Collagen: Structural Studies Based on the Cleavage of Methionyl Bonds

Collagen: relatively invariant (helical) and variable (nonhelical) regions

The structural identity of certain helical regions of collagen from human and rat skin equals or exceeds that of other homologous proteins. In contrast, the short nonhelical sequences in the two proteins, although homologous, differ appreciably in structure. The requirements of the collagen helix and the numerous intermolecular interactions characteristic of collagen may restrict the number of functionally acceptable amino acid replacements occurring during evolution.

Synthesis and degradation in vivo of a phosphoprotein from rat dental enamel. Identification of a phosphorylated precursor protein in the extracellular organic matrix

The cellular enamel organ and the cell-free organic matrix of developing enamel of female rats injected intravascularly with [3H]serine and [3H]proline were extracted in a number of solvents and examined by sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis and h.p.l.c. in 6M-guanidinium chloride at intervals varying from 5 min to 1 week after injection. Three major species soluble in NH4HCO3 with Mr values of approx. 100 000, 25 000 and 11 000 were identified in the cellular enamel organ. The Mr 100 000 and 11 000 components were not secreted but remained intracellular for periods of up to 1 week after injection of the radioactively labelled amino acids. In contrast, the Mr 25 000 species was secreted from the cells and was first detected in the extracellular organic matrix approx. 15-30 min after injection. With time, labelled components, first of Mr approx. 11 000 and subsequently approx. 6500, were detected in the organic matrix concomitant with a relative decrease in the Mr 25 000 component, demonstrating that the lower Mr species were derived from degradation of the putative extracellular precursor protein (Mr 25 000). All of the extracellular components were found to contain O-phosphoserine. No radioactively labelled component with an Mr greater than approx. 25 000, either an amelogenin or an enamelin, was observed in the extracellular organic matrix or in an intracellular component which subsequently was lost from the intracellular pool. The Mr of the highest Mr protein or class of proteins is calculated to be approx. 22 000-26 000 when standard proteins are used as markers, but only 15 000-18 000 when using the CNBr peptides of alpha 1 chains of rat tail tendon collagen as markers.

Type II collagen-induced arthritis. A morphologic and biochemical study of articular cartilage

Articular cartilage was obtained from type II collagen-induced arthritic rat joints. Transmission electron microscopy showed a gradual degeneration of chondrocytes, disorganization of the collagenous extracellular matrix, and formation of microscars. Biochemical analyses indicated that type II collagen was the only collagen present and that it was normal in regard to hydroxylation of lysine and glycosylation of hydroxylysine. Analyses of the proteoglycan in the extracellular matrix revealed a 50% loss of chondroitin sulfate and keratan sulfate.

The organization of tissues of the eye by different collagen types

Bovine cornea, sclera, iris, ciliary body, choroid, zonular fibers, lens capsule, lens nucleus, vitreous body, and retina were investigated for collagen content and type. Cornea, sclera, iris, ciliary body, choroid, lens capsule, and vitreous body contain hydroxyproline, whereas in zonular fibers, lens nucleus, and retina no hydroxyproline was detectable. Preparative isolation of collagen was achieved by digestion of the different eye tissues with pepsin. The pepsin-solubilized collagen was separated by differential salt precipitation into different collagen types. The polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the pepsin-solubilized collagens revealed type I collagen in cornea, sclera, iris, ciliary body, and choroid. As well as type I collagen, type III collagen was isolated from cornea, sclera, and uveal tissues. The identification of types I and III collagen was supported by the CNBr-derived peptides of these collagens. Lens capsule collagen consisted mainly of type IV collagen. Zonular fibers contained no hydroxyproline but when examined by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, a band migrating in the alpha-position of collagen was observed. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of both the pepsin-solubilized component and the CNBr-derived peptides of vitreous body protein showed no relation to any of the four common collagen types.

Pepsin-solubilized collagen of human nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrosus

Human nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrosus, obtained at autopsy from patients 7-30 years of age, were extracted with 2 M guanidine-HCl (pH 5.82) to remove proteoglycans, then stirred with pepsin in 0.5 M acetic acid, followed by three 24-h extractions with 1 M NaCl (pH 7.5) and one 24-h extraction with 2 M KSCN (potassium thiocyanate) (pH 7.2). Pepsin and NaCl solubilized an average of about 30% of nucleus pulposus collagen and 18% of annulus fibrosus collagen. KSCN extracted a further 34% of nucleus pulposus collagen and only 4% of annulus fibrosus collagen. CM-cellulose chromatography of nucleus and annulus collagen purified from the pepsin, NaCl and KSCN supernatants consistently revealed only one peak, always appearing slightly ahead of the alpha1 position for rat tail tendon type I collagen. Polyacrylamide and SDS-gel electrophoresis consistently revealed only one band with the mobility of alpha1 chains. Amino acid composition of collagen from nucleus and annulus is comparable to those of mammalian and avian cartilage type II collagen, and distinctly different from those of rat tail tendonand guinea pig skin type I collagens. Periodate oxidation of nucleus and annulus collagens showed that 81% and 67%, respectively, of the hydroxylysine residues survive treatment, compared to 71% for bovine articular cartilage collagen and 17% for guinea pig skin collagen. Total hexose analysis revealed 1.8 muM and 2.0 muM hexose per muM periodate-stable hydroxylysine in nucleus and annulus collagens, respectively. Ion exchange chromatography showed the presence of glucose and galactose in a ratio of 0.92:1 in nucleas collagen and 1.07:1 in annulus collagen. Pepsin-solubilized, NaCl-extracted collagen from nucleus and annulus formed native-type fibrils in vitro. The banding patterns of ATP-induced segment-long-spacing precipitates of nucleus and annulus collagens were identical to each other and indistinguishable from those of cartilage (type II) collagen, but distinctly different from those of rat tail tendon (type I) collagen. These data suggest that the collagen which can be extracted after limited pepsin attack of human nucleus and annulus is of the form [alpha1 (II)]3.

Collagen polymorphism in idiopathic chronic pulmonary fibrosis

Collagens in normal human lung and in idiopathic chronic fibrosis were investigated in terms of their covalent structure and compared for possible alterations in the diseased state. Collagens were solubilized by limited digestion with pepsin under nondenaturing conditions, and after purification they, were fractionated into types I and III. Carboxymethylcellulose and agarose chromatography of both types I and III collagens, and amino acid and carbohydrate analyses of the resulting alpha-chains indicated that the alpha 1 (I), alpha 2, and alpha 1 (III) chains of normal human lung were identical with the human skin alpha-chains in all respects examined except that the normal lung chains contained higher levels of hydroxylysine. Examination of collagens obtained from the diseased lung revealed that the content of hydroxylysine of the alpha 1 (I) and the alpha 1 (III) chains appeared to be diminished as compared to the normal lung chains. The values, expressed as residues per 1,000 residues, are 7.1 and 8.3 for the alpha 1 (I) and the alpha 1 (III) chains, respectively, as compared to 10.0 and 11.1 for the alpha-chains from the normal tissue. The chromatographic properties and amino acid and carbohydrate composition of the alpha-chains from the diseased tissue were otherwise indistinguishable from those of normal lung. In addition, isolation and characterization of the CNBr peptides of alpha 1 (I), alpha 2 and alpha 1 (III) from the diseased lung revealed no significant differences from the CNBr peptides from other human tissues reported previously. Normal and diseased lungs were also digested with CNBr, and the resultant alpha 1 (I) and alpha 1 (III) peptides were separated chromatographically. The relative quantities of these peptides indicate that type III collagen constitutes 33% of the total collagen in normal human lung, with the remainder being type I, whereas in idiopathic chronic pulmonary fibrosis, the relative content of type III collagen is markedly diminished, ranging from 12 to 24% in different patients. These results indicate that an alteration in tissue collagen polymorphism as well as subtle variations in the collagen structure accompany the fibrotic process in the diseased state, and suggest that these alterations may have possible pathogenetic implications.

Purification and amino acid composition of monomeric and polymeric collagens

The preparations and amino acid compositions of highly purified tropocollagen and insoluble polymerized collagen are described. These collagens appear to be very suitable for comparative studies in an investigation of the cross-linkages that are introduced into tropocollagen during the formation of polymerized collagen.