The effect of mouse interferon alpha/beta (MuIFN alpha/beta) on the production of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) by mouse glioma G-26 in vitro was evaluated. Two GAG species secreted extracellularly by the mouse glioma G-26 were isolated using cellulose acetate electrophoresis. They were identified as hyaluronic acid (HA) and chondroitin sulfate (CS) following enzymatic digestion with enzymes: hyaluronidase and chondroitinase ABC. Further characterization of CS by enzymatic digestion with specific chondroitinases for chondroitin 4-sulfate (CSA) and chondroitin 6-sulfate (CSC), revealed that the isolated CS was neither CSA nor CSC. Therefore, it may be either chondroitin sulfate B (CSB) (dermatan sulfate) or one of the 'chondroitin sulfate isomers' (D-H). The three day incubation of glioma G-26 cells with 8 x 10-8 x 10(4) U/ml of MuIFN alpha/beta resulted in a dose dependent inhibition of cell proliferation measured by 3H-thymidine incorporation and the MTT assay. The significant decrease of the CS (p < 0.008) but not the HA level, (measured densitometrically), was observed following 72 hours (hrs) incubation of G-26 cells with 8 x 10(3) U/ml of MuIFN alpha/beta (IFN treated cells: 0.03 +/- 0.007 integrated optical density (IOD); control cells: 0.07 +/- 0.01 IOD). The decreased CS production may be the underlying cause of IFN mediated inhibition of glioma cell proliferation.