Effect of 2-deoxy-D-glucose on metabolism of glycosaminoglycans in normal and hypercholesterolemic rats.

Carbohydrates are the integral parts of glyco-conjugates and play an important role in cellular functions. 2-Deoxy-D-glucose (2-dGlc) is a sugar analogue of glucose and mannose and is reported to inhibit the lipid-linked saccharide formation involved in N-linked glycosylation of proteins. Administration of 2-dGlc (1 mg/100 g body weight) produced a decrease in the tissue total glycosaminoglycans level. We found that the activity of the enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of precursors of glycosaminoglycans (GAG) decreased, but that of the degrading enzymes increased. Thus, the decreased levels of GAG in tissues in 2-dGlc-administered rats occurs via enhanced degradation as well as decreased synthesis.