and post segments as well as in the ventricular arterial branch, due to a change in the proportion of DS and CS of 41.9 and 32.4%, compared to 36.4 and 39.7%, respectively. These findings give support to the possible involvement of GAGs in the intermyocardial bridge segment, avoiding local thrombus deposition, reducing atherosclerotic development and moreover giving protection against vessel deformation caused by the systolic pressure.