Mucopolysaccharides in aqueous solutions: effect of ionic strength on titration curves

Farmaco. 2001 May-Jul;56(5-7):527-32. doi: 10.1016/s0014-827x(01)01106-5.

Abstract

We study the changes taking place in hyaluronic acid, chondroitin 4-sulfate (C4-S) and condroitin 6-sulfate (C6-S), at ionic strengths of 0.10, 0.15, and 0.20 in NaCl, in a neutralization process in aqueous solution. We apply the equation of Henderson Hasselbalch modified for polyelectrolytes and evaluate the changes in the electrostatic free energy starting from the pK curves as a function of the dissociation degree. For a dissociation degree next to 0.4 corresponding to the -COOH group of the hyaluronic acid, we observed a change in the conformation of the three glycosaminoglycans studied. This conformational change takes place as a consequence of the break of intramolecular links and the beginning of the ionization process. The macromolecules in solution show a structure of random coil sufficiently expanded so that the interaction among the close ionizable groups is negligible.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Algorithms
  • Electrochemistry
  • Glycosaminoglycans / chemistry*
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Conformation
  • Potentiometry
  • Solutions

Substances

  • Glycosaminoglycans
  • Solutions