Effects of heparin, dextran sulfate, and synthetic (1→6)-α-d-mannopyranan sulfate and acidic fibroblast growth factor on 3T3-L1 fibroblasts

Abstract The influence of sulfated polysaccharides on 3T3-L1 fibroblast proliferation and cellular morphological change stimulated by acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF) was investigated. aFGF showed strong mitogenic activity on 3T3-L1 fibroblasts. It exhibited chemotaxis at high concentrations of aFGF (several hundred ng/ml). Sulfated polysaccharides potentiated the motogenic activity of aFGF as well as mitogenic activity. Heparin and dextran sulfate induced cellular morphological change only in the presence of aFGF. Synthetic (1→6)-α- d -mannopyranan sulfate induced the morphological change even in the absence of aFGF. It was suggested that the degree of sulfation and the molecular weight of sulfated polysaccharide must be the important factors in determining the extent of cell proliferation and cellular morphology stimulated by aFGF.