Sample records for iv collagen disorganization

  1. Contribution of alpha3(IV)alpha4(IV)alpha5(IV) Collagen IV to the Mechanical Properties of the Glomerular Basement Membrane

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gyoneva, Lazarina

    The glomerular basement membrane (GBM) is a vital part of the blood-urine filtration barrier in the kidneys. In healthy GBMs, the main tension-resisting component is alpha3(IV)alpha4(IV)alpha5(IV) type IV collagen, but in some diseases it is replaced by other collagen IV isoforms. As a result, the GBM becomes leaky and disorganized, ultimately resulting in kidney failure. Our goal is to understanding the biomechanical aspects of the alpha3(IV)alpha4(IV)alpha5(IV) chains and how their absence could be responsible for (1) the initial injury to the GBM and (2) progression to kidney failure. A combination of experiments and computational models were designed for that purpose. A model basement membrane was used to compare experimentally the distensibility of tissues with the alpha3(IV)alpha4(IV)alpha5(IV) chains present and missing. The experiments showed basement membranes containing alpha3(IV)alpha4(IV)alpha5(IV) chains were less distensible. It has been postulated that the higher level of lateral cross-linking (supercoiling) in the alpha3(IV)alpha4(IV)alpha5(IV) networks contributes additional strength/stability to basement membranes. In a computational model of supercoiled networks, we found that supercoiling greatly increased the stiffness of collagen IV networks but only minimally decreased the permeability, which is well suited for the needs of the GBM. It is also known that the alpha3(IV)alpha4(IV)alpha5(IV) networks are more protected from enzymatic degradation, and we explored their significance in GBM remodeling. Our simulations showed that the more protected network was needed to prevent the system from entering a dangerous feedback cycle due to autoregulation mechanisms in the kidneys. Overall, the work adds to the evidence of biomechanical differences between the alpha3(IV)alpha4(IV)alpha5(IV) networks and other collagen IV networks, points to supercoiling as the main source of biomechanical differences, discusses the suitability of alpha3(IV)alpha4(IV

  2. Disorganized collagen scaffold interferes with fibroblast mediated deposition of organized extracellular matrix in vitro.

    PubMed

    Saeidi, Nima; Guo, Xiaoqing; Hutcheon, Audrey E K; Sander, Edward A; Bale, Shyam Sundar; Melotti, Suzanna A; Zieske, James D; Trinkaus-Randall, Vickery; Ruberti, Jeffrey W

    2012-10-01

    Many tissue engineering applications require the remodeling of a degradable scaffold either in vitro or in situ. Although inefficient remodeling or failure to fully remodel the temporary matrix can result in a poor clinical outcome, very few investigations have examined in detail, the interaction of regenerative cells with temporary scaffoldings. In a recent series of investigations, randomly oriented collagen gels were directly implanted into human corneal pockets and followed for 24 months. The resulting remodeling response exhibited a high degree of variability which likely reflects differing regenerative/synthetic capacity across patients. Given this variability, we hypothesize that a disorganized, degradable provisional scaffold could be disruptive to a uniform, organized reconstruction of stromal matrix. In this investigation, two established corneal stroma tissue engineering culture systems (collagen scaffold-based and scaffold-free) were compared to determine if the presence of the disorganized collagen gel influenced matrix production and organizational control exerted by primary human corneal fibroblast cells (PHCFCs). PHCFCs were cultured on thin disorganized reconstituted collagen substrate (RCS--five donors: average age 34.4) or on a bare polycarbonate membrane (five donors: average age 32.4 controls). The organization and morphology of the two culture systems were compared over the long-term at 4, 8, and 11/12 weeks. Construct thickness and extracellular matrix organization/alignment was tracked optically with bright field and differential interference contrast (DIC) microscopy. The details of cell/matrix morphology and cell/matrix interaction were examined with standard transmission, cuprolinic blue and quick-freeze/deep-etch electron microscopy. Both the scaffold-free and the collagen-based scaffold cultures produced organized arrays of collagen fibrils. However, at all time points, the amount of organized cell-derived matrix in the scaffold

  3. Disorganized collagen scaffold interferes with fibroblast mediated deposition of organized extracellular matrix in vitro

    PubMed Central

    Saeidi, Nima; Guo, Xiaoqing; Hutcheon, Audrey E. K.; Sander, Edward A.; Bale, Shyam Sundar; Melotti, Suzanna A.; Zieske, James D.; Trinkaus-Randall, Vickery; Ruberti, Jeffrey W.

    2013-01-01

    Many tissue engineering applications require the remodeling of a degradable scaffold either in vitro or in situ. Although inefficient remodeling or failure to fully remodel the temporary matrix can result in a poor clinical outcome, very few investigations have examined in detail, the interaction of regenerative cells with temporary scaffoldings. In a recent series of investigations, randomly oriented collagen gels were directly implanted into human corneal pockets and followed for 24 months. The resulting remodeling response exhibited a high degree of variability which likely reflects differing regenerative/synthetic capacity across patients. Given this variability, we hypothesize that a disorganized, degradable provisional scaffold could be disruptive to a uniform, organized reconstruction of stromal matrix. In this investigation, two established corneal stroma tissue engineering culture systems (collagen scaffold-based and scaffold-free) were compared to determine if the presence of the disorganized collagen gel influenced matrix production and organizational control exerted by primary human corneal fibroblast cells (PHCFCs). PHCFCs were cultured on thin disorganized reconstituted collagen substrate (RCS - 5 donors: average age 34.4) or on a bare polycarbonate membrane (5 donors: average age 32.4-controls). The organization and morphology of the two culture systems were compared over the long-term at 4, 8 and 11/12 weeks. Construct thickness and extracellular matrix organization/alignment was tracked optically with bright field and differential interference contrast (DIC) microscopy. The details of cell/matrix morphology and cell/matrix interaction were examined with standard transmission, cuprolinic blue and quick-freeze/deep-etch electron microscopy. Both the scaffold-free and the collagen-based scaffold cultures produced organized arrays of collagen fibrils. However, at all time points, the amount of organized cell-derived matrix in the scaffold

  4. Stromal fibroblasts are associated with collagen IV in scar tissues of alkali-burned and lacerated corneas.

    PubMed

    Ishizaki, M; Shimoda, M; Wakamatsu, K; Ogro, T; Yamanaka, N; Kao, C W; Kao, W W

    1997-04-01

    Corneal wound healing frequently leads to the formation of opaque scar tissue. We examined whether stromal fibroblastic cells of injured corneas express collagen IV and contributes to the formation of a basal lamina-like structure. Rabbits were anesthetized, and central corneal alkali burn (8 mm in diameter; 1 M NaOH, 1 min) or laceration (8 mm long) were produced. The injured corneas, which had healed for 1, 7, 21 and 45 days, were subjected to histological and immunohistochemical studies with goat anti-collagen IV antibodies, using light and electron microscopy, and in situ hybridization with an antisense digoxigenin-labeled riboprobe of collagen alpha 1(IV) mRNA. For comparison, twenty-day-old fetal corneas were subjected to immunohistochemical study and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). TEM examinations revealed that the stromal collagenous matrix was organized in orthogonal lamellae during corneal development, whereas that of alkali-burned cornea, which had healed for 3 weeks, was disorganized. The stroma of twenty-day-old fetal cornea was not labeled by the anti-collagen IV antibodies. In contrast, one week after injury, specific collagen IV immunostaining was detected in the injured stroma. As the healing proceeded (21-45 days), the antibodies reacted with fibroblastic cells and the extracellular matrix of scar tissues located in the anterior portion of alkali-burned corneas, as well as the posterior portion of lacerated corneas. The middle portion of the stromal tissues was weakly labeled by the anti-collagen IV antibodies with the exception of the blood vessel wall. Immuno-electron microscopic study showed that collagen IV and fibronectin were closely associated with the fibroblastic cells. In situ hybridization demonstrated that epithelial and endothelial cells and fibroblastic cells in the wounded corneal stroma and retro-corneal membrane expressed alpha 1(IV) mRNA, whereas in normal corneas the expression of alpha 1(IV) mRNA was limited to

  5. Collagen crosslinks in chondromalacia of the patella.

    PubMed

    Väätäinen, U; Kiviranta, I; Jaroma, H; Arokosi, J; Tammi, M; Kovanen, V

    1998-02-01

    The aim of the study was to determine collagen concentration and collagen crosslinks in cartilage samples from chondromalacia of the patella. To study the extracellular matrix alterations associated to chondromalacia, we determined the concentration of collagen (hydroxyproline) and its hydroxylysylpyridinoline and lysylpyridinoline crosslinks from chondromalacia foci of the patellae in 12 patients and 7 controls from apparently normal cadavers. The structure of the collagen network in 8 samples of grades II-IV chondromalacia was examined under polarized light microscopy. The full-thickness cartilage samples taken with a surgical knife from chondromalacia lesions did not show changes in collagen, hydroxylysylpyridinoline and lysylpyridinoline concentration as compared with the controls. Polarized light microscopy showed decreased birefringence in the superficial cartilage of chondromalacia lesions, indicating disorganization or disappearance of collagen fibers in this zone. It is concluded that the collagen network shows gradual disorganization with the severity of chondromalacia lesion of the patella without changes in the concentration or crosslinks of collagen.

  6. Collagen type IV at the fetal-maternal interface.

    PubMed

    Oefner, C M; Sharkey, A; Gardner, L; Critchley, H; Oyen, M; Moffett, A

    2015-01-01

    Extracellular matrix proteins play a crucial role in influencing the invasion of trophoblast cells. However the role of collagens and collagen type IV (col-IV) in particular at the implantation site is not clear. Immunohistochemistry was used to determine the distribution of collagen types I, III, IV and VI in endometrium and decidua during the menstrual cycle and the first trimester of pregnancy. Expression of col-IV alpha chains during the reproductive cycle was determined by qPCR and protein localisation by immunohistochemistry. The structure of col-IV in placenta was examined using transmission electron microscopy. Finally, the expression of col-IV alpha chain NC1 domains and collagen receptors was localised by immunohistochemistry. Col-IV alpha chains were selectively up-regulated during the menstrual cycle and decidualisation. Primary extravillous trophoblast cells express collagen receptors and secrete col-IV in vitro and in vivo, resulting in the increased levels found in decidua basalis compared to decidua parietalis. A novel expression pattern of col-IV in the mesenchyme of placental villi, as a three-dimensional network, was found. NC1 domains of col-IV alpha chains are known to regulate tumour cell migration and the selective expression of these domains in decidua basalis compared to decidua parietalis was determined. Col-IV is expressed as novel forms in the placenta. These findings suggest that col-IV not only represents a structural protein providing tissue integrity but also influences the invasive behaviour of trophoblast cells at the implantation site. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Distribution of type IV collagen in pancreatic adenocarcinoma and chronic pancreatitis.

    PubMed Central

    Lee, C. S.; Montebello, J.; Georgiou, T.; Rode, J.

    1994-01-01

    Changes in the basement membrane are present in various neoplastic conditions such as neurofibrosarcoma, cervical carcinoma, colorectal cancers and hepatoblastoma. This study examines the expression of type IV collagen in the basement membrane, using an immunohistochemical method, in the normal pancreas (n = 10), chronic pancreatitis (n = 15) and pancreatic adenocarcinoma (n = 30). The formalin fixed, paraffin embedded tissue was sectioned and pretreated with protease prior to immunostaining for type IV collagen. There was a statistically significant difference in type IV collagen expression between pancreatic carcinoma and chronic pancreatitis (P = 0.0001; chi 2 test with continuity correction). In pancreatic adenocarcinoma, type IV collagen distribution in the basement membrane was discontinuous and irregular or absent around individual or groups of neoplastic cells (n = 30). Most cases of chronic pancreatitis showed continuous pattern of basement membrane type IV collagen around residual ducts (n = 10). In the normal pancreas, only one of the ten cases showed discontinuous basement membrane around pancreatic ducts, while in the rest of the cases, the pattern was continuous. This study suggests that there is abnormal distribution of type IV collagen in the basement membrane in pancreatic carcinoma, which may be related to either abnormal deposition or degradation of the collagen. Immunostaining for type IV collagen may be of some diagnostic use for distinguishing pancreatic adenocarcinoma from problematic cases of chronic pancreatitis. Images Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 PMID:8199008

  8. viking: identification and characterization of a second type IV collagen in Drosophila.

    PubMed

    Yasothornsrikul, S; Davis, W J; Cramer, G; Kimbrell, D A; Dearolf, C R

    1997-10-01

    We have taken an enhancer trap approach to identify genes that are expressed in hematopoietic cells and tissues of Drosophila. We conducted a molecular analysis of two P-element insertion strains that have reporter gene expression in embryonic hemocytes, strain 197 and vikingICO. This analysis has determined that viking encodes a collagen type IV gene, alpha2(IV). The viking locus is located adjacent to the previously described DCg1, which encodes collagen alpha1(IV), and in the opposite orientation. The alpha2(IV) and alpha1(IV) collagens are structurally very similar to one another, and to vertebrate type IV collagens. In early development, viking and DCg1 are transcribed in the same tissue-specific pattern, primarily in the hemocytes and fat body cells. Our results suggest that both the alpha1 and alpha2 collagen IV chains may contribute to basement membranes in Drosophila. This work also provides the foundation for a more complete genetic dissection of collagen type IV molecules and their developmental function in Drosophila.

  9. Collagen IV and basement membrane at the evolutionary dawn of metazoan tissues

    PubMed Central

    Fidler, Aaron L; Darris, Carl E; Chetyrkin, Sergei V; Pedchenko, Vadim K; Boudko, Sergei P; Brown, Kyle L; Gray Jerome, W; Hudson, Julie K; Rokas, Antonis; Hudson, Billy G

    2017-01-01

    The role of the cellular microenvironment in enabling metazoan tissue genesis remains obscure. Ctenophora has recently emerged as one of the earliest-branching extant animal phyla, providing a unique opportunity to explore the evolutionary role of the cellular microenvironment in tissue genesis. Here, we characterized the extracellular matrix (ECM), with a focus on collagen IV and its variant, spongin short-chain collagens, of non-bilaterian animal phyla. We identified basement membrane (BM) and collagen IV in Ctenophora, and show that the structural and genomic features of collagen IV are homologous to those of non-bilaterian animal phyla and Bilateria. Yet, ctenophore features are more diverse and distinct, expressing up to twenty genes compared to six in vertebrates. Moreover, collagen IV is absent in unicellular sister-groups. Collectively, we conclude that collagen IV and its variant, spongin, are primordial components of the extracellular microenvironment, and as a component of BM, collagen IV enabled the assembly of a fundamental architectural unit for multicellular tissue genesis. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.24176.001 PMID:28418331

  10. Inhibitory effect of collagen-derived tripeptides on dipeptidylpeptidase-IV activity.

    PubMed

    Hatanaka, Tadashi; Kawakami, Kayoko; Uraji, Misugi

    2014-12-01

    The collagen tripeptide fragments Gly-Ala-Hyp, Gly-Pro-Ala and Gly-Pro-Hyp were generated by hydrolyzing collagen from pig-skin, cattle-skin, fish-scales and chicken-feet, respectively, with Streptomyces collagenase. Collagenase treatment increased the concentration of tripeptides in the hydrolysates by 13-15% (w/w). Of the three peptides, Gly-Pro-Hyp was a true peptidic inhibitor of dipeptidylpeptidase-IV (DPP-IV), because DPP-IV could not hydrolyze the bond between Pro-Hyp. This tripeptide was a moderately competitive inhibitor (Ki=4.5 mM) of DPP-IV, and its level in the collagen hydrolysates could be greatly increased (4-9% [w/w]) using Streptomyces collagenase.

  11. Extracellular chloride signals collagen IV network assembly during basement membrane formation

    PubMed Central

    Cummings, Christopher F.; Pedchenko, Vadim; Brown, Kyle L.; Colon, Selene; Rafi, Mohamed; Jones-Paris, Celestial; Pokydeshava, Elena; Liu, Min; Pastor-Pareja, Jose C.; Stothers, Cody; Ero-Tolliver, Isi A.; McCall, A. Scott; Vanacore, Roberto; Bhave, Gautam; Santoro, Samuel; Blackwell, Timothy S.; Zent, Roy; Pozzi, Ambra

    2016-01-01

    Basement membranes are defining features of the cellular microenvironment; however, little is known regarding their assembly outside cells. We report that extracellular Cl− ions signal the assembly of collagen IV networks outside cells by triggering a conformational switch within collagen IV noncollagenous 1 (NC1) domains. Depletion of Cl− in cell culture perturbed collagen IV networks, disrupted matrix architecture, and repositioned basement membrane proteins. Phylogenetic evidence indicates this conformational switch is a fundamental mechanism of collagen IV network assembly throughout Metazoa. Using recombinant triple helical protomers, we prove that NC1 domains direct both protomer and network assembly and show in Drosophila that NC1 architecture is critical for incorporation into basement membranes. These discoveries provide an atomic-level understanding of the dynamic interactions between extracellular Cl− and collagen IV assembly outside cells, a critical step in the assembly and organization of basement membranes that enable tissue architecture and function. Moreover, this provides a mechanistic framework for understanding the molecular pathobiology of NC1 domains. PMID:27216258

  12. Type IV collagen is a novel DEJ biomarker that is reduced by radiotherapy.

    PubMed

    McGuire, J D; Gorski, J P; Dusevich, V; Wang, Y; Walker, M P

    2014-10-01

    The dental basement membrane (BM) is composed of collagen types IV, VI, VII, and XVII, fibronectin, and laminin and plays an inductive role in epithelial-mesenchymal interactions during tooth development. The BM is degraded and removed during later-stage tooth morphogenesis; however, its original position defines the location of the dentin-enamel junction (DEJ) in mature teeth. We recently demonstrated that type VII collagen is a novel component of the inner enamel organic matrix layer contiguous with the DEJ. Since it is frequently co-expressed with and forms functional complexes with type VII collagen, we hypothesized that type IV collagen should also be localized to the DEJ in mature human teeth. To identify collagen IV, we first evaluated defect-free erupted teeth from various donors. To investigate a possible stabilizing role, we also evaluated extracted teeth exposed to high-dose radiotherapy--teeth that manifest post-radiotherapy DEJ instability. We now show that type IV collagen is a component within the morphological DEJ of posterior and anterior teeth from individuals aged 18 to 80 yr. Confocal microscopy revealed that immunostained type IV collagen was restricted to the 5- to 10-µm-wide optical DEJ, while collagenase treatment or previous in vivo tooth-level exposure to > 60 Gray irradiation severely reduced immunoreactivity. This assignment was confirmed by Western blotting with whole-tooth crown and enamel extracts. Without reduction, type IV collagen contained macromolecular α-chains of 225 and 250 kDa. Compositionally, our results identify type IV collagen as the first macromolecular biomarker of the morphological DEJ of mature teeth. Given its network structure and propensity to stabilize the dermal-epidermal junction, we propose that a collagen-IV-enriched DEJ may, in part, explain its well-known fracture toughness, crack propagation resistance, and stability. In contrast, loss of type IV collagen may represent a biochemical rationale for the DEJ

  13. Type IV Collagen is a Novel DEJ Biomarker that is Reduced by Radiotherapy

    PubMed Central

    McGuire, J.D.; Gorski, J.P.; Dusevich, V.; Wang, Y.; Walker, M.P.

    2014-01-01

    The dental basement membrane (BM) is composed of collagen types IV, VI, VII, and XVII, fibronectin, and laminin and plays an inductive role in epithelial-mesenchymal interactions during tooth development. The BM is degraded and removed during later-stage tooth morphogenesis; however, its original position defines the location of the dentin-enamel junction (DEJ) in mature teeth. We recently demonstrated that type VII collagen is a novel component of the inner enamel organic matrix layer contiguous with the DEJ. Since it is frequently co-expressed with and forms functional complexes with type VII collagen, we hypothesized that type IV collagen should also be localized to the DEJ in mature human teeth. To identify collagen IV, we first evaluated defect-free erupted teeth from various donors. To investigate a possible stabilizing role, we also evaluated extracted teeth exposed to high-dose radiotherapy – teeth that manifest post-radiotherapy DEJ instability. We now show that type IV collagen is a component within the morphological DEJ of posterior and anterior teeth from individuals aged 18 to 80 yr. Confocal microscopy revealed that immunostained type IV collagen was restricted to the 5- to 10-µm-wide optical DEJ, while collagenase treatment or previous in vivo tooth-level exposure to > 60 Gray irradiation severely reduced immunoreactivity. This assignment was confirmed by Western blotting with whole-tooth crown and enamel extracts. Without reduction, type IV collagen contained macromolecular α-chains of 225 and 250 kDa. Compositionally, our results identify type IV collagen as the first macromolecular biomarker of the morphological DEJ of mature teeth. Given its network structure and propensity to stabilize the dermal-epidermal junction, we propose that a collagen-IV-enriched DEJ may, in part, explain its well-known fracture toughness, crack propagation resistance, and stability. In contrast, loss of type IV collagen may represent a biochemical rationale for the

  14. Collagen IV Diseases: A Focus on the Glomerular Basement Membrane in Alport Syndrome

    PubMed Central

    Cosgrove, Dominic; Liu, Shiguang

    2016-01-01

    Alport syndrome is the result of mutations in any of three type IV collagen genes, COL4A3, COL4A4, or COL4A5. Because the three collagen chains form heterotrimers, there is an absence of all three proteins in the basement membranes where they are expressed. In the glomerulus, the mature glomerular basement membrane type IV collagen network, normally comprised of two separate networks, α3(IV)/α4(IV)/α5(IV) and α1(IV)/α2(IV), is comprised entirely of collagen α1(IV)/α2. This review addresses the current state of our knowledge regarding the consequence of this change in basement membrane composition, including both the direct, via collagen receptor binding, and indirect, regarding influences on glomerular biomechanics. The state of our current understanding regarding mechanisms of glomerular disease initiation and progression will be examined, as will the current state of the art regarding emergent therapeutic approaches to slow or arrest glomerular disease in Alport patients. PMID:27576055

  15. Transfer of the α5(IV) Collagen Chain Gene to Smooth Muscle Restores in Vivo Expression of the α6(IV) Collagen Chain in a Canine Model of Alport Syndrome

    PubMed Central

    Harvey, Scott J.; Zheng, Keqin; Jefferson, Barbara; Moak, Peter; Sado, Yoshikazu; Naito, Ichiro; Ninomiya, Yoshifumi; Jacobs, Robert; Thorner, Paul S.

    2003-01-01

    X-linked Alport syndrome is a progressive renal disease caused by mutations in the COL4A5 gene, which encodes the α5(IV) collagen chain. As an initial step toward gene therapy for Alport syndrome, we report on the expression of recombinant α5(IV) collagen in vitro and in vivo. A full-length cDNA-encoding canine α5(IV) collagen was cloned and expressed in vitro by transfection of HEK293 cells that synthesize the α1(IV) and α2(IV), but not the α3(IV) to α6(IV) collagen chains. By Northern blotting, an α5(IV) mRNA transcript of 5.2 kb was expressed and the recombinant protein was detected by immunocytochemistry. The chain was secreted into the medium as a 190-kd monomer; no triple helical species were detected. Transfected cells synthesized an extracellular matrix containing the α1(IV) and α2(IV) chains but the recombinant α5(IV) chain was not incorporated. These findings are consistent with the concept that the α5(IV) chain requires one or more of the α3(IV), α4(IV), or α6(IV) chains for triple helical assembly. In vivo studies were performed in dogs with X-linked Alport syndrome. An adenoviral vector containing the α5(IV) transgene was injected into bladder smooth muscle that lacks both the α5(IV) and α6(IV) chains in these animals. At 5 weeks after injection, there was expression of both the α5(IV) and α6(IV) chains by smooth muscle cells at the injection site in a basement membrane distribution. Thus, this recombinant α5(IV) chain is capable of restoring expression of a second α(IV) chain that requires the presence of the α5(IV) chain for incorporation into collagen trimers. This vector will serve as a useful tool to further explore gene therapy for Alport syndrome. PMID:12598321

  16. MT2-MMP-dependent release of collagen IV NC1 domains regulates submandibular gland branching morphogenesis.

    PubMed

    Rebustini, Ivan T; Myers, Christopher; Lassiter, Keyonica S; Surmak, Andrew; Szabova, Ludmila; Holmbeck, Kenn; Pedchenko, Vadim; Hudson, Billy G; Hoffman, Matthew P

    2009-10-01

    Proteolysis is essential during branching morphogenesis, but the roles of MT-MMPs and their proteolytic products are not clearly understood. Here, we discover that decreasing MT-MMP activity during submandibular gland branching morphogenesis decreases proliferation and increases collagen IV and MT-MMP expression. Specifically, reducing epithelial MT2-MMP profoundly decreases proliferation and morphogenesis, increases Col4a2 and intracellular accumulation of collagen IV, and decreases the proteolytic release of collagen IV NC1 domains. Importantly, we demonstrate the presence of collagen IV NC1 domains in developing tissue. Furthermore, recombinant collagen IV NC1 domains rescue branching morphogenesis after MT2-siRNA treatment, increasing MT-MMP and proproliferative gene expression via beta1 integrin and PI3K-AKT signaling. Additionally, HBEGF also rescues MT2-siRNA treatment, increasing NC1 domain release, proliferation, and MT2-MMP and Hbegf expression. Our studies provide mechanistic insight into how MT2-MMP-dependent release of bioactive NC1 domains from collagen IV is critical for integrating collagen IV synthesis and proteolysis with epithelial proliferation during branching morphogenesis.

  17. MT2-MMP-dependent release of collagen IV NC1 domains regulates submandibular gland branching morphogenesis

    PubMed Central

    Rebustini, Ivan T.; Myers, Christopher; Lassiter, Keyonica S.; Surmak, Andrew; Szabova, Ludmila; Holmbeck, Kenn; Pedchenko, Vadim; Hudson, Billy G.; Hoffman, Matthew P.

    2009-01-01

    Summary Proteolysis is essential during branching morphogenesis, but the roles of MT-MMPs and their proteolytic products are not clearly understood. Here we discover that decreasing MT-MMP activity during submandibular gland branching morphogenesis decreases proliferation and increases collagen IV and MT-MMP expression. Importantly, reducing epithelial MT2-MMP profoundly decreases proliferation and morphogenesis, increases Col4a2 and intracellular accumulation of collagen IV, and decreases the proteolytic release of collagen IV NC1 domains. Importantly, we demonstrate the presence of collagen IV NC1 domains in developing tissue. Furthermore, recombinant collagen IV NC1 domains rescue branching morphogenesis after MT2-siRNA-treatment, increasing MT-MMP and pro-proliferative gene expression via β1 integrin and PI3K-AKT signaling. Additionally, HBEGF also rescues MT2-siRNA-treatment, increasing NC1 domain release, proliferation, and MT2-MMP and Hbegf expression. Our studies provide mechanistic insight into how MT2-MMP-dependent release of bioactive NC1 domains from collagen IV is critical for integrating collagen IV synthesis and proteolysis with epithelial proliferation during branching morphogenesis. PMID:19853562

  18. Distribution of Basement Membrane Molecules, Laminin and Collagen Type IV, in Normal and Degenerated Cartilage Tissues

    PubMed Central

    Toh, Wei Seong; Gomoll, Andreas H.; Olsen, Bjørn Reino; Spector, Myron

    2014-01-01

    Objective: The objective of the present study was to investigate the presence and distribution of 2 basement membrane (BM) molecules, laminin and collagen type IV, in healthy and degenerative cartilage tissues. Design: Normal and degenerated tissues were obtained from goats and humans, including articular knee cartilage, the intervertebral disc, and meniscus. Normal tissue was also obtained from patella-tibial enthesis in goats. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed using anti-laminin and anti–collagen type IV antibodies. Human and goat skin were used as positive controls. The percentage of cells displaying the pericellular presence of the protein was graded semiquantitatively. Results: When present, laminin and collagen type IV were exclusively found in the pericellular matrix, and in a discrete layer on the articulating surface of normal articular cartilage. In normal articular (hyaline) cartilage in the human and goat, the proteins were found co-localized pericellularly. In contrast, in human osteoarthritic articular cartilage, collagen type IV but not laminin was found in the pericellular region. Nonpathological fibrocartilaginous tissues from the goat, including the menisci and the enthesis, were also positive for both laminin and collagen type IV pericellularly. In degenerated fibrocartilage, including intervertebral disc, as in degenerated hyaline cartilage only collagen type IV was found pericellularly around chondrocytes but with less intense staining than in non-degenerated tissue. In calcified cartilage, some cells were positive for laminin but not type IV collagen. Conclusions: We report differences in expression of the BM molecules, laminin and collagen type IV, in normal and degenerative cartilaginous tissues from adult humans and goats. In degenerative tissues laminin is depleted from the pericellular matrix before collagen type IV. The findings may inform future studies of the processes underlying cartilage degeneration and the functional

  19. Distribution of Basement Membrane Molecules, Laminin and Collagen Type IV, in Normal and Degenerated Cartilage Tissues.

    PubMed

    Foldager, Casper Bindzus; Toh, Wei Seong; Gomoll, Andreas H; Olsen, Bjørn Reino; Spector, Myron

    2014-04-01

    The objective of the present study was to investigate the presence and distribution of 2 basement membrane (BM) molecules, laminin and collagen type IV, in healthy and degenerative cartilage tissues. Normal and degenerated tissues were obtained from goats and humans, including articular knee cartilage, the intervertebral disc, and meniscus. Normal tissue was also obtained from patella-tibial enthesis in goats. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed using anti-laminin and anti-collagen type IV antibodies. Human and goat skin were used as positive controls. The percentage of cells displaying the pericellular presence of the protein was graded semiquantitatively. When present, laminin and collagen type IV were exclusively found in the pericellular matrix, and in a discrete layer on the articulating surface of normal articular cartilage. In normal articular (hyaline) cartilage in the human and goat, the proteins were found co-localized pericellularly. In contrast, in human osteoarthritic articular cartilage, collagen type IV but not laminin was found in the pericellular region. Nonpathological fibrocartilaginous tissues from the goat, including the menisci and the enthesis, were also positive for both laminin and collagen type IV pericellularly. In degenerated fibrocartilage, including intervertebral disc, as in degenerated hyaline cartilage only collagen type IV was found pericellularly around chondrocytes but with less intense staining than in non-degenerated tissue. In calcified cartilage, some cells were positive for laminin but not type IV collagen. We report differences in expression of the BM molecules, laminin and collagen type IV, in normal and degenerative cartilaginous tissues from adult humans and goats. In degenerative tissues laminin is depleted from the pericellular matrix before collagen type IV. The findings may inform future studies of the processes underlying cartilage degeneration and the functional roles of these 2 extracellular matrix proteins

  20. Halogens are key cofactors in building of collagen IV scaffolds outside the cell.

    PubMed

    Brown, Kyle L; Hudson, Billy G; Voziyan, Paul A

    2018-05-01

    The purpose of this review is to highlight recent advances in understanding the molecular assembly of basement membranes, as exemplified by the glomerular basement membrane (GBM) of the kidney filtration apparatus. In particular, an essential role of halogens in the basement membrane formation has been discovered. Extracellular chloride triggers a molecular switch within non collagenous domains of collagen IV that induces protomer oligomerization and scaffold assembly outside the cell. Moreover, bromide is an essential cofactor in enzymatic cross-linking that reinforces the stability of scaffolds. Halogenation and halogen-induced oxidation of the collagen IV scaffold in disease states damage scaffold function. Halogens play an essential role in the formation of collagen IV scaffolds of basement membranes. Pathogenic damage of these scaffolds by halogenation and halogen-induced oxidation is a potential target for therapeutic interventions.

  1. Distribution of Collagen I, III, and IV and Laminin in the Human Liver during Prenatal Development.

    PubMed

    Jović, Marko; Nikolić, Ivan; Todorović, Vera; Petrović, Aleksandar; Petrović, Vladimir; Mojsilović, Marijola; Denčić, Tijana

    2018-06-27

    In the absence of systematized data on the extracellular matrix components during prenatal liver development, the present study aimed to investigate the time of appearance and distribution of collagen types I, III, and IV and laminin. The study material included embryonic and fetal livers, aged 7-37 weeks, categorized into 3 trimesters. The material was stained using hematoxylin-eosin and immunohistochemistry methods for the identification of collagen I, III, and IV and laminin. Collagen I was detected near the end of the first trimester in the capsules and walls of interlobular veins. As the liver matures, collagen I is increasingly abundant in the capsules, portal area connective tissues, arterial walls, interlobular veins, sinusoids, and central veins. Collagen III and collagen IV appear in the middle of the first trimester in the capsules, portal areas, and walls of central veins, as well as the sinusoids particularly. In trimesters 2 and 3, these collagens are increasingly present in all the structures, but collagen IV is also present in nerve fibers. Laminin is sporadically present adjacent to the sinusoids in trimester 1, while in trimesters 2 and 3 this protein commonly appears in the walls of arteries and interlobular veins, in the basal membrane of bile ducts, and in nerve fibers. The contents of collagen I, III, and IV increase during prenatal development in the liver capsule, arterial and vein walls, sinusoids, and portal area. Laminin expression is consistent with that of the collagens with the exception that, within lobules, laminin disappears with liver maturation. © 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  2. Insights into early extracellular matrix evolution: spongin short chain collagen-related proteins are homologous to basement membrane type IV collagens and form a novel family widely distributed in invertebrates.

    PubMed

    Aouacheria, Abdel; Geourjon, Christophe; Aghajari, Nushin; Navratil, Vincent; Deléage, Gilbert; Lethias, Claire; Exposito, Jean-Yves

    2006-12-01

    Collagens are thought to represent one of the most important molecular innovations in the metazoan line. Basement membrane type IV collagen is present in all Eumetazoa and was found in Homoscleromorpha, a sponge group with a well-organized epithelium, which may represent the first stage of tissue differentiation during animal evolution. In contrast, spongin seems to be a demosponge-specific collagenous protein, which can totally substitute an inorganic skeleton, such as in the well-known bath sponge. In the freshwater sponge Ephydatia mülleri, we previously characterized a family of short-chain collagens that are likely to be main components of spongins. Using a combination of sequence- and structure-based methods, we present evidence of remote homology between the carboxyl-terminal noncollagenous NC1 domain of spongin short-chain collagens and type IV collagen. Unexpectedly, spongin short-chain collagen-related proteins were retrieved in nonsponge animals, suggesting that a family related to spongin constitutes an evolutionary sister to the type IV collagen family. Formation of the ancestral NC1 domain and divergence of the spongin short-chain collagen-related and type IV collagen families may have occurred before the parazoan-eumetazoan split, the earliest divergence among extant animal phyla. Molecular phylogenetics based on NC1 domain sequences suggest distinct evolutionary histories for spongin short-chain collagen-related and type IV collagen families that include spongin short-chain collagen-related gene loss in the ancestors of Ecdyzosoa and of vertebrates. The fact that a majority of invertebrates encodes spongin short-chain collagen-related proteins raises the important question to the possible function of its members. Considering the importance of collagens for animal structure and substratum attachment, both families may have played crucial roles in animal diversification.

  3. Minor Type IV Collagen α5 Chain Promotes Cancer Progression through Discoidin Domain Receptor-1

    PubMed Central

    Xiao, Qian; Jiang, Yan; Liu, Qingbo; Yue, Jiao; Liu, Chunying; Zhao, Xiaotong; Qiao, Yuemei; Ji, Hongbin; Chen, Jianfeng; Ge, Gaoxiang

    2015-01-01

    Type IV collagens (Col IV), components of basement membrane, are essential in the maintenance of tissue integrity and proper function. Alteration of Col IV is related to developmental defects and diseases, including cancer. Col IV α chains form α1α1α2, α3α4α5 and α5α5α6 protomers that further form collagen networks. Despite knowledge on the functions of major Col IV (α1α1α2), little is known whether minor Col IV (α3α4α5 and α5α5α6) plays a role in cancer. It also remains to be elucidated whether major and minor Col IV are functionally redundant. We show that minor Col IV α5 chain is indispensable in cancer development by using α5(IV)-deficient mouse model. Ablation of α5(IV) significantly impeded the development of KrasG12D-driven lung cancer without affecting major Col IV expression. Epithelial α5(IV) supports cancer cell proliferation, while endothelial α5(IV) is essential for efficient tumor angiogenesis. α5(IV), but not α1(IV), ablation impaired expression of non-integrin collagen receptor discoidin domain receptor-1 (DDR1) and downstream ERK activation in lung cancer cells and endothelial cells. Knockdown of DDR1 in lung cancer cells and endothelial cells phenocopied the cells deficient of α5(IV). Constitutively active DDR1 or MEK1 rescued the defects of α5(IV)-ablated cells. Thus, minor Col IV α5(IV) chain supports lung cancer progression via DDR1-mediated cancer cell autonomous and non-autonomous mechanisms. Minor Col IV can not be functionally compensated by abundant major Col IV. PMID:25992553

  4. Kidney diseases caused by glomerular basement membrane type IV collagen defects in dogs.

    PubMed

    Lees, George E

    2013-01-01

    To review the pathogenesis, as well as the clinical and pathologic features of canine glomerular diseases caused by genetic type IV collagen defects. Original studies and review articles from human and veterinary medical fields. Presence in glomerular basement membranes (GBM) of a network composed of α3.α4.α5 heterotrimers of type IV collagen is required to maintain structure and function of glomerular capillary walls. Hereditary nephropathy (HN) is the most commonly used name for kidney diseases that occur in dogs due to genetic type IV collagen abnormalities. To date, 4 different collagen IV gene mutations have been identified in dogs with HN; 2 are COL4A5 mutations that cause X-linked HN (XL-HN), and 2 are COL4A4 mutations that cause autosomal recessive HN (AR-HN). Affected males with XL-HN and affected males and females with AR-HN develop juvenile-onset kidney disease manifested by proteinuria typically starting at 3-6 months of age and followed by progressive kidney disease leading to terminal failure usually at 6-24 months of age. Carrier female dogs with XL-HN also develop proteinuria starting at 3-6 months of age, but progressive disease causing kidney failure is uncommon until they are >5 years old. The distinctive pathologic lesions of HN are extensive multilaminar splitting and thickening of the GBM, as demonstrated by electron microscopy, and abnormal type IV collagen α-chain content of basement membranes, as demonstrated by immunolabeling. Identification of the underlying gene mutations has permitted genetic testing and selective breeding practices that currently are minimizing HN in breeds known to be at risk. Canine HN is a rare disease that should be considered whenever a dog exhibits a juvenile-onset kidney disease characterized partly by proteinuria, but highly specialized methods are required to pursue a definitive diagnosis. © Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society 2013.

  5. Ultrastructural sinusoidal changes in extrahepatic cholestasis. Light and electron microscopic immunohistochemical localization of collagen type III and type IV.

    PubMed

    Gulubova, M V

    1996-07-01

    Extrahepatic cholestasis causes excessive extracellular matrix formation perisinusoidally. Ito cells, transitional and endothelial cells are considered to be a source of extracellular matrix proteins in experimental cholestasis. The localization of collagens type III and type IV in human liver in extrahepatic cholestasis was investigated immunohistochemically in the present study. Immersion fixation was used after modification to be applied to surgical biopsies with commercially available kits. Sinusoidal changes were observed that indicated excessive collagen and matrix formation. Light microscopically, increased immunostaining with the two collagen antibodies was found perisinusoidally and portally. Ultrastructurally, collagen type III positive fibres were found beneath basement membranes of vessels, in collagen bundles and as a fibrillar network in the space of Disse. Collagen type IV immunostaining was located in portal tracts and near hepatocyte microvilli. Intracellular staining with collagen type IV was detected in the rough endoplasmic reticulum of some transitional cells. Immunostaining was located around transitional cells, Ito cells or endothelial cells mainly. Our study indicates that Ito cells, transitional and endothelial cells are the main source of collagens type III and IV in the space of Disse in extrahepatic cholestasis in humans.

  6. L-arginine mediated renaturation enhances yield of human, α6 type IV collagen non-collagenous domain from bacterial inclusion bodies

    PubMed Central

    Gunda, Venugopal; Boosani, Chandra Shekhar; Verma, Raj Kumar; Guda, Chittibabu; Akul Sudhakar, Yakkanti

    2012-01-01

    The anti-angiogenic, carboxy terminal non-collagenous domain (NC1) derived from human Collagen type IV alpha 6 chain, [α6(IV)NC1] or hexastatin, was earlier obtained using different recombinant methods of expression in bacterial systems. However, the effect of L-arginine mediated renaturation in enhancing the relative yields of this protein from bacterial inclusion bodies has not been evaluated. In the present study, direct stirring and on-column renaturation methods using L-arginine and different size exclusion chromatography matrices were applied for enhancing the solubility in purifying the recombinant α6(IV)NC1 from bacterial inclusion bodies. This methodology enabled purification of higher quantities of soluble protein from inclusion bodies, which inhibited endothelial cell proliferation, migration and tube formation. Thus, the scope for L-arginine mediated renaturation in obtaining higher yields of soluble, biologically active NC1 domain from bacterial inclusion bodies was evaluated. PMID:22512648

  7. L-arginine mediated renaturation enhances yield of human, α6 Type IV collagen non-collagenous domain from bacterial inclusion bodies.

    PubMed

    Gunda, Venugopal; Boosani, Chandra Shekhar; Verma, Raj Kumar; Guda, Chittibabu; Sudhakar, Yakkanti Akul

    2012-10-01

    The anti-angiogenic, carboxy terminal non-collagenous domain (NC1) derived from human Collagen type IV alpha 6 chain, [α6(IV)NC1] or hexastatin, was earlier obtained using different recombinant methods of expression in bacterial systems. However, the effect of L-arginine mediated renaturation in enhancing the relative yields of this protein from bacterial inclusion bodies has not been evaluated. In the present study, direct stirring and on-column renaturation methods using L-arginine and different size exclusion chromatography matrices were applied for enhancing the solubility in purifying the recombinant α6(IV)NC1 from bacterial inclusion bodies. This methodology enabled purification of higher quantities of soluble protein from inclusion bodies, which inhibited endothelial cell proliferation, migration and tube formation. Thus, the scope for L-arginine mediated renaturation in obtaining higher yields of soluble, biologically active NC1 domain from bacterial inclusion bodies was evaluated.

  8. Proteolytic processing of lysyl oxidase-like-2 in the extracellular matrix is required for crosslinking of basement membrane collagen IV.

    PubMed

    López-Jiménez, Alberto J; Basak, Trayambak; Vanacore, Roberto M

    2017-10-13

    Lysyl oxidase-like-2 (LOXL2) is an enzyme secreted into the extracellular matrix that crosslinks collagens by mediating oxidative deamination of lysine residues. Our previous work demonstrated that this enzyme crosslinks the 7S domain, a structural domain that stabilizes collagen IV scaffolds in the basement membrane. Despite its relevant role in extracellular matrix biosynthesis, little is known about the structural requirements of LOXL2 that enable collagen IV crosslinking. In this study, we demonstrate that LOXL2 is processed extracellularly by serine proteases, generating a 65-kDa form lacking the first two scavenger receptor cysteine-rich domains. Site-specific mutagenesis to prevent proteolytic processing generated a full-length enzyme that is active in vitro toward a soluble substrate, but fails to crosslink insoluble collagen IV within the extracellular matrix. In contrast, the processed form of LOXL2 binds to collagen IV and crosslinks the 7S domain. Together, our data demonstrate that proteolytic processing is an important event that allows LOXL2-mediated crosslinking of basement membrane collagen IV. © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  9. The Haemophilus influenzae Hap Autotransporter Binds to Fibronectin, Laminin, and Collagen IV

    PubMed Central

    Fink, Doran L.; Green, Bruce A.; St. Geme III, Joseph W.

    2002-01-01

    Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHI) initiates infection by colonizing the upper respiratory tract mucosa. NTHI disease frequently occurs in the context of respiratory tract inflammation, where organisms encounter damaged epithelium and exposed basement membrane. In this study, we examined interactions between the H. influenzae Hap adhesin and selected extracellular matrix proteins. Hap is an autotransporter protein that undergoes autoproteolytic cleavage, with release of the adhesive passenger domain, Haps, from the bacterial cell surface. We found that Hap promotes bacterial adherence to purified fibronectin, laminin, and collagen IV and that Hap-mediated adherence is enhanced by inhibition of autoproteolysis. Adherence is inhibited by pretreatment of bacteria with a polyclonal antiserum recognizing Haps. Purified Haps binds with high affinity to fibronectin, laminin, and collagen IV but not to collagen II. Binding of Haps to fibronectin involves interaction with the 45-kDa gelatin-binding domain but not the 30-kDa heparin-binding domain of fibronectin. Taken together, these observations suggest that interactions between Hap and extracellular matrix proteins may play an important role in NTHI colonization of the respiratory tract. PMID:12183535

  10. Urinary type IV collagen is related to left ventricular diastolic function and brain natriuretic peptide in hypertensive patients with prediabetes.

    PubMed

    Iida, Masato; Yamamoto, Mitsuru; Ishiguro, Yuko S; Yamazaki, Masatoshi; Ueda, Norihiro; Honjo, Haruo; Kamiya, Kaichirou

    2014-01-01

    Urinary type IV collagen is an early biomarker of diabetic nephropathy. Concomitant prediabetes (the early stage of diabetes) was associated with left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction and increased brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) in hypertensive patients. We hypothesized that urinary type IV collagen may be related to these cardiac dysfunctions. We studied hypertensive patients with early prediabetes (HbA1c <5.7% and fasting glucose >110, n=18), those with prediabetes (HbA1c 5.7-6.4, n=98), and those with diabetes (HbA1c>6.5 or on diabetes medications, n=92). The participants underwent echocardiography to assess left atrial volume/body surface area (BSA) and the ratio of early mitral flow velocity to mitral annular velocity (E/e'). Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) was defined if patients had E/e'≥15, or E/e'=9-14 accompanied by left atrial volume/BSA≥32ml/mm(2). Urinary samples were collected for type IV collagen and albumin, and blood samples were taken for BNP and HbA1c. Urinary type IV collagen and albumin increased in parallel with the deterioration of glycemic status. In hypertensive patients with prediabetes, subjects with LVDD had higher levels of BNP and urinary type IV collagen than those without LVDD. In contrast, in hypertensive patients with diabetes, subjects with LVDD had higher urinary albumin and BNP than those without LVDD. Urinary type IV collagen correlated positively with BNP in hypertensive patients with prediabetes, whereas it correlated with HbA1c in those with diabetes. In hypertensive patients with prediabetes, urinary type IV collagen was associated with LV diastolic dysfunction and BNP. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Collagen-IV supported embryoid bodies formation and differentiation from buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) embryonic stem cells

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Taru Sharma, G., E-mail: gts553@gmail.com; Dubey, Pawan K.; Verma, Om Prakash

    Graphical abstract: EBs formation, characterization and expression of germinal layers marker genes of in vivo developed teratoma using four different types of extracellular matrices. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Collagen-IV matrix is found cytocompatible for EBs formation and differentiation. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Established 3D microenvironment for ES cells development and differentiation into three germ layers. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Collagen-IV may be useful as promising candidate for ES cells based therapeutic applications. -- Abstract: Embryoid bodies (EBs) are used as in vitro model to study early extraembryonic tissue formation and differentiation. In this study, a novel method using three dimensional extracellular matrices for in vitro generation of EBsmore » from buffalo embryonic stem (ES) cells and its differentiation potential by teratoma formation was successfully established. In vitro derived inner cell masses (ICMs) of hatched buffalo blastocyst were cultured on buffalo fetal fibroblast feeder layer for primary cell colony formation. For generation of EBs, pluripotent ES cells were seeded onto four different types of extracellular matrices viz; collagen-IV, laminin, fibronectin and matrigel using undifferentiating ES cell culture medium. After 5 days of culture, ESCs gradually grew into aggregates and formed simple EBs having circular structures. Twenty-six days later, they formed cystic EBs over collagen matrix with higher EBs formation and greater proliferation rate as compared to other extracellular matrices. Studies involving histological observations, fluorescence microscopy and RT-PCR analysis of the in vivo developed teratoma revealed that presence of all the three germ layer derivatives viz. ectoderm (NCAM), mesoderm (Flk-1) and endoderm (AFP). In conclusion, the method described here demonstrates a simple and cost-effective way of generating EBs from buffalo ES cells. Collagen-IV matrix was found cytocompatible as

  12. Role of 17 beta-estradiol on type IV collagen fibers volumetric density in the basement membrane of bladder wall.

    PubMed

    de Fraga, Rogerio; Dambros, Miriam; Miyaoka, Ricardo; Riccetto, Cássio Luís Zanettini; Palma, Paulo César Rodrigues

    2007-10-01

    The authors quantified the type IV collagen fibers volumetric density in the basement membrane of bladder wall of ovariectomized rats with and without estradiol replacement. This study was conducted on 40 Wistar rats (3 months old) randomly divided in 4 groups: group 1, remained intact (control); group 2, submitted to bilateral oophorectomy and daily replacement 4 weeks later of 17 beta-estradiol for 12 weeks; group 3, sham operated and daily replacement 4 weeks later of sesame oil for 12 weeks; and group 4, submitted to bilateral oophorectomy and killed after 12 weeks. It was used in immunohistochemistry evaluation using type IV collagen polyclonal antibody to stain the fibers on paraffin rat bladder sections. The M-42 stereological grid system was used to analyze the fibers. Ovariectomy had an increase effect on the volumetric density of the type IV collagen fibers in the basement membrane of rat bladder wall. Estradiol replacement in castrated animals demonstrated a significative difference in the stereological parameters when compared to the castrated group without hormonal replacement. Surgical castration performed on rats induced an increasing volumetric density of type IV collagen fibers in the basement membrane of rats bladder wall and the estradiol treatment had a significant effect in keeping a low volumetric density of type IV collagen fibers in the basement membrane of rats bladder wall.

  13. Irradiation Alters MMP-2/TIMP-2 System and Collagen Type IV Degradation in Brain

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lee, Won Hee; Warrington, Junie P.; Sonntag, William E.

    Purpose: Blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption is one of the major consequences of radiation-induced normal tissue injury in the central nervous system. We examined the effects of whole-brain irradiation on matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs)/tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) and extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation in the brain. Methods and Materials: Animals received either whole-brain irradiation (a single dose of 10 Gy {gamma}-rays or a fractionated dose of 40 Gy {gamma}-rays, total) or sham-irradiation and were maintained for 4, 8, and 24 h following irradiation. mRNA expression levels of MMPs and TIMPs in the brain were analyzed by real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (PCR).more » The functional activity of MMPs was measured by in situ zymography, and degradation of ECM was visualized by collagen type IV immunofluorescent staining. Results: A significant increase in mRNA expression levels of MMP-2, MMP-9, and TIMP-1 was observed in irradiated brains compared to that in sham-irradiated controls. In situ zymography revealed a strong gelatinolytic activity in the brain 24 h postirradiation, and the enhanced gelatinolytic activity mediated by irradiation was significantly attenuated in the presence of anti-MMP-2 antibody. A significant reduction in collagen type IV immunoreactivity was also detected in the brain at 24 h after irradiation. In contrast, the levels of collagen type IV were not significantly changed at 4 and 8 h after irradiation compared with the sham-irradiated controls. Conclusions: The present study demonstrates for the first time that radiation induces an imbalance between MMP-2 and TIMP-2 levels and suggests that degradation of collagen type IV, a major ECM component of BBB basement membrane, may have a role in the pathogenesis of brain injury.« less

  14. Diagnostic efficiency of amylase and type IV collagen in predicting chronic pancreatitis.

    PubMed

    Das, Subir Kumar; Varadhan, Sowmya; Dhanya, L; Mukherjee, Sukhes; Mohana, S; Balakrishnan, V; Vasudevan, D M

    2009-01-01

    Chronic pancreatitis, an irreversible inflammatory disease of the pancreas, is associated with the replacement of the destroyed parenchyma by extended development of fibrosis. Despite marked progress in diagnostic tools, no consensus has been reached in diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis. In this study we examined the hematological and biochemical parameters among 40 chronic pancreatitis patients within 18 to 67 yrs. ESR level and ALP activity was elevated in 40% cases. Serum amylase activity increased in 32 patients and it showed significant correlation with ALP (r=0.458, p=0.003), CA-19.9 (r=0.556, p<0.001), and calcium level (r=-0.472, p=0.002). Type IV collagen level in chronic pancreatitis also elevated (164.4 ± 55.5 ng/ml) and showed negative significant correlation with calcium level (r= -0.505, p=0.001). However, no significant correlation was observed between amylase activity and type IV collagen (r=0.289, p= 0.07).

  15. Bromine is an essential trace element for assembly of collagen IV scaffolds in tissue development and architecture

    PubMed Central

    McCall, A. Scott; Cummings, Christopher F.; Bhave, Gautam; Vanacore, Roberto; Page-McCaw, Andrea; Hudson, Billy G.

    2014-01-01

    Summary Bromine is ubiquitously present in animals as ionic bromide (Br−) yet has no known essential function. Herein, we demonstrate that Br− is a required cofactor for peroxidasin-catalyzed formation of sulfilimine crosslinks, a post-translational modification essential for tissue development and architecture found within the collagen IV scaffold of basement membranes (BMs). Bromide, converted to hypobromous acid, forms a bromosulfonium-ion intermediate that energetically selects for sulfilimine formation. Dietary Br-deficiency is lethal in Drosophila while Br-replenishment restores viability, demonstrating its physiologic requirement. Importantly, Br-deficient flies phenocopy the developmental and BM defects observed in peroxidasin mutants and indicate a functional connection between Br−, collagen IV, and peroxidasin. We establish that Br− is required for sulfilimine formation within collagen IV, an event critical for BM assembly and tissue development. Thus, bromine is an essential trace element for all animals and its deficiency may be relevant to BM alterations observed in nutritional and smoking related disease. PMID:24906154

  16. A Sulfilimine Bond Identified in Collagen IV

    PubMed Central

    Vanacore, Roberto; Ham, Amy-Joan L.; Voehler, Markus; Sanders, Charles R.; Conrads, Thomas P.; Veenstra, Timothy D.; Sharpless, K. Barry; Dawson, Philip E.; Hudson, Billy G.

    2010-01-01

    Collagen IV networks are ancient proteins of basement membranes that underlie epithelia in metazoa from sponge to human. The networks provide structural integrity to tissues and serve as ligands for integrin cell-surface receptors. They are assembled by oligomerization of triple-helical protomers and are covalently cross-linked, a key reinforcement that stabilizes networks. We used Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to show that a sulfilimine bond (-S=N-) crosslinks hydroxylysine-211 and methionine-93 of adjoining protomers, a bond not previously found in biomolecules. This bond, the nitrogen analog of a sulfoxide, appears to have arisen at the divergence of sponge and cnidaria, an adaptation of the extracellular matrix in response to mechanical stress in metazoan evolution. PMID:19729652

  17. Protease nexin 1 is a potent urinary plasminogen activator inhibitor in the presence of collagen type IV.

    PubMed

    Crisp, Robert J; Knauer, Mary F; Knauer, Daniel J

    2002-12-06

    Protease nexin 1 (PN1) in solution forms inhibitory complexes with thrombin or urokinase, which have opposing effects on the blood coagulation cascade. An initial report provided data supporting the idea that PN1 target protease specificity is under the influence of collagen type IV (1). Although collagen type IV demonstrated no effect on the association rate between PN1 and thrombin, the study reported that the association rate between PN1 and urokinase was allosterically reduced 10-fold. This has led to the generally accepted idea that the primary role of PN1 in the brain is to act as a rapid thrombin inhibition and clearance mechanism during trauma and loss of vascular integrity. In studies to identify the structural determinants of PN1 that mediate the allosteric interaction with collagen type IV, we found that protease specificity was only affected after transient exposure of PN1 to acidic conditions that mimic the elution protocol from a monoclonal antibody column. Because PN1 used in previous studies was purified over a monoclonal antibody column, we propose that the allosteric regulation of PN1 target protease specificity by collagen type IV is a result of the purification protocol. We provide both biochemical and kinetic data to support this conclusion. This finding is significant because it implies that PN1 may play a much larger role in the modeling and remodeling of brain tissues during development and is not simply an extravasated thrombin clearance mechanism as previously suggested.

  18. Attachment Disorganization.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Solomon, Judith, Ed.; George, Carol, Ed.

    Disorganized attachment relationships were first formally identified on the basis of the anomalous behavior of some infants during laboratory separations and reunions with the parent. This book presents new research and theory on the topic of attachment disorganization, an area of investigation that is of increasing importance in the study of…

  19. Goodpasture's autoimmune disease - A collagen IV disorder.

    PubMed

    Pedchenko, Vadim; Richard Kitching, A; Hudson, Billy G

    2018-05-12

    Goodpasture's (GP) disease is an autoimmune disorder characterized by the deposition of pathogenic autoantibodies in basement membranes of kidney and lung eliciting rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis and pulmonary hemorrhage. The principal autoantigen is the α345 network of collagen IV, which expression is restricted to target tissues. Recent discoveries include a key role of chloride and bromide for network assembly, a novel posttranslational modification of the antigen, a sulfilimine bond that crosslinks the antigen, and the mechanistic role of HLA in genetic susceptibility and resistance to GP disease. These advances provide further insights into molecular mechanisms of initiation and progression of GP disease and serve as a basis for developing of novel diagnostic tools and therapies for treatment of Goodpasture's disease. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  20. A mouse collagen4α4 mutation causing Alport glomerulosclerosis with abnormal collagen α3α4α5(IV) trimers

    PubMed Central

    Korstanje, Ron; Caputo, Christina; Doty, Rosalinda; Cook, Susan; Bronson, Roderick; Davisson, Muriel; Miner, Jeffrey H.

    2013-01-01

    A spontaneous mutation termed bilateral wasting kidneys (bwk) was identified in a colony of NONcNZO recombinant inbred mice. These mice exhibit a rapid increase of urinary albumin at an early age associated with glomerulosclerosis, interstitial nephritis, and tubular atrophy. The mutation was mapped to a location on Chromosome 1 containing the Col4a3 and Col4a4 genes, for which mutations in the human orthologs cause the hereditary nephritis Alport syndrome. DNA sequencing identified a G to A mutation in the conserved GT splice donor of Col4a4 intron 30, resulting in skipping of exon 30 but maintaining the mRNA reading frame. Protein analyses showed that mutant collagen α3α4α5(IV) trimers were secreted and incorporated into the glomerular basement membrane (GBM), but levels were low, and GBM lesions typical of Alport syndrome were observed. Moving the mutation into the more renal damage-prone DBA/2J and 129S1/SvImJ backgrounds revealed differences in albuminuria and its rate of increase, suggesting an interaction between the Col4a4 mutation and modifier genes. This novel mouse model of Alport syndrome is the only one shown to accumulate abnormal collagen α3α4α5(IV) in the GBM, as also found in a subset of Alport patients. These mice will be valuable for testing potential therapies, for understanding abnormal collagen IV structure and assembly, for gaining better insights into the mechanisms leading to Alport syndrome and to the variability in the age of onset and associated phenotypes. PMID:24522496

  1. Artesunate modulates expression of matrix metalloproteinases and their inhibitors as well as collagen-IV to attenuate pulmonary fibrosis in rats.

    PubMed

    Wang, Y; Huang, G; Mo, B; Wang, C

    2016-06-03

    The aim of this study was to determine the effect of artesunate on extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation and the expression of collagen-IV, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP), and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase (TIMP) to understand the pharmacological role of artesunate in pulmonary fibrosis. Eighty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to four groups that were administered saline alone, bleomycin (BLM) alone, BLM + artesunate, or artesunate alone for 28 days. Lung tissues from 10 rats in each group were used to obtain lung fibroblast (LF) primary cells, and the rest were used to analyze protein expression. The mRNA expression of collagen-IV, MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2 in lung fibroblasts was detected by real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. The protein levels of collagen-IV, MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2 protein in lung tissues were analyzed by western blotting. Artesunate treatment alleviated alveolitis and pulmonary fibrosis induced by bleomycin in rats, as indicated by a decreased lung coefficient and improvement of lung tissue morphology. Artesunate treatment also led to decreased collagen-IV protein levels, which might be a result of its downregulated expression and increased MMP-2 and MMP-9 protein and mRNA levels. Increased TIMP-1 and TIMP- 2 protein and mRNA levels were detected after artesunate treatment in lung tissues and primary lung fibroblast cells and may contribute to enhanced activity of MMP-2 and -9. These findings suggested that artesunate attenuates alveolitis and pulmonary fibrosis by regulating expression of collagen-IV, TIMP-1 and 2, as well as MMP-2 and -9, to reduce ECM accumulation.

  2. Glomerular basement membrane injuries in IgA nephropathy evaluated by double immunostaining for α5(IV) and α2(IV) chains of type IV collagen and low-vacuum scanning electron microscopy.

    PubMed

    Masuda, Yukinari; Yamanaka, Nobuaki; Ishikawa, Arimi; Kataoka, Mitue; Arai, Takashi; Wakamatsu, Kyoko; Kuwahara, Naomi; Nagahama, Kiyotaka; Ichikawa, Kaori; Shimizu, Akira

    2015-06-01

    The glomerulus contains well-developed capillaries, which are at risk of injury due to high hydrostatic pressure, hyperfiltration, hypertension and inflammation. However, the pathological alterations of the injured glomerular basement membrane (GBM), the main component of the glomerular filtration barrier, are still uncertain in cases of glomerulonephritis. We examined the alterations of the GBM in 50 renal biopsy cases with IgA nephropathy (31.8 ± 17.6 years old) using double immunostaining for the α2(IV) and α5(IV) chains of type IV collagen, and examining the ultrastructural alterations by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and low-vacuum scanning electron microscopy (LV-SEM). The GBM of IgA nephropathy cases showed various morphological and qualitative alterations. In the TEM findings, thinning, gaps, rupture, thickening with a lamellar and reticular structure and double contours were detected in the GBM. Double immunostaining for α5(IV) and α2(IV) showed thickening of the GBM with reduced α5(IV) and increased α2(IV), or mosaic images of α5(IV) and α2(IV), and holes, fractures, spiny projections and rupture of α5(IV) in the GBM. In addition, LV-SEM showed an etched image and multiple holes in a widening and wavy GBM. These findings might be associated with the development of a brittle GBM in IgA nephropathy. Glomerular basement membrane alterations were frequently noted in IgA nephropathy, and were easily evaluated by double immunostaining for α2(IV) and α5(IV) of type IV collagen and LV-SEM. The application of these analyses to human renal biopsy specimens may enhance our understanding of the alterations of the GBM that occur in human glomerular diseases.

  3. Synthesis of prolyl 4-hydroxylase alpha subunit and type IV collagen in hemocytic granular cells of silkworm, Bombyx mori: Involvement of type IV collagen in self-defense reaction and metamorphosis.

    PubMed

    Adachi, Takahiro; Tomita, Masahiro; Yoshizato, Katsutoshi

    2005-04-01

    The present study shows that hemocytic granular cells synthesize and secrete type IV collagen (ColIV) in the silkworm Bombyx mori (B. mori) and suggests that these cells play roles in the formation of basement membrane, the encapsulation of foreign bodies, and the metamorphic remodeling of the gut. The full- and partial-length cDNA of B. mori prolyl 4-hydroxylase alpha subunit (BmP4Halpha) and B. mori ColIV (BmColIV) were cloned, respectively. In situ hybridization and immunocytochemistry on larval tissues and cells identified hemocytic granular cells as the cells that express mRNAs and proteins of both BmP4Halpha and BmColIV. Immunohistochemistry and immunocytochemistry demonstrated that BmColIV was present in the basement membrane and in the secretory granules of granular cells, respectively. Granular cells in culture secreted BmColIV without accompanying the degranulation and discharged it from the granules when the cells were degranulated. Nylon threads were inserted into the hemocoel of larvae. Granular cells concentrated around the nylon threads and encapsulated them as a self-defense reaction. BmColIV was found to be a component of the capsules. Furthermore, the present study showed that actively BmColIV-expressing granular cells accumulated around the midgut epithelium and formed BmColIV-rich thick basal lamina-like structures there in larval to pupal metamorphosis.

  4. Immunohistochemical assessment of collagen types I, III, IV and VI in biopsy samples of the bovine uterine wall collected during the oestrous cycle.

    PubMed

    Boos, A

    2000-01-01

    Uterine biopsies were collected at cycle days 1 (oestrous), 8, 15 and 19 in six cows. Unfixed cryostat sections were used to immunolocalise collagen types I, III, IV and VI by an indirect FITC method. Collagen I was sparsely found in the endometrium where it formed a fine meshwork of thin fibres directly below the surface epithelium, clearly visible only at cycle days 8 and 15. Collagen III formed the bulk of connective tissue fibres and was arranged in fine aggregates within the superficial endometrial stroma, while in the deeper areas it consisted of many thick fibre bundles. Collagen IV was found in basement membranes underlying all endometrial epithelia. Furthermore, it surrounded smooth muscle cells of blood vessels. A few single fibrils also stained positively within the endometrial stroma, more numerous at cycle days 1 and 19 as compared to days 8 and 15. Collagen VI formed a mesh of fine and pericellularly situated fibrils within the endometrial stroma. The contribution of the collagen types studied to the connective tissue of caruncles, blood vessels, lymph follicles, and myometrium is also reported. The results of the present study indicate that the connective tissue of the bovine uterine wall is composed of different collagen types, which exhibit a characteristic distribution pattern each. The day of cycle may influence amounts and organisation of collagen types I and IV as demonstrated here at the light-microscopical level. Copyright 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel

  5. Ubiquitin-specific protease 8 deubiquitinates Sec31A and decreases large COPII carriers and collagen IV secretion.

    PubMed

    Kawaguchi, Kohei; Endo, Akinori; Fukushima, Toshiaki; Madoka, Yuka; Tanaka, Toshiaki; Komada, Masayuki

    2018-05-15

    Nascent cargo proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum are transported to the Golgi by COPII carriers. Typical COPII vesicles are 60-70 nm in diameter, and much larger macromolecules, such as procollagen, are transported by atypical large COPII carriers in mammalian cells. The formation of large COPII carriers is enhanced by Cul3 ubiquitin ligase, which mono-ubiquitinates Sec31A, a COPII coat protein. However, the deubiquitinating enzyme for Sec31A was unclear. Here, we show that the deubiquitinating enzyme USP8 interacts with and deubiquitinates Sec31A. The interaction was mediated by the adaptor protein STAM1. USP8 overexpression inhibited the formation of large COPII carriers. By contrast, USP8 knockdown caused the accumulation of COPII coat proteins around the cis-Golgi, promoted the intracellular trafficking of procollagen IV from the endoplasmic reticulum to the Golgi, and increased collagen IV secretion. We concluded that USP8 deubiquitinates Sec31A and inhibits the formation of large COPII carriers, thereby suppressing collagen IV secretion. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Immunohistochemical distribution of collagens type I, III, IV and VI, of undulin and of tenascin in oral fibrous hyperplasia.

    PubMed

    Becker, J; Schuppan, D; Müller, S

    1993-11-01

    The distribution of collagens type I, IV and VI, of procollagen type III, of undulin and of tenascin was studied in 10 lesions which were clinically and histologically diagnosed as localized oral fibrous hyperplasias. The immunohistochemical distribution of these proteins was similar to that observed for normal oral mucosa. Undulin showed a pattern of parallel fibers throughout. Collagen type VI was pronounced in the subepithelial connective tissue, whereas the collagen fiber bundles were equally reactive for collagens type I and III. Tenascin was observed close to the subepithelial basement membrane and in proximity to collagen fiber bundles in the upper connective tissue. The present findings indicate that oral fibrous hyperplasias that are probably caused by inflammation or chronic irritation show the differentiated and ordered pattern of extracellular matrix proteins characteristic of normal oral mucosa.

  7. Matrix metalloproteinase-2 and its correlation with basal membrane components laminin-5 and collagen type IV in paediatric burn patients measured with Surface Plasmon Resonance Imaging (SPRI) biosensors.

    PubMed

    Weremijewicz, Artur; Matuszczak, Ewa; Sankiewicz, Anna; Tylicka, Marzena; Komarowska, Marta; Tokarzewicz, Anna; Debek, Wojciech; Gorodkiewicz, Ewa; Hermanowicz, Adam

    2018-06-01

    The purpose of this study was the determination of matrix metalloproteinase-2 and its correlation with basal membrane components laminin-5 and collagen type IV in the blood plasma of burn patients measured with Surface Plasmon Resonance Imaging (SPRI) biosensors. 31 children scalded by hot water who were managed at the Department of Paediatric Surgery between 2014-2015, after primarily presenting with burns in 4-20% TBSA were included into the study (age 9 months up to 14 years, mean age 2,5+1 years). There were 10 girls and 21 boys. Venous blood samples were drawn 2-6h, and 12-16h after the thermal injury, and on the subsequent days 3, 5 and 7. The matrix metalloproteinase-2, collagen type IV and laminin-5 concentrations were assessed using Surface Plasmon Resonance Imaging by the investigators blinded to the other data. The MMP-2, laminin-5 and collagen type IV concentrations in the blood plasma of patients with burns, were highest 12-16h after thermal injury, the difference was statistically significant. The MMP-2, laminin-5 and collagen type IV concentrations measured 3 days, 5 days and 7 days after the thermal injury, slowly decreased over time, and on the 7th day reached the normal range, when compared with the concentration measured in controls. Current work is the first follow-up study regarding MMP-2 in burns. MMP-2, laminin-5 and collagen type IV levels were elevated early after burn injury in the plasma of studied patients, and were highest 12-16h after the injury. MMP-2, laminin-5 and collagen type IV levels were not proportional to the severity of the burn. We believe in the possibility that the gradual decrease of MMP-2, collagen type IV and laminin-5 concentrations could be connected with the process of healing, but to prove it, more investigation is needed in this area. The SPR imaging biosensor is a good diagnostic tool for determination of MMP-2, laminin-5 and collagen type IV in blood plasma of patients with burns. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd

  8. Cervical collagen imaging for determining preterm labor risks using a colposcope with full Mueller matrix capability

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stoff, Susan; Chue-Sang, Joseph; Holness, Nola A.; Gandjbakhche, Amir; Chernomordik, Viktor; Ramella-Roman, Jessica

    2016-02-01

    Preterm birth is a worldwide health issue, as the number one cause of infant mortality and neurological disorders. Although affecting nearly 10% of all births, an accurate, reliable diagnostic method for preterm birth has, yet, to be developed. The primary constituent of the cervix, collagen, provides the structural support and mechanical strength to maintain cervical closure, through specific organization, during fetal gestation. As pregnancy progresses, the disorganization of the cervical collagen occurs to allow eventual cervical pliability so the baby can be birthed through the cervical opening. This disorganization of collagen affects the mechanical properties of the cervix and, if the changes occur prematurely, may be a significant factor leading to preterm birth. The organization of collagen can be analyzed through the use of Mueller Matrix Polarimetric imaging of the characteristic birefringence of collagen. In this research, we have built a full Mueller Matrix Polarimetry attachment to a standard colposcope to enable imaging of human cervixes during standard prenatal exams at various stages of fetal gestation. Analysis of the polarimetric images provides information of quantity and organization of cervical collagen at specific gestational stages of pregnancy. This quantitative information may provide an indication of risk of preterm birth.

  9. Proteolysis breaks tolerance toward intact α345(IV) collagen, eliciting novel anti-GBM autoantibodies specific for α345NC1 hexamers

    PubMed Central

    Olaru, Florina; Wang, Xu-Ping; Luo, Wentian; Ge, Linna; Miner, Jeffrey H; Kleinau, Sandra; Geiger, Xochiquetzal J.; Wasiluk, Andrew; Heidet, Laurence; Kitching, A. Richard; Borza, Dorin-Bogdan

    2012-01-01

    Goodpasture disease is an autoimmune kidney disease mediated by autoAbs against NC1 monomers of α3(IV) collagen that bind to the glomerular basement membrane (GBM), usually causing rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis. We identified a novel type of human IgG4-restricted anti-GBM autoAbs associated with mild non-progressive glomerulonephritis, which specifically targeted α345NC1 hexamers but not α3NC1 monomers. The mechanisms eliciting these anti-GBM autoAbs were investigated in mouse models recapitulating this phenotype. Wild type and FcγRIIB−/− mice immunized with autologous murine GBM NC1 hexamers produced mouse IgG1-restricted autoAbs specific for α345NC1 hexamers, which bound to the GBM in vivo but did not cause glomerulonephritis. In these mice, intact collagen IV from murine GBM was not immunogenic. However, in Col4a3−/− Alport mice, both intact collagen IV and NC1 hexamers from murine GBM elicited IgG antibodies specific for α3α4α5NC1 hexamers, which were not subclass restricted. As heterologous antigen in COL4A3-humanized mice, murine GBM NC1 hexamers elicited mouse IgG1, IgG2a and IgG2b autoAbs specific for α345NC1 hexamers and induced anti-GBM Ab glomerulonephritis. These findings indicate that tolerance toward autologous intact α3α4α5(IV) collagen is established in hosts expressing this antigen, even though autoreactive B cells specific for α345NC1 hexamers are not purged from their repertoire. Proteolysis selectively breaches this tolerance by generating autoimmunogenic α3α4α5NC1 hexamers. This provides a mechanism eliciting autoAbs specific for α345NC1 hexamers, which are restricted to non-inflammatory IgG subclasses and non-nephritogenic. In Alport syndrome, lack of tolerance toward α3α4α5(IV) collagen promotes production of alloantibodies to α345NC1 hexamers, including pro-inflammatory IgG subclasses which mediate post-transplant anti-GBM nephritis. PMID:23303673

  10. Alterations of type IV collagen alpha chains in patients with chronic acquired glomerulopathies: mRNA levels, protein expression and urinary loss.

    PubMed

    Sanna-Cherchi, Simone; Carnevali, Maria Luisa; Martorana, Davide; Cravedi, Paolo; Maggiore, Umberto; Alinovi, Rossella; Bovino, Achiropita; Mattei, Silvia; Orlandini, Guido; Gatti, Rita; Savi, Mario; Sado, Yoshikazu; Neri, Tauro M; Allegri, Landino

    2007-01-01

    Type IV collagen is a major structural component of the normal kidney glomerulus. However, its role in chronic acquired glomerulopathies has been only partially elucidated. Urinary levels of col(IV)alpha1, col(IV)alpha3 and col(IV)alpha5 collagen chains were analyzed in 107 patients with chronic acquired glomerulopathies. In a subgroup of 33 patients, tissue mRNA levels, protein expression and urinary excretion were evaluated for all col(IV)alpha chains, from col(IV)alpha1 to col(IV)alpha5. The renal specimens were examined to get a semiquantitative score of the acute and chronic activity of the histological lesions. Urines obtained from 13 healthy subjects and 10 normal renal tissue samples were used as controls. Urinary levels of col(IV)alpha1, col(IV)alpha3, col(IV)alpha5 chains were significantly higher in patients than in controls [p < 0.01 for all], while only col(IV)alpha1 and col(IV)alpha3 urinary excretion correlated with the degree of chronic histological damage [col(IV)alpha1 R = 0.44, p < 0.001; col(IV)alpha3: R = 0.47, p < 0.001]. Compared with controls, patients showed a renal expression of mRNA for col(IV)alpha5 chain significantly higher [p = 0.001], while having a significantly lower protein expression of col(IV)alpha3, col(IV)alpha4 and col(IV)alpha5 chains [p < 0.01 for all]. Patients with chronic acquired glomerulopathies show important alterations in the col(IV)alpha chain network mimicking some molecular features of the X-linked Alport's syndrome. Further studies are needed to show whether urinary levels of the col(IV)alpha chains may be used as markers for monitoring renal injury. Copyright 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  11. Supramolecular Organization of the α121-α565 Collagen IV Network*

    PubMed Central

    Robertson, Wesley E.; Rose, Kristie L.; Hudson, Billy G.; Vanacore, Roberto M.

    2014-01-01

    Collagen IV is a family of 6 chains (α1-α6), that form triple-helical protomers that assemble into supramolecular networks. Two distinct networks with chain compositions of α121 and α345 have been established. These oligomerize into separate α121 and α345 networks by a homotypic interaction through their trimeric noncollagenous (NC1) domains, forming α121 and α345 NC1 hexamers, respectively. These are stabilized by novel sulfilimine (SN) cross-links, a covalent cross-link that forms between Met93 and Hyl211 at the trimer-trimer interface. A third network with a composition of α1256 has been proposed, but its supramolecular organization has not been established. In this study we investigated the supramolecular organization of this network by determining the chain identity of sulfilimine-cross-linked NC1 domains derived from the α1256 NC1 hexamer. High resolution mass spectrometry analyses of peptides revealed that sulfilimine bonds specifically cross-link α1 to α5 and α2 to α6 NC1 domains, thus providing the spatial orientation between interacting α121 and α565 trimers. Using this information, we constructed a three-dimensional homology model in which the α565 trimer shows a good chemical and structural complementarity to the α121 trimer. Our studies provide the first chemical evidence for an α565 protomer and its heterotypic interaction with the α121 protomer. Moreover, our findings, in conjunction with our previous studies, establish that the six collagen IV chains are organized into three canonical protomers α121, α345, and α565 forming three distinct networks: α121, α345, and α121-α565, each of which is stabilized by sulfilimine bonds between their C-terminal NC1 domains. PMID:25006246

  12. Alport syndrome: a unified classification of genetic disorders of collagen IV α345: a position paper of the Alport Syndrome Classification Working Group.

    PubMed

    Kashtan, Clifford E; Ding, Jie; Garosi, Guido; Heidet, Laurence; Massella, Laura; Nakanishi, Koichi; Nozu, Kandai; Renieri, Alessandra; Rheault, Michelle; Wang, Fang; Gross, Oliver

    2018-05-01

    Mutations in the genes COL4A3, COL4A4, and COL4A5 affect the synthesis, assembly, deposition, or function of the collagen IV α345 molecule, the major collagenous constituent of the mature mammalian glomerular basement membrane. These mutations are associated with a spectrum of nephropathy, from microscopic hematuria to progressive renal disease leading to ESRD, and with extrarenal manifestations such as sensorineural deafness and ocular anomalies. The existing nomenclature for these conditions is confusing and can delay institution of appropriate nephroprotective therapy. Herein we propose a new classification of genetic disorders of the collagen IV α345 molecule with the goal of improving renal outcomes through regular monitoring and early treatment. Copyright © 2018 International Society of Nephrology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Pyridinium cross-links in bone of patients with osteogenesis imperfecta: evidence of a normal intrafibrillar collagen packing.

    PubMed

    Bank, R A; Tekoppele, J M; Janus, G J; Wassen, M H; Pruijs, H E; Van der Sluijs, H A; Sakkers, R J

    2000-07-01

    The brittleness of bone in patients with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) has been attributed to an aberrant collagen network. However, the role of collagen in the loss of tissue integrity has not been well established. To gain an insight into the biochemistry and structure of the collagen network, the cross-links hydroxylysylpyridinoline (HP) and lysylpyridinoline (LP) and the level of triple helical hydroxylysine (Hyl) were determined in bone of OI patients (types I, III, and IV) as well as controls. The amount of triple helical Hyl was increased in all patients. LP levels in OI were not significantly different; in contrast, the amount of HP (and as a consequence the HP/LP ratio and the total pyridinoline level) was significantly increased. There was no relationship between the sum of pyridinolines and the amount of triple helical Hyl, indicating that lysyl hydroxylation of the triple helix and the telopeptides are under separate control. Cross-linking is the result of a specific three-dimensional arrangement of collagens within the fibril; only molecules that are correctly aligned are able to form cross-links. Inasmuch as the total amount of pyridinoline cross-links in OI bone is similar to control bone, the packing geometry of intrafibrillar collagen molecules is not disturbed in OI. Consequently, the brittleness of bone is not caused by a disorganized intrafibrillar collagen packing and/or loss of cross-links. This is an unexpected finding, because mutant collagen molecules with a random distribution within the fibril are expected to result in disruptions of the alignment of neighboring collagen molecules. Pepsin digestion of OI bone revealed that collagen located at the surface of the fibril had lower cross-link levels compared with collagen located at the inside of the fibril, indicating that mutant molecules are not distributed randomly within the fibril but are located preferentially at the surface of the fibril.

  14. Inhomogeneity of collagen organization within the fibrotic scar after myocardial infarction: results in a swine model and in human samples.

    PubMed

    Hervas, Arantxa; Ruiz-Sauri, Amparo; de Dios, Elena; Forteza, Maria Jose; Minana, Gema; Nunez, Julio; Gomez, Cristina; Bonanad, Clara; Perez-Sole, Nerea; Gavara, Jose; Chorro, Francisco Javier; Bodi, Vicente

    2016-01-01

    We aimed to characterize the organization of collagen within a fibrotic scar in swine and human samples from patients with chronic infarctions. Swine were subjected to occlusion of the left anterior descending artery followed by reperfusion 1 week (acute myocardial infarction group) or 1 month (chronic myocardial infarction group) after infarction. The organization of the collagen fibers (Fast Fourier Transform of samples after picrosirius staining; higher values indicate more disorganization) was studied in 100 swine and 95 human samples. No differences in collagen organization were found between the acute and chronic groups in the core area of the scar in the experimental model. In the chronic group, the endocardium [0.90 (0.84-0.94); median (interquartile range)], epicardium [0.84 (0.79-0.91)] and peripheral area [0.73 (0.63-0.83)] displayed a much more disorganized pattern than the core area of the fibrotic scar [0.56 (0.45-0.64)]. Similarly, in human samples, the collagen fibers were more disorganized in all of the outer areas than in the core of the fibrotic scar (P < 0.0001). Both in a highly controlled experimental model and in patient samples, collagen fibers exhibited an organized pattern in the core of the infarction, whereas the outer areas displayed a high level of inhomogeneity. This finding contributes pathophysiological information regarding the healing process and may lead to a clearer understanding of the genesis and invasive treatment of arrhythmias after acute myocardial infarction. © 2015 Anatomical Society.

  15. Chondroitin sulphates A, B and C, collagen types I-IV and fibronectin in venous sinus of the red pulp in human spleen.

    PubMed

    Rovenská, E; Michalka, P; Papincák, J; Durdík, S; Jakubovský, J

    2005-01-01

    The morphological relationship of chondroitin sulphates A, B, and C, collagen types I-IV and fibronectin in the wall of venous sinuses of the red pulp in human spleen has not been a focus of interest among morphologists. Regarding the hypothesis that the structure of the spleen lends it the function of a blood filter the substances described in our study might play a significant role in the functional morphology. Of 146 human spleen surgical specimens, groups of 12 specimens each were examined under a light microscope using the method of antibodies against fibronectin, against collagen types I-IV and against chondroitin sulphates A, B, and C. The sections of the red pulp of human spleen stained with hematoxylin and eosin provided limited information about the wall of the sinuses. Chondroitin sulphates A and B were observed on the surface of sinus-lining cells (SLC), and fibronectin was detected on the surface of the annular fibers. Collagen type 11 was observed almost in the same places as chondroitin sulphates A and B. Collagen type IV was present in annular fibers of the wall of the sinus and in the basement membrane, like fibronectin. Chondroitin sulphate was not present in the walls of sinuses. Binding of antibodies against chondroitin sulphate A and against chondroitin sulphate B indicates the presence of chondroitin sulfates on the surface of SLC, where they probably play a role in helping the human organism to recognize alien and self substances. The presence of chondroitin,sulphates A and B probably affects inhibition of binding of cells with collagen type I, but not with fibronectin.

  16. Urinary type IV collagen excretion predicts subsequent declining renal function in type 2 diabetic patients with proteinuria.

    PubMed

    Katavetin, Pisut; Katavetin, Paravee; Susantitaphong, Paweena; Townamchai, Natavudh; Tiranathanagul, Khajohn; Tungsanga, Kriang; Eiam-Ong, Somchai

    2010-08-01

    Baseline urinary type IV collagen excretion was negatively correlated with the subsequent GFR change (r(s)=-0.39, p=0.04) in our cohort of 30 type 2 diabetic patients with proteinuria. Therefore, it could be used to predict subsequent declining renal function in type 2 diabetic patients with proteinuria. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Microbial BOD sensors based on Zr (IV)-loaded collagen fiber.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Lei; He, Li; Chen, Shujuan; Zou, Likou; Zhou, Kang; Ao, Xiaolin; Liu, Shuliang; Hu, Xinjie; Han, Guoquan

    2017-03-01

    Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) sensors based on Zr (IV)-loaded collagen fiber (ZrCF), a novel material with great porous structure, were developed. This novel material shows adsorbability by microorganisms. Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Escherichia coli were used for the construction of BOD sensors. Factors affecting BOD sensor performance were examined. The ZrCF-based BOD sensor showed different sensitivities and linear response ranges with different biofilm densities. The amount of microorganisms strongly affected the performance of the BOD sensor. Poor permeability of previously reported immobilization carriers were greatly circumvented by ZrCF. The service life of the ZrCF-based BOD sensor was more than 42 days. The immobilized microorganisms can be stored for more than 6 months under 4°C in PB solution. There was good correlation between the results of the sensor method and the standard 5-day BOD method in the determination of pure organic substrates and real water samples. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Relationship between anticipatory, consummatory anhedonia and disorganization in schizotypy.

    PubMed

    Loas, Gwenolé; Verrier, Annie; Monestes, Jean Louis

    2014-08-01

    The disorganized and negative dimensions of schizotypy are characterized by cognitive disorganization and anhedonia, respectively. The aim of the study was to investigate the relationships between these two dimensions of schizotypy by taking into account ambivalence and the distinction between consummatory and anticipatory anhedonia. Dimensional analysis and categorical analysis were performed on two different samples (N = 400 and 399) of university students. Self-reported scales were used to measure cognitive disorganization, anticipatory and consummatory anhedonia, and ambivalence. Dimensional analysis using confirmatory factorial analysis examined various models of disorganized and negative schizotypy and categorical analysis compared the scores on anticipatory, consummatory anhedonia and ambivalence scales between various groups of subjects presenting either disorganized schizotypy or negative schizotypy or free of schizotypy. The disorganized dimension of schizotypy was characterized by schizotypal ambivalence and anticipatory anhedonia, while the negative dimension of schizotypy was characterized by anticipatory and consummatory anhedonia. The results suggested firstly that ambivalence was not specific of disorganized schizotypy and secondly that anticipatory anhedonia was not specific of negative schizotypy.

  19. Localization of type IV collagen a 1 to a 6 chains in basement membrane during mouse molar germ development.

    PubMed

    Nagai, N; Nakano, K; Sado, Y; Naito, I; Gunduz, M; Tsujigiwa, H; Nagatsuka, H; Ninomiya, Y; Siar, C H

    2001-10-01

    The dental basement membrane (BM) putatively mediates epithelial-mesenchymal interactions during tooth morphogenesis and cytodifferentiation. Type IV collagen alpha chains, a major network-forming protein of the dental BM, was studied and results disclosed distinct expression patterns at different stages of mouse molar germ development. At the dental placode and bud stage, the BM of the oral epithelium expressed alpha 1, alpha 2, alpha 5 and alpha 6 chains while the gubernaculum dentis, in addition to the above four chains, also expressed a 4 chain. An asymmetrical expression for alpha 4, alpha 5 and alpha 6 chains was observed at the bud stage. At the early bell stage, the BM associated with the inner enamel epithelium (IEE) of molar germ expressed alpha 1, alpha 2 and alpha 4 chains while the BM of the outer enamel epithelium (OEE) expressed only alpha 1 and a 2 chains. With the onset of dentinogenesis, the collagen a chain profile of the IEE BM gradually disappeared. Howeverfrom the early to late bell stage, the gubernaculum dentis consistently expressed alpha 1, alpha 2, alpha 5 and a 6 chains resembling fetal oral mucosa. These findings suggest that stage- and position-specific distribution of type IV collagen alpha subunits occur during molar germ development and that these changes are essential for molar morphogenesis and cytodifferentiation.

  20. Genetic and Environmental Influence on Attachment Disorganization

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Spangler, Gottfried; Johann, Monika; Ronai, Zsolt; Zimmermann, Peter

    2009-01-01

    Background: Empirical studies demonstrate that maternal sensitivity is associated with attachment security in infancy, while maternal frightening/frightened behavior is related to attachment disorganization. However, attachment disorganization is also predicted by individual dispositions in infancy. Indeed, recent studies indicate a link between…

  1. Absence of FKBP10 in Recessive Type XI Osteogenesis Imperfecta Leads to Diminished Collagen Cross-Linking and Reduced Collagen Deposition in Extracellular Matrix

    PubMed Central

    Barnes, Aileen M.; Cabral, Wayne A.; Weis, MaryAnn; Makareeva, Elena; Mertz, Edward L.; Leikin, Sergey; Eyre, David; Trujillo, Carlos; Marini, Joan C.

    2012-01-01

    Recessive osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is caused by defects in genes whose products interact with type I collagen for modification and/or folding. We identified a Palestinian pedigree with moderate and lethal forms of recessive OI caused by mutations in FKBP10 or PPIB, which encode endoplasmic reticulum resident chaperone/isomerases FKBP65 and CyPB, respectively. In one pedigree branch, both parents carry a deletion in PPIB (c.563_566delACAG), causing lethal type IX OI in their two children. In another branch, a child with moderate type XI OI has a homozygous FKBP10 mutation (c.1271_1272delCCinsA). Proband FKBP10 transcripts are 4% of control and FKBP65 protein is absent from proband cells. Proband collagen electrophoresis reveals slight band broadening, compatible with ≈10% overmodification. Normal chain incorporation, helix folding, and collagen Tm support a minimal general collagen chaperone role for FKBP65. However, there is a dramatic decrease in collagen deposited in culture despite normal collagen secretion. Mass spectrometry reveals absence of hydroxylation of the collagen telopeptide lysine involved in cross-linking, suggesting that FKBP65 is required for lysyl hydroxylase activity or access to type I collagen telopeptide lysines, perhaps through its function as a peptidylprolyl isomerase. Proband collagen to organics ratio in matrix is approximately 30% of normal in Raman spectra. Immunofluorescence shows sparse, disorganized collagen fibrils in proband matrix. PMID:22718341

  2. Identification of the NC1 domain of {alpha}3 chain as critical for {alpha}3{alpha}4{alpha}5 type IV collagen network assembly.

    PubMed

    LeBleu, Valerie; Sund, Malin; Sugimoto, Hikaru; Birrane, Gabriel; Kanasaki, Keizo; Finan, Elizabeth; Miller, Caroline A; Gattone, Vincent H; McLaughlin, Heather; Shield, Charles F; Kalluri, Raghu

    2010-12-31

    The network organization of type IV collagen consisting of α3, α4, and α5 chains in the glomerular basement membrane (GBM) is speculated to involve interactions of the triple helical and NC1 domain of individual α-chains, but in vivo evidence is lacking. To specifically address the contribution of the NC1 domain in the GBM collagen network organization, we generated a mouse with specific loss of α3NC1 domain while keeping the triple helical α3 chain intact by connecting it to the human α5NC1 domain. The absence of α3NC1 domain leads to the complete loss of the α4 chain. The α3 collagenous domain is incapable of incorporating the α5 chain, resulting in the impaired organization of the α3α4α5 chain-containing network. Although the α5 chain can assemble with the α1, α2, and α6 chains, such assembly is incapable of functionally replacing the α3α4α5 protomer. This novel approach to explore the assembly type IV collagen in vivo offers novel insights in the specific role of the NC1 domain in the assembly and function of GBM during health and disease.

  3. Tissue-engineered cartilaginous constructs for the treatment of caprine cartilage defects, including distribution of laminin and type IV collagen.

    PubMed

    Jeng, Lily; Hsu, Hu-Ping; Spector, Myron

    2013-10-01

    The purpose of this study was the immunohistochemical evaluation of (1) cartilage tissue-engineered constructs; and (2) the tissue filling cartilage defects in a goat model into which the constructs were implanted, particularly for the presence of the basement membrane molecules, laminin and type IV collagen. Basement membrane molecules are localized to the pericellular matrix in normal adult articular cartilage, but have not been examined in tissue-engineered constructs cultured in vitro or in tissue filling cartilage defects into which the constructs were implanted. Cartilaginous constructs were engineered in vitro using caprine chondrocyte-seeded type II collagen scaffolds. Autologous constructs were implanted into 4-mm-diameter defects created to the tidemark in the trochlear groove in the knee joints of skeletally mature goats. Eight weeks after implantation, the animals were sacrificed. Constructs underwent immunohistochemical and histomorphometric evaluation. Widespread staining for the two basement membrane molecules was observed throughout the extracellular matrix of in vitro and in vivo samples in a distribution unlike that previously reported for cartilage. At sacrifice, 70% of the defect site was filled with reparative tissue, which consisted largely of fibrous tissue and some fibrocartilage, with over 70% of the reparative tissue bonded to the adjacent host tissue. A novel finding of this study was the observation of laminin and type IV collagen in in vitro engineered cartilaginous constructs and in vivo cartilage repair samples from defects into which the constructs were implanted, as well as in normal caprine articular cartilage. Future work is needed to elucidate the role of basement membrane molecules during cartilage repair and regeneration.

  4. Tissue-Engineered Cartilaginous Constructs for the Treatment of Caprine Cartilage Defects, Including Distribution of Laminin and Type IV Collagen

    PubMed Central

    Jeng, Lily; Hsu, Hu-Ping

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study was the immunohistochemical evaluation of (1) cartilage tissue-engineered constructs; and (2) the tissue filling cartilage defects in a goat model into which the constructs were implanted, particularly for the presence of the basement membrane molecules, laminin and type IV collagen. Basement membrane molecules are localized to the pericellular matrix in normal adult articular cartilage, but have not been examined in tissue-engineered constructs cultured in vitro or in tissue filling cartilage defects into which the constructs were implanted. Cartilaginous constructs were engineered in vitro using caprine chondrocyte-seeded type II collagen scaffolds. Autologous constructs were implanted into 4-mm-diameter defects created to the tidemark in the trochlear groove in the knee joints of skeletally mature goats. Eight weeks after implantation, the animals were sacrificed. Constructs underwent immunohistochemical and histomorphometric evaluation. Widespread staining for the two basement membrane molecules was observed throughout the extracellular matrix of in vitro and in vivo samples in a distribution unlike that previously reported for cartilage. At sacrifice, 70% of the defect site was filled with reparative tissue, which consisted largely of fibrous tissue and some fibrocartilage, with over 70% of the reparative tissue bonded to the adjacent host tissue. A novel finding of this study was the observation of laminin and type IV collagen in in vitro engineered cartilaginous constructs and in vivo cartilage repair samples from defects into which the constructs were implanted, as well as in normal caprine articular cartilage. Future work is needed to elucidate the role of basement membrane molecules during cartilage repair and regeneration. PMID:23672504

  5. Quantification of aortic and cutaneous elastin and collagen morphology in Marfan syndrome by multiphoton microscopy.

    PubMed

    Cui, Jason Z; Tehrani, Arash Y; Jett, Kimberly A; Bernatchez, Pascal; van Breemen, Cornelis; Esfandiarei, Mitra

    2014-09-01

    In a mouse model of Marfan syndrome, conventional Verhoeff-Van Gieson staining displays severe fragmentation, disorganization and loss of the aortic elastic fiber integrity. However, this method involves chemical fixatives and staining, which may alter the native morphology of elastin and collagen. Thus far, quantitative analysis of fiber damage in aorta and skin in Marfan syndrome has not yet been explored. In this study, we have used an advanced noninvasive and label-free imaging technique, multiphoton microscopy to quantify fiber fragmentation, disorganization, and total volumetric density of aortic and cutaneous elastin and collagen in a mouse model of Marfan syndrome. Aorta and skin samples were harvested from Marfan and control mice aged 3-, 6- and 9-month. Elastin and collagen were identified based on two-photon excitation fluorescence and second-harmonic-generation signals, respectively, without exogenous label. Measurement of fiber length indicated significant fragmentation in Marfan vs. control. Fast Fourier transform algorithm analysis demonstrated markedly lower fiber organization in Marfan mice. Significantly reduced volumetric density of elastin and collagen and thinner skin dermis were observed in Marfan mice. Cutaneous content of elastic fibers and thickness of dermis in 3-month Marfan resembled those in the oldest control mice. Our findings of early signs of fiber degradation and thinning of skin dermis support the potential development of a novel non-invasive approach for early diagnosis of Marfan syndrome. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Absence of FKBP10 in recessive type XI osteogenesis imperfecta leads to diminished collagen cross-linking and reduced collagen deposition in extracellular matrix.

    PubMed

    Barnes, Aileen M; Cabral, Wayne A; Weis, MaryAnn; Makareeva, Elena; Mertz, Edward L; Leikin, Sergey; Eyre, David; Trujillo, Carlos; Marini, Joan C

    2012-11-01

    Recessive osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is caused by defects in genes whose products interact with type I collagen for modification and/or folding. We identified a Palestinian pedigree with moderate and lethal forms of recessive OI caused by mutations in FKBP10 or PPIB, which encode endoplasmic reticulum resident chaperone/isomerases FKBP65 and CyPB, respectively. In one pedigree branch, both parents carry a deletion in PPIB (c.563_566delACAG), causing lethal type IX OI in their two children. In another branch, a child with moderate type XI OI has a homozygous FKBP10 mutation (c.1271_1272delCCinsA). Proband FKBP10 transcripts are 4% of control and FKBP65 protein is absent from proband cells. Proband collagen electrophoresis reveals slight band broadening, compatible with ≈10% over-modification. Normal chain incorporation, helix folding, and collagen T(m) support a minimal general collagen chaperone role for FKBP65. However, there is a dramatic decrease in collagen deposited in culture despite normal collagen secretion. Mass spectrometry reveals absence of hydroxylation of the collagen telopeptide lysine involved in cross-linking, suggesting that FKBP65 is required for lysyl hydroxylase activity or access to type I collagen telopeptide lysines, perhaps through its function as a peptidylprolyl isomerase. Proband collagen to organics ratio in matrix is approximately 30% of normal in Raman spectra. Immunofluorescence shows sparse, disorganized collagen fibrils in proband matrix. Published 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.*This article is a US Government work and, as such, is in the public domain of the United States of America.

  7. Drosophila type IV collagen mutation associates with immune system activation and intestinal dysfunction.

    PubMed

    Kiss, Márton; Kiss, András A; Radics, Monika; Popovics, Nikoletta; Hermesz, Edit; Csiszár, Katalin; Mink, Mátyás

    2016-01-01

    The basal lamina (BM) contains numerous components with a predominance of type IV collagens. Clinical manifestations associated with mutations of the human COL4A1 gene include perinatal cerebral hemorrhage and porencephaly, hereditary angiopathy, nephropathy, aneurysms and muscle cramps (HANAC), ocular dysgenesis, myopathy, Walker–Warburg syndrome and systemic tissue degeneration. In Drosophila, the phenotype associated with dominant temperature sensitive mutations of col4a1 include severe myopathy resulting from massive degradation of striated muscle fibers, and in the gut, degeneration of circular visceral muscle cells and epithelial cells following detachment from the BM. In order to determine the consequences of altered BMfunctions due to aberrant COL4A1 protein, we have carried out a series of tests using Drosophila DTS-L3 mutants from our allelic series of col4a1 mutations with confirmed degeneration of various cell types and lowest survival rate among the col4a1 mutant lines at restrictive temperature. Results demonstrated epithelial cell degeneration in the gut, shortened gut, enlarged midgut with multiple diverticulae, intestinal dysfunction and shortened life span. Midgut immunohistochemistry analyses confirmed altered expression and distribution of BM components integrin PSI and PSII alpha subunits, laminin gamma 1, and COL4A1 both in larvae and adults. Global gene expression analysis revealed activation of the effector AMP genes of the primary innate immune system including Metchnikowin, Diptericin, Diptericin B, and edin that preceded morphological changes. Attacin::GFP midgut expression pattern further supported these changes. An increase in ROS production and changes in gut bacterial flora were also noted and may have further enhanced an immune response. The phenotypic features of Drosophila col4a1 mutants confirmed an essential role for type IV collagen in maintaining epithelial integrity, gut morphology and intestinal function and suggest that

  8. Distinct functions of the laminin β LN domain and collagen IV during cardiac extracellular matrix formation and stabilization of alary muscle attachments revealed by EMS mutagenesis in Drosophila

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background The Drosophila heart (dorsal vessel) is a relatively simple tubular organ that serves as a model for several aspects of cardiogenesis. Cardiac morphogenesis, proper heart function and stability require structural components whose identity and ways of assembly are only partially understood. Structural components are also needed to connect the myocardial tube with neighboring cells such as pericardial cells and specialized muscle fibers, the so-called alary muscles. Results Using an EMS mutagenesis screen for cardiac and muscular abnormalities in Drosophila embryos we obtained multiple mutants for two genetically interacting complementation groups that showed similar alary muscle and pericardial cell detachment phenotypes. The molecular lesions underlying these defects were identified as domain-specific point mutations in LamininB1 and Cg25C, encoding the extracellular matrix (ECM) components laminin β and collagen IV α1, respectively. Of particular interest within the LamininB1 group are certain hypomorphic mutants that feature prominent defects in cardiac morphogenesis and cardiac ECM layer formation, but in contrast to amorphic mutants, only mild defects in other tissues. All of these alleles carry clustered missense mutations in the laminin LN domain. The identified Cg25C mutants display weaker and largely temperature-sensitive phenotypes that result from glycine substitutions in different Gly-X-Y repeats of the triple helix-forming domain. While initial basement membrane assembly is not abolished in Cg25C mutants, incorporation of perlecan is impaired and intracellular accumulation of perlecan as well as the collagen IV α2 chain is detected during late embryogenesis. Conclusions Assembly of the cardiac ECM depends primarily on laminin, whereas collagen IV is needed for stabilization. Our data underscore the importance of a correctly assembled ECM particularly for the development of cardiac tissues and their lateral connections. The mutational

  9. Maternal antenatal depression and infant disorganized attachment at 12 months.

    PubMed

    Hayes, Lisa J; Goodman, Sherryl H; Carlson, Elizabeth

    2013-01-01

    Although high rates of attachment disorganization have been observed in infants of depressed mothers, little is known about the role of antenatal depression as a precursor to infant attachment disorganization. The primary aim of this study was to examine associations between maternal antenatal depression and infant disorganization at 12 months in a sample of women (N = 79) at risk for perinatal depression. A secondary aim was to test the roles of maternal postpartum depression and maternal parenting quality as potential moderators of this predicted association. Among women with histories of major depressive episodes, maternal depressive symptoms were assessed at multiple times during pregnancy and the first year postpartum, maternal parenting quality was measured at three months postpartum, and attachment disorganization was assessed at 12 months postpartum. Results revealed that infants classified as disorganized had mothers with higher levels of depressive symptoms during pregnancy compared to infants classified as organized. Maternal parenting quality moderated this association, as exposure to higher levels of maternal depressive symptoms during pregnancy was only associated with higher rates of infant disorganized attachment when maternal parenting at three months was less optimal. These findings suggest that enhancing maternal parenting behaviors during this early period in development has the potential to alter pathways to disorganized attachment among infants exposed to antenatal maternal depressive symptoms, which could have enduring consequences for child wellbeing.

  10. Maternal Antenatal Depression and Infant Disorganized Attachment at 12 months

    PubMed Central

    Hayes, Lisa J.; Goodman, Sherryl H.; Carlson, Elizabeth

    2012-01-01

    Although high rates of attachment disorganization have been observed in infants of depressed mothers, little is known about the role of antenatal depression as a precursor to infant attachment disorganization. The primary aim of this study was to examine associations between maternal antenatal depression and infant disorganization at 12 months in a sample of women (N = 79) at risk for perinatal depression. A secondary aim was to test the roles of maternal postpartum depression and maternal parenting quality as potential moderators of this predicted association. Among women with histories of major depressive episodes, maternal depressive symptoms were assessed at multiple times during pregnancy and the first year postpartum, maternal parenting quality was measured at 3 months postpartum, and attachment disorganization was assessed at 12 months postpartum. Results revealed that infants classified as disorganized had mothers with higher levels of depressive symptoms during pregnancy compared to infants classified as organized. Maternal parenting quality moderated this association, as exposure to higher levels of maternal depressive symptoms during pregnancy was only associated with higher rates of infant disorganized attachment when maternal parenting at 3 months was less optimal. These findings suggest that enhancing maternal parenting behaviors during this early period in development has the potential to alter pathways to disorganized attachment among infants exposed to antenatal maternal depressive symptoms, which could have enduring consequences for child wellbeing. PMID:23216358

  11. DISORGANIZATION, FEAR AND ATTACHMENT: WORKING TOWARDS CLARIFICATION.

    PubMed

    Duschinsky, Robbie

    2018-01-01

    In 1990, M. Main and J. Solomon introduced the procedures for coding a new "disorganized" infant attachment classification for the Ainsworth Strange Situation procedure (M.D.S. Ainsworth, M. Blehar, E. Waters, & S. Wall, 1978). This classification has received a high degree of interest, both from researchers and from child welfare and clinical practitioners. Disorganized attachment has primarily been understood through the lens of E. Hesse and M. Main's concept of "fright without solution," taken to mean that an infant experiences a conflict between a desire to approach and flee from a frightening parent when confronted by the Strange Situation. Yet, looking back, it can be observed that the way Hesse and Main's texts were formulated and read has generated confusion; there have been repeated calls in recent years for renewed theory and clarification about the relationship between disorganization and fear. Responding to these calls, this article revisits the texts that introduced the idea of fright without solution, clarifying their claims through articulating more precisely the different meanings of the term fear. This clarified account will then be applied to consideration of pathways to infant disorganized behaviors. © 2018 The Authors. Infant Mental Health Journal published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health.

  12. Relationships Between Quantitative Pulse-Echo Ultrasound Parameters from the Superficial Zone of the Human Articular Cartilage and Changes in Surface Roughness, Collagen Content or Collagen Orientation Caused by Early Degeneration.

    PubMed

    Kiyan, Wataru; Ito, Akira; Nakagawa, Yasuaki; Mukai, Shogo; Mori, Koji; Arai, Tatsuo; Uchino, Eiichiro; Okuno, Yasushi; Kuroki, Hiroshi

    2017-08-01

    We aimed to quantitatively investigate the relationship between amplitude-based pulse-echo ultrasound parameters and early degeneration of the knee articular cartilage. Twenty samples from six human femoral condyles judged as grade 0 or 1 according to International Cartilage Repair Society grading were assessed using a 15-MHz pulsed-ultrasound 3-D scanning system ex vivo. Surface roughness (R q ), average collagen content (A 1 ) and collagen orientation (A 12 ) in the superficial zone of the cartilage were measured via laser microscopy and Fourier transform infrared imaging spectroscopy. Multiple regression analysis with a linear mixed-effects model (LMM) revealed that a time-domain reflection coefficient at the cartilage surface (R c ) had a significant coefficient of determination with R q and A 12 (R LMMm 2 =0.79); however, R c did not correlate with A 1 . Concerning the collagen characteristic in the superficial zone, R c was found to be a sensitive indicator reflecting collagen disorganization, not collagen content, for the early degeneration samples. Copyright © 2017 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Hyaluronan in aged collagen matrix increases prostate epithelial cell proliferation

    PubMed Central

    Damodarasamy, Mamatha; Vernon, Robert B.; Chan, Christina K.; Plymate, Stephen R.; Wight, Thomas N.

    2015-01-01

    The extracellular matrix (ECM) of the prostate, which is comprised primarily of collagen, becomes increasingly disorganized with age, a property that may influence the development of hyperplasia and cancer. Collageous ECM extracted from the tails of aged mice exhibits many characteristics of collagen in aged tissues, including the prostate. When polymerized into a 3-dimensional (3D) gel, these collagen extracts can serve as models for the study of specific cell-ECM interactions. In the present study, we examined the behaviors of human prostatic epithelial cell lines representing normal prostate epithelial cells (PEC), benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH-1), and adenocarcinoma (LNCaP) cultured in contact with 3D gels made from collagen extracts of young and aged mice. We found that proliferation of PEC, BPH-1, and LNCaP cells were all increased by culture on aged collagen gels relative to young collagen gels. In examining age-associated differences in the composition of the collagen extracts, we found that aged and young collagen had a similar amount of several collagen-associated ECM components, but aged collagen had a much greater content of the glycosaminoglycan hyaluronan (HA) than young collagen. The addition of HA (of similar size and concentration to that found in aged collagen extracts) to cells placed in young collagen elicited significantly increased proliferation in BPH-1 cells, but not in PEC or LNCaP cells, relative to controls not exposed to HA. Of note, histochemical analyses of human prostatic tissues showed significantly higher expression of HA in BPH and prostate cancer stroma relative to stroma of normal prostate. Collectively, these results suggest that changes in ECM involving increased levels of HA contribute to the growth of prostatic epithelium with aging. PMID:25124870

  14. Disorganizing experiences in second- and third-generation holocaust survivors.

    PubMed

    Scharf, Miri; Mayseless, Ofra

    2011-11-01

    Second-generation Holocaust survivors might not show direct symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder or attachment disorganization, but are at risk for developing high levels of psychological distress. We present themes of difficult experiences of second-generation Holocaust survivors, arguing that some of these aversive experiences might have disorganizing qualities even though they do not qualify as traumatic. Based on in-depth interviews with 196 second-generation parents and their adolescent children, three themes of disorganizing experiences carried across generations were identified: focus on survival issues, lack of emotional resources, and coercion to please the parents and satisfy their needs. These themes reflect the frustration of three basic needs: competence, relatedness, and autonomy, and this frustration becomes disorganizing when it involves stability, potency, incomprehensibility, and helplessness. The findings shed light on the effect of trauma over the generations and, as such, equip therapists with a greater understanding of the mechanisms involved.

  15. Parental Behaviors and Beliefs, Child Temperament, and Attachment Disorganization

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wang, Feihong; Cox, Martha J.; Mills-Koonce, Roger; Snyder, Patricia

    2015-01-01

    This research examined alternative mechanisms in the etiology of attachment disorganization. The authors hypothesized that negative intrusive parenting would significantly predict children's attachment disorganization at age 12 months within a diverse community sample. Of more substantial interest, the authors tested moderational mechanisms in the…

  16. Disorganized attachment and inhibitory capacity: predicting externalizing problem behaviors.

    PubMed

    Bohlin, Gunilla; Eninger, Lilianne; Brocki, Karin Cecilia; Thorell, Lisa B

    2012-04-01

    The aim of the present study was to investigate whether attachment insecurity, focusing on disorganized attachment, and the executive function (EF) component of inhibition, assessed at age 5, were longitudinally related to general externalizing problem behaviors as well as to specific symptoms of ADHD and Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and callous-unemotional (CU) traits. General externalizing problem behaviors were also measured at age 5 to allow for a developmental analysis. Outcome variables were rated by parents and teachers. The sample consisted of 65 children with an oversampling of children with high levels of externalizing behaviors. Attachment was evaluated using a story stem attachment doll play procedure. Inhibition was measured using four different tasks. The results showed that both disorganized attachment and poor inhibition were longitudinally related to all outcome variables. Controlling for initial level of externalizing problem behavior, poor inhibition predicted ADHD symptoms and externalizing problem behaviors, independent of disorganized attachment, whereas for ASD symptoms no predictive relations remained. Disorganized attachment independently predicted CU traits.

  17. Social Disorganization, Drug Market Activity, and Neighborhood Violent Crime

    PubMed Central

    Martínez, Ramiro; Rosenfeld, Richard; Mares, Dennis

    2009-01-01

    Although illicit drug activity occurs within local communities, past quantitative research on drug markets and violent crime in the United States has been conducted mainly at the city level. The authors use neighborhood-level data from the city of Miami to test hypotheses regarding the effect of drug activity and traditional indicators of social disorganization on rates of aggravated assault and robbery. The results show that drug activity has robust effects on violent crime that are independent of other disorganization indicators. The authors also find that drug activity is concentrated in neighborhoods with low rates of immigration, less linguistic isolation and ethnic heterogeneity, and where nondrug accidental deaths are prevalent. The authors find no independent effect of neighborhood racial composition on drug activity or violent crime. The results suggest that future neighborhood-level research on social disorganization and violent crime should devote explicit attention to the disorganizing and violence-producing effects of illicit drug activity. PMID:19655037

  18. Identification of type IV collagen exposure as a molecular imaging target for early detection of thoracic aortic dissection

    PubMed Central

    Xu, Ke; Xu, Chen; Zhang, Yanzhenzi; Qi, Feiran; Yu, Bingran; Li, Ping; Jia, Lixin; Li, Yulin; Xu, Fu-jian; Du, Jie

    2018-01-01

    Thoracic aortic dissection (TAD) is an aggressive and life-threatening vascular disease and there is no effective means of early diagnosis of dissection. Type IV collagen (Col-IV) is a major component of the sub-endothelial basement membrane, which is initially exposed followed by endothelial injury as early-stage event of TAD. So, we want to build a noninvasive diagnostic method to detect early dissection by identifying the exposed Col-IV via MRI. Methods: Col-IV-targeted magnetic resonance/ fluorescence dual probe (Col-IV-DOTA-Gd-rhodamine B; CDR) was synthesized by amide reaction and coordination reaction. Flow cytometry analysis was used to evaluate the cell viability of SMC treated with CDR and fluorescence assays were used to assess the Col-IV targeting ability of CDR in vitro. We then examined the sensitivity and specificity of CDR at different stages of TAD via MRI and bioluminescence imaging in vivo. Results: The localization of Col-IV (under the intima) was observed by histology images. CDR bound specifically to Col-IV-expressing vascular smooth muscle cells and BAPN-induced dissected aorta. The CDR signal was co-detected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and bioluminescence imaging as early as 2 weeks after BAPN administration (pre-dissection stage). The ability to detect rupture of dissected aorta was indicated by a strong normalized signal enhancement (NSE) in vivo. Moreover, NSE was negatively correlated with the time of dissection rupture after BAPN administration (r2 = 0.8482). Conclusion: As confirmed by in vivo studies, the CDR can identify the exposed Col-IV in degenerated aorta to monitor the progress of aortic dissection from the early stage to the rupture via MRI. Thus, CDR-enhanced MRI proposes a potential method for dissection screening, and for monitoring disease progression and therapeutic response. PMID:29290819

  19. Use of Mueller matrix polarimetry and optical coherence tomography in the characterization of cervical collagen anisotropy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chue-Sang, Joseph; Bai, Yuqiang; Stoff, Susan; Gonzalez, Mariacarla; Gomes, Jefferson; Gandjbakhche, Amir; Chernomordik, Viktor V.; Ramella-Roman, Jessica C.

    2017-02-01

    Preterm birth (PTB) presents a serious medical heath concern throughout the world. There is a high incidence of PTB in both developed and developing countries ranging from 11%-15%, respectively. Studies have shown there may be numerous precursors to PTB including infections, genetic predisposition, nutrition and various other morbidities which all lead to a premature disorganization in the cervical collagen resulting in the weakening of the structure designed to keep the fetus in utero. The changes in cervical collagen orientation and distribution may prove to be a predictor of PTB. Polarization imaging is an effective means to measure optical anisotropy in birefringent materials such as those rich in collagen as the cervix is. Non-invasive, full-field Mueller Matrix polarimetry (MMP) imaging methodologies and ex-vivo second harmonic generation (SHG) imaging were used to assess cervical collagen content and structure in non-pregnant porcine cervices. The SHG microscopy was used to verify the efficacy of the MMP in assessing changes in collagen orientation.

  20. Do patients with paranoid and disorganized schizophrenia respond differently to antipsychotic drugs?

    PubMed

    Corves, C; Engel, R R; Davis, J; Leucht, S

    2014-07-01

    The aim of this study was to compare the differential response to amisulpride in patients with paranoid versus disorganized schizophrenia. We reanalyzed the original data from five different randomized drug trials comparing Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) scores in a database containing 427 paranoid and 296 disorganized patients with schizophrenia. Both the disorganized and the paranoid group showed a substantial improvement of the BPRS total score within the first 4 weeks. In the paranoid group, mean (±SD) BPRS reduction was 16.9 (±14.6) (t = 24.06, df = 426, P < 0.001) and in the disorganized group 17.0 (±15.9) (t = 18.49, df = 295, P < 0.001). An analysis of covariance (ancova) controlling for BPRS at baseline and the influence of different trial protocols showed significant differences between diagnostic groups (F = 13.47, df = 1, P < 0.001), Cohen's D 0.31 (CI = 0.16-0.46). Paranoid patients improved by 4.8 BPRS points more than disorganized patients (adjusted means 18.90 (CI = 17.33-20.37) for the paranoid and 14.1 (CI = 12.04 - 16.11) for the disorganized group. We conclude that amisulpride is effective in disorganized as well as in paranoid schizophrenia, but that symptom reduction in the disorganized subtype is less pronounced. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  1. Astragaloside IV controls collagen reduction in photoaging skin by improving transforming growth factor-β/Smad signaling suppression and inhibiting matrix metalloproteinase-1.

    PubMed

    Chen, Bin; Li, Ran; Yan, Ning; Chen, Gang; Qian, Wen; Jiang, Hui-Li; Ji, Chao; Bi, Zhi-Gang

    2015-05-01

    Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light reduces levels of type I collagen in the dermis and results in human skin damage and premature skin aging (photoaging). This leads to a wrinkled appearance through the inhibition of transforming growth factor‑β (TGF‑β)/Smad signaling. UV irradiation increases type I collagen degradation through upregulating matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) expression. Astragaloside IV (AST) is one of the major active components extracted from Astragalus membranaceus. However, its multiple anti‑photoaging effects remain to be elucidated. In the present study, the effects of AST against collagen reduction in UV‑induced skin aging in human skin fibroblasts were investigated. The expression of type I procollagen (COL1), MMP‑1, TGF‑βRⅡ and Smad7 were determined using reverse transcription‑polymerase chain reaction, western blotting and ELISA, respectively. UV irradiation inhibits type I collagen production by suppressing the TGF‑β/Smad signaling pathway and increasing COL1 degradation by inducing MMP‑1 expression. Transforming growth factor‑β type II protein and COL1 mRNA decreased but MMP‑1 and Smad7 levels increased in the photoaging model group, which was reversed by topical application of AST. AST prevents collagen reduction from UV irradiation in photoaging skin by improving TGF‑β/Smad signaling suppression and inhibiting MMP‑1, thus AST may be a potential agent against skin photoaging.

  2. New lethal disease involving type I and III collagen defect resembling geroderma osteodysplastica, De Barsy syndrome, and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome IV.

    PubMed

    Jukkola, A; Kauppila, S; Risteli, L; Vuopala, K; Risteli, J; Leisti, J; Pajunen, L

    1998-06-01

    We describe the clinical findings and biochemical features of a male child suffering from a so far undescribed lethal connective tissue disorder characterised by extreme hypermobility of the joints, lax skin, cataracts, severe growth retardation, and insufficient production of type I and type III procollagens. His features are compared with Ehlers-Danlos type IV, De Barsy syndrome, and geroderma osteodysplastica, as these disorders show some symptoms and signs shared with our patient. The child died because of failure of the connective tissue structures joining the skull and the spine, leading to progressive spinal stenosis. The aortic valve was translucent and insufficient. The clinical symptoms and signs, together with histological findings, suggested a collagen defect. Studies on both skin fibroblast cultures and the patient's serum showed reduced synthesis of collagen types I and III at the protein and RNA levels. The sizes of the mRNAs and newly synthesised proteins were normal, excluding gross structural abnormalities. These findings are not in accordance with any other collagen defect characterised so far.

  3. Age-associated reduction of cellular spreading/mechanical force up-regulates matrix metalloproteinase-1 expression and collagen fibril fragmentation via c-Jun/AP-1 in human dermal fibroblasts.

    PubMed

    Qin, Zhaoping; Voorhees, John J; Fisher, Gary J; Quan, Taihao

    2014-12-01

    The dermal compartment of human skin is largely composed of dense collagen-rich fibrils, which provide structural and mechanical support. Skin dermal fibroblasts, the major collagen-producing cells, are interact with collagen fibrils to maintain cell spreading and mechanical force for function. A characteristic feature of aged human skin is fragmentation of collagen fibrils, which is initiated by matrix metalloproteinase 1 (MMP-1). Fragmentation impairs fibroblast attachment and thereby reduces spreading. Here, we investigated the relationship among fibroblast spreading, mechanical force, MMP-1 expression, and collagen fibril fragmentation. Reduced fibroblast spreading due to cytoskeletal disruption was associated with reduced cellular mechanical force, as determined by atomic force microscopy. These reductions substantially induced MMP-1 expression, which led to collagen fibril fragmentation and disorganization in three-dimensional collagen lattices. Constraining fibroblast size by culturing on slides coated with collagen micropatterns also significantly induced MMP-1 expression. Reduced spreading/mechanical force induced transcription factor c-Jun and its binding to a canonical AP-1 binding site in the MMP-1 proximal promoter. Blocking c-Jun function with dominant negative mutant c-Jun significantly reduced induction of MMP-1 expression in response to reduced spreading/mechanical force. Furthermore, restoration of fibroblast spreading/mechanical force led to decline of c-Jun and MMP-1 levels and eliminated collagen fibril fragmentation and disorganization. These data reveal a novel mechanism by which alteration of fibroblast shape/mechanical force regulates c-Jun/AP-1-dependent expression of MMP-1 and consequent collagen fibril fragmentation. This mechanism provides a foundation for understanding the cellular and molecular basis of age-related collagen fragmentation in human skin. © 2014 The Authors. Aging Cell published by the Anatomical Society and John Wiley

  4. Inhibitory assay for degradation of collagen IV by cathepsin B with a surface plasmon resonance sensor.

    PubMed

    Shoji, Atsushi; Suenaga, Yumiko; Hosaka, Atsushi; Ishida, Yuuki; Yanagida, Akio; Sugawara, Masao

    2017-10-25

    We describe a simple method for evaluating the inhibition of collagen IV degradation by cathepsin B with a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensor. The change in the SPR signal decreased with an increase in the concentration of cathepsin B inhibitors. The order of the inhibitory constant (Ki) obtained by the SPR method was CA074Me≈Z-Phe-Phe-FMK < leupeptin. This order was different from that obtained by benzyloxycarbonyl-Phe-Phe-Fluoromethylketone (Z-Phe-Phe-FMK) as a peptide substrate. The comparison of Ki suggested that CA074 and Z-Phe-Phe-FMK inhibited exopeptidase activity, and leupeptin inhibited the endopeptidase activity of cathepsin B more strongly. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Incidence and specificity of antibodies to types I, II, III, IV, and V collagen in rheumatoid arthritis and other rheumatic diseases as measured by 125I-radioimmunoassay

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Stuart, J.M.; Huffstutter, E.H.; Townes, A.S.

    1983-07-01

    Antibodies to human native and denatured types I, II, III, IV, and V collagens were measured using 125I-radioimmunoassay. Mean levels of binding by sera from 30 rheumatoid arthritis patients were significantly higher than those from 20 normal subjects against all of the collagens tested. The relative antibody concentration was higher in synovial fluid than in simultaneously obtained serum. Many patients with gout or various other rheumatic diseases also had detectable anticollagen antibodies. With a few notable exceptions, the majority of the reactivity detected in all patient groups was directed against covalent structural determinants present on all of the denatured collagens,more » suggesting a secondary reaction to tissue injury.« less

  6. Pentastatin-1, a collagen IV derived 20-mer peptide, suppresses tumor growth in a small cell lung cancer xenograft model.

    PubMed

    Koskimaki, Jacob E; Karagiannis, Emmanouil D; Tang, Benjamin C; Hammers, Hans; Watkins, D Neil; Pili, Roberto; Popel, Aleksander S

    2010-02-01

    Angiogenesis is the formation of neovasculature from a pre-existing vascular network. Progression of solid tumors including lung cancer is angiogenesis-dependent. We previously introduced a bioinformatics-based methodology to identify endogenous anti-angiogenic peptide sequences, and validated these predictions in vitro in human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) proliferation and migration assays. One family of peptides with high activity is derived from the alpha-fibrils of type IV collagen. Based on the results from the in vitro screening, we have evaluated the ability of a 20 amino acid peptide derived from the alpha5 fibril of type IV collagen, pentastatin-1, to suppress vessel growth in an angioreactor-based directed in vivo angiogenesis assay (DIVAA). In addition, pentastatin-1 suppressed tumor growth with intraperitoneal peptide administration in a small cell lung cancer (SCLC) xenograft model in nude mice using the NCI-H82 human cancer cell line. Pentastatin-1 decreased the invasion of vessels into angioreactors in vivo in a dose dependent manner. The peptide also decreased the rate of tumor growth and microvascular density in vivo in a small cell lung cancer xenograft model. The peptide treatment significantly decreased the invasion of microvessels in angioreactors and the rate of tumor growth in the xenograft model, indicating potential treatment for angiogenesis-dependent disease, and for translational development as a therapeutic agent for lung cancer.

  7. Disorganized attachment and defense: exploring John Bowlby’s unpublished reflections

    PubMed Central

    Reisz, Samantha; Duschinsky, Robbie; Siegel, Daniel J

    2018-01-01

    ABSTRACT Main and Solomon were the first to create a formal infant Strange Situation classification of attachment disorganization. Bowlby’s reflections on the underlying psychological processes of such behaviors, however, began early in his career, including the term “disorganization.” Most of these remained unpublished but are available through the John Bowlby Archive. Bowlby saw affective experiences as the source of the attachment behavioral system’s organization and regulation, and he introduced the term “effector equipment” to describe the emergent organization of attention, expectation, affect, and behavior to orchestrate responses to the environment. In his thinking, disorganization results from threat conflict, safe haven ambiguity, and/or activation without assuagement, which interfere with coordination and integration across a behavioral system. Bowlby’s unpublished writings also amplify his published work on segregated systems and defensive exclusion. Bowlby’s insights are relevant today and can provide greater background and clarity to current work, as researchers and clinicians consider the origins, manifestations, and meaning of disorganization. PMID:28952412

  8. The Chemical Chaperone, PBA, Reduces ER Stress and Autophagy and Increases Collagen IV α5 Expression in Cultured Fibroblasts From Men With X-Linked Alport Syndrome and Missense Mutations.

    PubMed

    Wang, Dongmao; Mohammad, Mardhiah; Wang, Yanyan; Tan, Rachel; Murray, Lydia S; Ricardo, Sharon; Dagher, Hayat; van Agtmael, Tom; Savige, Judy

    2017-07-01

    X-linked Alport syndrome (OMIM 301050) is caused by COL4A5 missense variants in 40% of families. This study examined the effects of chemical chaperone treatment (sodium 4-phenylbutyrate) on fibroblast cell lines derived from men with missense mutations. Dermal fibroblast cultures were established from 2 affected men and 3 normals. Proliferation rates were examined, the collagen IV α5 chain localized with immunostaining, and levels of the intra- and extracellular chains quantitated with an in-house enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. COL4A5 mRNA was measured using quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) size was measured on electron micrographs and after HSP47 immunostaining. Markers of ER stress (ATF6, HSPA5, DDIT3), autophagy (ATG5, BECN1, ATG7), and apoptosis (CASP3, BAD, BCL 2 ) were also quantitated by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Measurements were repeated after 48 hours of incubation with 10 mM sodium 4-phenylbutyrate acid. Both COL4A5 missense variants were associated with reduced proliferation rates on day 6 ( P  = 0.01 and P  = 0.03), ER enlargement, and increased mRNA for ER stress and autophagy (all P values < 0.05) when compared with normal. Sodium 4-phenylbutyrate treatment increased COL4A5 transcript levels ( P  < 0.01), and reduced ER size ( P  < 0.01 by EM and P  < 0.001 by immunostaining), ER stress (p HSPA5 and DDIT3, all P values < 0.01) and autophagy (ATG7, P  < 0.01). Extracellular collagen IV α5 chain was increased in the M1 line only ( P  = 0.06). Sodium 4-phenylbutyrate increases collagen IV α5 mRNA levels, reduces ER stress and autophagy, and possibly facilitates collagen IV α5 extracellular transport. Whether these actions delay end-stage renal failure in men with X-linked Alport syndrome and missense mutations will only be determined with clinical trials.

  9. DISORGANIZATION, FEAR AND ATTACHMENT: WORKING TOWARDS CLARIFICATION

    PubMed Central

    2018-01-01

    ABSTRACT In 1990, M. Main and J. Solomon introduced the procedures for coding a new “disorganized” infant attachment classification for the Ainsworth Strange Situation procedure (M.D.S. Ainsworth, M. Blehar, E. Waters, & S. Wall, 1978). This classification has received a high degree of interest, both from researchers and from child welfare and clinical practitioners. Disorganized attachment has primarily been understood through the lens of E. Hesse and M. Main's concept of “fright without solution,” taken to mean that an infant experiences a conflict between a desire to approach and flee from a frightening parent when confronted by the Strange Situation. Yet, looking back, it can be observed that the way Hesse and Main's texts were formulated and read has generated confusion; there have been repeated calls in recent years for renewed theory and clarification about the relationship between disorganization and fear. Responding to these calls, this article revisits the texts that introduced the idea of fright without solution, clarifying their claims through articulating more precisely the different meanings of the term fear. This clarified account will then be applied to consideration of pathways to infant disorganized behaviors. PMID:29314076

  10. Attachment and selective attention: disorganization and emotional Stroop reaction time.

    PubMed

    Atkinson, Leslie; Leung, Eman; Goldberg, Susan; Benoit, Diane; Poulton, Lori; Myhal, Natalie; Blokland, Kirsten; Kerr, Sheila

    2009-01-01

    Although central to attachment theory, internal working models remain a useful heuristic in need of concretization. We compared the selective attention of organized and disorganized mothers using the emotional Stroop task. Both disorganized attachment and emotional Stroop response involve the coordination of strongly conflicting motivations under conditions of emotional arousal. Furthermore, much is known about the cognitive and neuromodulatory correlates of the Stroop that may inform attempts to substantiate the internal working model construct. We assessed 47 community mothers with the Adult Attachment Interview and the Working Model of the Child Interview in the third trimester of pregnancy. At 6 and 12 months postpartum, we assessed mothers with emotional Stroop tasks involving neutral, attachment, and emotion conditions. At 12 months, we observed their infants in the Strange Situation. Results showed that: disorganized attachment is related to relative Stroop reaction time, that is, unlike organized mothers, disorganized mothers respond to negative attachment/emotion stimuli more slowly than to neutral stimuli; relative speed of response is positively related to number of times the dyad was classified disorganized, and change in relative Stroop response time from 6 to 12 months is related to the match-mismatch status of mother and infant attachment classifications. We discuss implications in terms of automatic and controlled processing and, more specifically, cognitive threat tags, parallel distributed processing, and neuromodulation through norepinephrine and dopamine.

  11. Differential expression of basement membrane type IV collagen α2 and α6 chains as a prognostic factor in patients with extrahepatic bile duct carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Hirashima, Kotaro; Iyama, Ken-Ichi; Baba, Yoshifumi; Honda, Yumi; Sado, Yoshikazu; Ninomiya, Yoshifumi; Watanabe, Masayuki; Takamori, Hiroshi; Beppu, Toru; Baba, Hideo

    2013-03-01

    The destruction of the basement membrane (BM) is the first step in cancer invasion and metastasis. Type IV collagen is a major component of the BM, and is composed of six genetically distinct α(IV) chains; α1(IV) to α6(IV). The loss of α5(IV) and α6(IV) chains from the epithelial BM at the early stage of cancer invasion has been reported in several types of cancers. However, the expression of α5(IV) and α6(IV) chains in extrahepatic bile duct carcinoma (EBDC) remains unclear. We examined the expression of α(IV) chains by immunohistochemistry using 71 resected EBDC specimens. Prognostic significance of α(IV) chains was examined by Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier analyses. In the invasive cancer, the expression of α6(IV) chain in the BM was lost partially or completely preceded by the loss of α2(IV) chain. The loss of α6(IV) chain in the BM of the invasive cancer was related to the tumor classification, TNM stages, and the expression of α2(IV) chain. The patients with α2(IV)-negative and α6(IV)-negative chains had significantly poorer prognosis than those with α2(IV)-positive and α6(IV)-positive/negative chains (P = 0.04). The loss of α2(IV) and α6(IV) chains might be a useful prognostic factor in patients with EBDC. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  12. Basement Membrane Type IV Collagen and Laminin: An Overview of Their Biology and Value as Fibrosis Biomarkers of Liver Disease.

    PubMed

    Mak, Ki M; Mei, Rena

    2017-08-01

    Basement membranes provide structural support to epithelium, endothelium, muscles, fat cells, Schwann cells, and axons. Basement membranes are multifunctional: they modulate cellular behavior, regulate organogenesis, promote tissue repair, form a barrier to filtration and tumor metastasis, bind growth factors, and mediate angiogenesis. All basement membranes contain type IV collagen (Col IV), laminin, nidogen, and perlecan. Col IV and laminin self-assemble into two independent supramolecular networks that are linked to nidogen and perlecan to form a morphological discernable basement membrane/basal lamina. The triple helical region, 7S domain and NCI domain of Col IV, laminin and laminin fragment P1 have been evaluated as noninvasive fibrosis biomarkers of alcoholic liver disease, viral hepatitis, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Elevated serum Col IV and laminin are related to degrees of fibrosis and severity of hepatitis, and may reflect hepatic basement membrane metabolism. But the serum assays have not been linked to disclosing the anatomical sites and lobular distribution of perisinusoidal basement membrane formation in the liver. Hepatic sinusoids normally lack a basement membrane, although Col IV is a normal matrix component of the space of Disse. In liver disease, laminin deposits in the space of Disse and codistributes with Col IV, forming a perisinusoidal basement membrane. Concomitantly, the sinusoidal endothelium loses its fenestrae and is transformed into vascular type endothelium. These changes lead to capillarization of hepatic sinusoids, a significant pathology that impairs hepatic function. Accordingly, codistribution of Col IV and laminin serves as histochemical marker of perisinusoidal basement membrane formation in liver disease. Anat Rec, 300:1371-1390, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  13. Alterations of Dermal Connective Tissue Collagen in Diabetes: Molecular Basis of Aged-Appearing Skin

    PubMed Central

    Argyropoulos, Angela J.; Robichaud, Patrick; Balimunkwe, Rebecca Mutesi; Fisher, Gary J.; Hammerberg, Craig; Yan, Yan

    2016-01-01

    Alterations of the collagen, the major structural protein in skin, contribute significantly to human skin connective tissue aging. As aged-appearing skin is more common in diabetes, here we investigated the molecular basis of aged-appearing skin in diabetes. Among all known human matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), diabetic skin shows elevated levels of MMP-1 and MMP-2. Laser capture microdissection (LCM) coupled real-time PCR indicated that elevated MMPs in diabetic skin were primarily expressed in the dermis. Furthermore, diabetic skin shows increased lysyl oxidase (LOX) expression and higher cross-linked collagens. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) further indicated that collagen fibrils were fragmented/disorganized, and key mechanical properties of traction force and tensile strength were increased in diabetic skin, compared to intact/well-organized collagen fibrils in non-diabetic skin. In in vitro tissue culture system, multiple MMPs including MMP-1 and MM-2 were induced by high glucose (25 mM) exposure to isolated primary human skin dermal fibroblasts, the major cells responsible for collagen homeostasis in skin. The elevation of MMPs and LOX over the years is thought to result in the accumulation of fragmented and cross-linked collagen, and thus impairs dermal collagen structural integrity and mechanical properties in diabetes. Our data partially explain why old-looking skin is more common in diabetic patients. PMID:27104752

  14. Anger, preoccupied attachment, and domain disorganization in borderline personality disorder

    PubMed Central

    Morse, Jennifer Q.; Hill, Jonathan; Pilkonis, Paul A.; Yaggi, Kirsten; Broyden, Nichaela; Stepp, Stephanie; Reed, Lawrence Ian; Feske, Ulrike

    2010-01-01

    Emotional dysregulation and attachment insecurity have been reported in borderline personality disorder (BPD). Domain disorganization, evidenced in poor regulation of emotions and behaviors in relation to the demands of different social domains, may be a distinguishing feature of BPD. Understanding the interplay between these factors may be critical for identifying interacting processes in BPD and potential subtypes of BPD. Therefore, we examined the joint and interactive effects of anger, preoccupied attachment, and domain disorganization on BPD traits in clinical sample of 128 psychiatric patients. The results suggest that these factors contribute to BPD both independently and in interaction, even when controlling for other personality disorder traits and Axis I symptoms. In regression analyses, the interaction between anger and domain disorganization predicted BPD traits. In recursive partitioning analyses, two possible paths to BPD were identified: high anger combined with high domain disorganization and low anger combined with preoccupied attachment. These results may suggest possible subtypes of BPD or possible mechanisms by which BPD traits are established and maintained. PMID:19538080

  15. Type V Collagen is Persistently Altered after Inguinal Hernia Repair.

    PubMed

    Lorentzen, L; Henriksen, N A; Juhl, P; Mortensen, J H; Ågren, M S; Karsdal, M A; Jorgensen, L N

    2018-04-01

    Hernia formation is associated with alterations of collagen metabolism. Collagen synthesis and degradation cause a systemic release of products, which are measurable in serum. Recently, we reported changes in type V and IV collagen metabolisms in patients with inguinal and incisional hernia. The aim of this study was to determine if the altered collagen metabolism was persistent after hernia repair. Patients who had undergone repairs for inguinal hernia (n = 11) or for incisional hernia (n = 17) were included in this study. Patients who had undergone elective cholecystectomy served as controls (n = 10). Whole venous blood was collected 35-55 months after operation. Biomarkers for type V collagen synthesis (Pro-C5) and degradation (C5M) and those for type IV collagen synthesis (P4NP) and degradation (C4M2) were measured by a solid-phase competitive assay. The turnover of type V collagen (Pro-C5/C5M) was slightly higher postoperatively when compared to preoperatively in the inguinal hernia group (P = 0.034). In addition, the results revealed a postoperatively lower type V collagen turnover level in the inguinal hernia group compared to controls (P = 0.012). In the incisional hernia group, the type V collagen turnover was higher after hernia repair (P = 0.004) and the postoperative turnover level was not different from the control group (P = 0.973). Patients with an inguinal hernia demonstrated a systemic and persistent type V collagen turnover alteration. This imbalance of the collagen metabolism may be involved in the development of inguinal hernias.

  16. Biomimetic collagen I and IV double layer Langmuir-Schaefer films as microenvironment for human pluripotent stem cell derived retinal pigment epithelial cells.

    PubMed

    Sorkio, Anni E; Vuorimaa-Laukkanen, Elina P; Hakola, Hanna M; Liang, Huamin; Ujula, Tiina A; Valle-Delgado, Juan José; Österberg, Monika; Yliperttula, Marjo L; Skottman, Heli

    2015-05-01

    The environmental cues received by the cells from synthetic substrates in vitro are very different from those they receive in vivo. In this study, we applied the Langmuir-Schaefer (LS) deposition, a variant of Langmuir-Blodgett technique, to fabricate a biomimetic microenvironment mimicking the structure and organization of native Bruch's membrane for the production of the functional human embryonic stem cell derived retinal pigment epithelial (hESC-RPE) cells. Surface pressure-area isotherms were measured simultaneously with Brewster angle microscopy to investigate the self-assembly of human collagens type I and IV on air-subphase interface. Furthermore, the structure of the prepared collagen LS films was characterized with scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, surface plasmon resonance measurements and immunofluorescent staining. The integrity of hESC-RPE on double layer LS films was investigated by measuring transepithelial resistance and permeability of small molecular weight substance. Maturation and functionality of hESC-RPE cells on double layer collagen LS films was further assessed by RPE-specific gene and protein expression, growth factor secretion, and phagocytic activity. Here, we demonstrated that the prepared collagen LS films have layered structure with oriented fibers corresponding to architecture of the uppermost layers of Bruch's membrane and result in increased barrier properties and functionality of hESC-RPE cells as compared to the commonly used dip-coated controls. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Type IV Collagens and Basement Membrane Diseases: Cell Biology and Pathogenic Mechanisms.

    PubMed

    Mao, Mao; Alavi, Marcel V; Labelle-Dumais, Cassandre; Gould, Douglas B

    2015-01-01

    Basement membranes are highly specialized extracellular matrices. Once considered inert scaffolds, basement membranes are now viewed as dynamic and versatile environments that modulate cellular behaviors to regulate tissue development, function, and repair. Increasing evidence suggests that, in addition to providing structural support to neighboring cells, basement membranes serve as reservoirs of growth factors that direct and fine-tune cellular functions. Type IV collagens are a major component of all basement membranes. They evolved along with the earliest multicellular organisms and have been integrated into diverse fundamental biological processes as time and evolution shaped the animal kingdom. The roles of basement membranes in humans are as complex and diverse as their distributions and molecular composition. As a result, basement membrane defects result in multisystem disorders with ambiguous and overlapping boundaries that likely reflect the simultaneous interplay and integration of multiple cellular pathways and processes. Consequently, there will be no single treatment for basement membrane disorders, and therapies are likely to be as varied as the phenotypes. Understanding tissue-specific pathology and the underlying molecular mechanism is the present challenge; personalized medicine will rely upon understanding how a given mutation impacts diverse cellular functions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Heterofunctional nanosheet controlling cell adhesion properties by collagen coating.

    PubMed

    Niwa, Daisuke; Fujie, Toshinori; Lang, Thorsten; Goda, Nobuhito; Takeoka, Shinji

    2012-08-01

    Recently, biomaterials have been widely used in a variety of medical applications. We previously reported that a poly-l-lactic acid (PLLA) nanosheet shows anti-adhesive properties and constitutes a useful biomaterial for preventing unwanted wound adhesion in surgical operations. In this article, we examine whether the PLLA nanosheet can be specifically modified with biomacromolecules on one surface only. Such an approach would endow each side of the nanosheet with discrete functions, that is anti-adhesive and pro-healing properties. We fabricated two distinct PLLA nanosheets: (i) collagen cast on the surface of a PLLA nanosheet (Col-Cast-PLLA) and (ii) collagen spin-coated on the nanosheet (Col-Spin-PLLA). In the Col-Spin-PLLA nanosheet, the collagen layer had a thickness of 5-10 nm on the PLLA surface and displayed increased hydrophilicity compared to both PLLA and Col-Cast-PLLA nanosheets. In addition, atomic force microscopy showed disorganized collagen fibril formation on the PLLA layer when covered using the spin-coating method, while apparent bundle formations of collagen were formed in the Col-Cast-PLLA nanosheet. The Col-Spin-PLLA nanosheet provided a microenvironment for cells to adhere and spread. By contrast, the Col-Cast-PLLA nanosheet displayed reduced cell adhesion compared to the Col-Spin-PLLA nanosheet. Consistent with these findings, immunocytochemical analysis clearly showed fine networks of actin filaments in cells cultured on the Col-Spin-PLLA, but not the Col-Cast-PLLA nanosheet. Therefore, the Col-Spin-PLLA nanosheet was shown to be more suitable for acting as a scaffold. In conclusion, we have succeeded in developing a heterofunctional nanosheet comprising a collagen modified side, which has the ability to rapidly adhere cells, and an unmodified side, which acts as an adhesion barrier, by using a spin-coating technique.

  19. Deficiency of CRTAP in non-lethal recessive osteogenesis imperfecta reduces collagen deposition into matrix.

    PubMed

    Valli, M; Barnes, A M; Gallanti, A; Cabral, W A; Viglio, S; Weis, M A; Makareeva, E; Eyre, D; Leikin, S; Antoniazzi, F; Marini, J C; Mottes, M

    2012-11-01

    Deficiency of any component of the ER-resident collagen prolyl 3-hydroxylation complex causes recessive osteogenesis imperfecta (OI). The complex modifies the α1(I)Pro986 residue and contains cartilage-associated protein (CRTAP), prolyl 3-hydroxylase 1 (P3H1) and cyclophilin B (CyPB). Fibroblasts normally secrete about 10% of CRTAP. Most CRTAP mutations cause a null allele and lethal type VII OI. We identified a 7-year-old Egyptian boy with non-lethal type VII OI and investigated the effects of his null CRTAP mutation on collagen biochemistry, the prolyl 3-hydroxylation complex, and collagen in extracellular matrix. The proband is homozygous for an insertion/deletion in CRTAP (c.118_133del16insTACCC). His dermal fibroblasts synthesize fully overmodified type I collagen, and 3-hydroxylate only 5% of α1(I)Pro986. CRTAP transcripts are 10% of control. CRTAP protein is absent from proband cells, with residual P3H1 and normal CyPB levels. Dermal collagen fibril diameters are significantly increased. By immunofluorescence of long-term cultures, we identified a severe deficiency (10-15% of control) of collagen deposited in extracellular matrix, with disorganization of the minimal fibrillar network. Quantitative pulse-chase experiments corroborate deficiency of matrix deposition, rather than increased matrix turnover. We conclude that defects of extracellular matrix, as well as intracellular defects in collagen modification, contribute to the pathology of type VII OI. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

  20. A Trypanosoma cruzi-secreted 80 kDa proteinase with specificity for human collagen types I and IV.

    PubMed Central

    Santana, J M; Grellier, P; Schrével, J; Teixeira, A R

    1997-01-01

    Specific interactions between parasites and extracellular matrix components are an important mechanism in the dissemination of Chagas' disease. Binding of the extracellular matrix proteins to Trypanosoma cruzi receptors has been described as a significant step in this phenomenon. In this study, a specific proteinase activity was identified in cell-free extracts of amastigote, trypomastigote and epimastigote forms of T. cruzi using the collagenase fluorogenic substrate N-Suc-Gly-Pro-Leu-Gly-Pro-7-amido-4-methylcoumarin. Isolation of this activity was achieved by a four-step FPLC procedure. Optimal enzyme activity was found to occur at pH 8.0 and was associated with a single T. cruzi 80 kDa protein (Tc 80 proteinase) on SDS/PAGE under reducing conditions. An internal peptide sequence of Tc 80 proteinase was obtained (AGDNYTPPE), and no similarity was found to previously described proteinases of T. cruzi. This enzyme activity is strongly inhibited by HgCl2, tosyl-lysylchloromethane ('TLCK') p-chloromercuribenzoate and benzyloxycarbonyl-Phe-Ala-diazomethane. The purified enzyme was able to hydrolyse purified human [14C]collagen types I and IV at neutral pH, but not 14C-labelled BSA, rat laminin, rabbit IgG or small proteins such as insulin or cytochrome c. In addition, Tc 80 proteinase activity was found to be secreted by T. cruzi forms infective to mammalian cells. Furthermore we demonstrated that purified Tc 80 proteinase mediates native collagen type I hydrolysis in rat mesentery. This feature is compared with that of Clostridium histolyticum collagenase. These findings suggest that Tc 80 proteinase may facilitate T. cruzi host-cell infection by degrading the collagens of the extracellular matrix and could represent a good target for Chagas' disease chemotherapy. PMID:9224638

  1. Molecular and Genetic Analyses of Collagen Type IV Mutant Mouse Models of Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage Identify Mechanisms for Stroke Prevention.

    PubMed

    Jeanne, Marion; Jorgensen, Jeff; Gould, Douglas B

    2015-05-05

    Collagen type IV alpha1 (COL4A1) and alpha2 (COL4A2) form heterotrimers critical for vascular basement membrane stability and function. Patients with COL4A1 or COL4A2 mutations suffer from diverse cerebrovascular diseases, including cerebral microbleeds, porencephaly, and fatal intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). However, the pathogenic mechanisms remain unknown, and there is a lack of effective treatment. Using Col4a1 and Col4a2 mutant mouse models, we investigated the genetic complexity and cellular mechanisms underlying the disease. We found that Col4a1 mutations cause abnormal vascular development, which triggers small-vessel disease, recurrent hemorrhagic strokes, and age-related macroangiopathy. We showed that allelic heterogeneity, genetic context, and environmental factors such as intense exercise or anticoagulant medication modulated disease severity and contributed to phenotypic heterogeneity. We found that intracellular accumulation of mutant collagen in vascular endothelial cells and pericytes was a key triggering factor of ICH. Finally, we showed that treatment of mutant mice with a US Food and Drug Administration-approved chemical chaperone resulted in a decreased collagen intracellular accumulation and a significant reduction in ICH severity. Our data are the first to show therapeutic prevention in vivo of ICH resulting from Col4a1 mutation and imply that a mechanism-based therapy promoting protein folding might also prevent ICH in patients with COL4A1 and COL4A2 mutations. © 2015 American Heart Association, Inc.

  2. Assessment of atherosclerotic plaque collagen content and architecture using polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography (Conference Presentation)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Doradla, Pallavi; Villiger, Martin; Tshikudi, Diane M.; Bouma, Brett E.; Nadkarni, Seemantini K.

    2016-02-01

    Acute myocardial infarction, caused by the rupture of vulnerable coronary plaques, is the leading cause of death worldwide. Collagen is the primary extracellular matrix macromolecule that imparts the mechanical stability to a plaque and its reduction causes plaque instability. Intracoronary polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) measures the polarization states of the backscattered light from the tissue to evaluate plaque birefringence, a material property that is elevated in proteins such as collagen with an ordered structure. Here we investigate the dependence of the PS-OCT parameters on the quantity of the plaque collagen and fiber architecture. In this study, coronary arterial segments from human cadaveric hearts were evaluated with intracoronary PS-OCT and compared with Histopathological assessment of collagen content and architecture from picrosirius-red (PSR) stained sections. PSR sections were visualized with circularly-polarized light microscopy to quantify collagen birefringence, and the additional assessment of color hue indicated fibril thickness. Due to the ordered architecture of thick collagen fibers, a positive correlation between PS-OCT retardation and quantity of thick collagen fibers (r=0.54, p=0.04), and similarly with the total collagen content (r=0.51, p=0.03) was observed. In contrast, there was no perceivable relationship between PS-OCT retardation and the presence of thin collagen fibers (r=0.08, p=0.07), suggesting that thin and disorganized collagen fiber architecture did not significantly contribute to the PS-OCT retardation. Further analysis will be performed to assess the relationship between PS-OCT retardation and collagen architecture based on immunohistochemical analysis of collagen type. These results suggest that intracoronary PS-OCT may open the opportunity to assess collagen architecture in addition total collagen content, potentially enabling an improved understanding of coronary plaque rupture.

  3. Immunomodulatory effects of amniotic membrane matrix incorporated into collagen scaffolds.

    PubMed

    Hortensius, Rebecca A; Ebens, Jill H; Harley, Brendan A C

    2016-06-01

    Adult tendon wound repair is characterized by the formation of disorganized collagen matrix which leads to decreases in mechanical properties and scar formation. Studies have linked this scar formation to the inflammatory phase of wound healing. Instructive biomaterials designed for tendon regeneration are often designed to provide both structural and cellular support. In order to facilitate regeneration, success may be found by tempering the body's inflammatory response. This work combines collagen-glycosaminoglycan scaffolds, previously developed for tissue regeneration, with matrix materials (hyaluronic acid and amniotic membrane) that have been shown to promote healing and decreased scar formation in skin studies. The results presented show that scaffolds containing amniotic membrane matrix have significantly increased mechanical properties and that tendon cells within these scaffolds have increased metabolic activity even when the media is supplemented with the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1 beta. Collagen scaffolds containing hyaluronic acid or amniotic membrane also temper the expression of genes associated with the inflammatory response in normal tendon healing (TNF-α, COLI, MMP-3). These results suggest that alterations to scaffold composition, to include matrix known to decrease scar formation in vivo, can modify the inflammatory response in tenocytes. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 104A: 1332-1342, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  4. Links between Disorganized Attachment Classification and Clinical Symptoms in School-Aged Children

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Borelli, Jessica L.; David, Daryn H.; Crowley, Michael J.; Mayes, Linda C.

    2010-01-01

    Research examining the links between disorganized attachment and clinical symptoms largely has neglected middle childhood due to lack of available measurement tools. The few studies that have examined these links in other developmental phases have found higher clinical symptoms in disorganized individuals. Our study extended this research by using…

  5. [Alport syndrome: Hereditary nephropathy associated with mutations in genes coding for type IV collagen chains].

    PubMed

    Heidet, Laurence; Gubler, Marie-Claire

    2016-12-01

    Alport syndrome is an inherited disorder characterized by the association of a progressive haematuric nephropathy with ultrastructural abnormalities of the glomerular basement membranes, a progressive sensorineural hearing loss and sometimes ocular involvement. Its incidence is less than 1 per 5000 individuals and the disease is the cause of about 2% of end stage renal disease in Europe and the United States. Alport syndrome is clinically and genetically heterogeneous. It is related to mutations in the genes encoding one of three chains, α3, α4 α5 of type IV collagen, the main component of basement membranes, expressed in the glomerular basement membrane. COL4A5 mutations are associated with X-linked Alport syndrome, which represents 80 to 85% of cases and is more severe in boys than in girls. Mutations in COL4A3 or COL4A4 are associated with autosomal Alport syndrome. The expression of collagen chains in skin and kidney basement membranes allows for the diagnosis and characterization of the mode of transmission in most patients. It is necessary to diagnose this syndrome because its family involvement, its severity, and the importance of genetic counseling. Angiotensin blockers are increasingly prescribed in proteinuric patients. Prospective studies are needed to assess the effectiveness of these treatments on proteinuria and progression of kidney failure, and to specify indications. Animal studies have shown the potential value of different molecules (protease inhibitors, chemokine receptor blockers, transforming growth factor-β1 inhibitors, hydroxy-methyl-coenzyme A reductase inhibitors, bone morphogenetic protein-7 inhibitors), hematopoietic stem cells, and of a anti-micro-RNA. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier SAS.

  6. Very extensive nonmaternal care predicts mother-infant attachment disorganization: Convergent evidence from two samples.

    PubMed

    Hazen, Nancy L; Allen, Sydnye D; Christopher, Caroline Heaton; Umemura, Tomotaka; Jacobvitz, Deborah B

    2015-08-01

    We examined whether a maximum threshold of time spent in nonmaternal care exists, beyond which infants have an increased risk of forming a disorganized infant-mother attachment. The hours per week infants spent in nonmaternal care at 7-8 months were examined as a continuous measure and as a dichotomous threshold (over 40, 50 and 60 hr/week) to predict infant disorganization at 12-15 months. Two different samples (Austin and NICHD) were used to replicate findings and control for critical covariates: mothers' unresolved status and frightening behavior (assessed in the Austin sample, N = 125), quality of nonmaternal caregiving (assessed in the NICHD sample, N = 1,135), and family income and infant temperament (assessed in both samples). Only very extensive hours of nonmaternal care (over 60 hr/week) and mothers' frightening behavior independently predicted attachment disorganization. A polynomial logistic regression performed on the larger NICHD sample indicated that the risk of disorganized attachment exponentially increased after exceeding 60 hr/week. In addition, very extensive hours of nonmaternal care only predicted attachment disorganization after age 6 months (not prior). Findings suggest that during a sensitive period of attachment formation, infants who spend more than 60 hr/week in nonmaternal care may be at an increased risk of forming a disorganized attachment.

  7. Age-related modifications of type I collagen impair DDR1-induced apoptosis in non-invasive breast carcinoma cells.

    PubMed

    Charles, Saby; Hassan, Rammal; Kevin, Magnien; Emilie, Buache; Sylvie, Brassart-Pasco; Laurence, Van-Gulick; Pierre, Jeannesson; Erik, Maquoi; Hamid, Morjani

    2018-05-07

    Type I collagen and DDR1 axis has been described to decrease cell proliferation and to initiate apoptosis in non-invasive breast carcinoma in three-dimensional cell culture matrices. Moreover, MT1-MMP down-regulates these effects. Here, we address the effect of type I collagen aging and MT1-MMP expression on cell proliferation suppression and induced-apoptosis in non-invasive MCF-7 and ZR-75-1 breast carcinoma. We provide evidence for a decrease in cell growth and an increase in apoptosis in the presence of adult collagen when compared to old collagen. This effect involves a differential activation of DDR1, as evidenced by a higher DDR1 phosphorylation level in adult collagen. In adult collagen, inhibition of DDR1 expression and kinase function induced an increase in cell growth to a level similar to that observed in old collagen. The impact of aging on the sensitivity of collagen to MT1-MMP has been reported recently. We used the MT1-MMP expression strategy to verify whether, by degrading adult type I collagen, it could lead to the same phenotype observed in old collagen 3D matrix. MT1-MMP overexpression abrogated the proliferation suppression and induced-apoptosis effects only in the presence of adult collagen. This suggests that differential collagen degradation by MT1-MMP induced a structural disorganization of adult collagen and inhibits DDR1 activation. This could in turn impair DDR1-induced cell growth suppression and apoptosis. Taken together, our data suggest that modifications of collagen structural organization, due to aging, contribute to the loss of the growth suppression and induced apoptosis effect of collagen in luminal breast carcinoma. MT1-MMP-dependent degradation and aging of collagen have no additive effects on these processes.

  8. Toward an architecture of attachment disorganization: John Bowlby's published and unpublished reflections.

    PubMed

    Solomon, Judith; Duschinsky, Robbie; Bakkum, Lianne; Schuengel, Carlo

    2017-10-01

    This article examines the construct of disorganized attachment originally proposed by Main and Solomon, developing some new conjectures based on inspiration from a largely unknown source: John Bowlby's unpublished texts, housed at the Wellcome Trust Library Archive in London (with permission from the Bowlby family). We explore Bowlby's discussions of disorganized attachment, which he understood from the perspective of ethological theories of conflict behavior. Bowlby's reflections regarding differences among the behaviors used to code disorganized attachment will be used to explore distinctions that may underlie the structure of the current coding system. The article closes with an emphasis on the importance Bowlby placed on Popper's distinction between the context of discovery and the context of justification in developmental science.

  9. Naïve observers' perceptions of family drawings by 7-year-olds with disorganized attachment histories.

    PubMed

    Madigan, Sheri; Goldberg, Susan; Moran, Greg; Pederson, David R

    2004-09-01

    Previous research has succeeded in distinguishing among drawings made by children with histories of organized attachment relationships (secure, avoidant, and resistant); however, drawings of children with histories of disorganized attachment have yet to be systematically investigated. The purpose of this study was to determine whether naïve observers would respond differentially to family drawings of 7-year-olds who were classified in infancy as disorganized vs. organized. Seventy-three undergraduate students from one university and 78 from a second viewed 50 family drawings of 7-year-olds (25 by children with organized infant attachment and 25 by children with disorganized infant attachment). Participants were asked to (1) circle the emotion that best described their reaction to the drawings and (2) rate the drawings on 6 bipolar scales. Drawings from children classified as disorganized in infancy evoked positive emotion labels less often and negative emotion labels more often than those children classified as organized. Furthermore, drawings from children classified as disorganized in infancy received higher ratings on scales for disorganization, carelessness, family chaos, bizarreness, uneasiness, and dysfunction. These data indicate that naive observers are relatively successful in distinguishing selected features of drawings by children with histories of disorganized vs. organized attachment.

  10. The Role of Sociodemographic Risk and Maternal Behavior in the Prediction of Infant Attachment Disorganization

    PubMed Central

    Gedaly, Lindsey R.; Leerkes, Esther M.

    2017-01-01

    Predictors of infant attachment disorganization were examined among 203 primiparous mothers (52% European American, 48% African American) and their infants (104 female). The Strange Situation Procedure was administered at 1 year. Global maternal insensitivity and overtly negative maternal behavior were observed during distress-eliciting tasks when infants were 6 months and 1 year old. Mothers reported on their demographics to yield a measure of sociodemographic risk (i.e., age, education, income-to-needs). Overtly negative maternal behavior was positively associated with the infant attachment disorganization rating scale score, but did not predict being classified as disorganized. Global maternal insensitivity was associated with higher attachment disorganization, both the rating and the classification, when sociodemographic risk was high but not when sociodemographic risk was low. The pattern of results did not vary by maternal race. The results provide some support for the view that negative maternal behavior and the combination of sociodemographic risk and global maternal insensitivity play a role in the development of infant attachment disorganization. PMID:27477050

  11. The role of sociodemographic risk and maternal behavior in the prediction of infant attachment disorganization.

    PubMed

    Gedaly, Lindsey R; Leerkes, Esther M

    2016-12-01

    Predictors of infant attachment disorganization were examined among 203 primiparous mothers (52% European American, 48% African American) and their infants (104 female). The Strange Situation Procedure was administered at one year. Global maternal insensitivity and overtly negative maternal behavior were observed during distress-eliciting tasks when infants were six months and one year old. Mothers reported on their demographics to yield a measure of sociodemographic risk (i.e., age, education, income-to-needs). Overtly negative maternal behavior was positively associated with the infant attachment disorganization rating scale score, but did not predict being classified as disorganized. Global maternal insensitivity was associated with higher attachment disorganization, both the rating and the classification, when sociodemographic risk was high but not when sociodemographic risk was low. The pattern of results did not vary by maternal race. The results provide some support for the view that negative maternal behavior and the combination of sociodemographic risk and global maternal insensitivity play a role in the development of infant attachment disorganization.

  12. Disorganized Cortical Patches Suggest Prenatal Origin of Autism

    MedlinePlus

    ... 2014 Disorganized cortical patches suggest prenatal origin of autism NIH-funded study shows disrupted cell layering process ... study suggests that brain irregularities in children with autism can be traced back to prenatal development. “While ...

  13. Rheumatic Heart Disease and Myxomatous Degeneration: Differences and Similarities of Valve Damage Resulting from Autoimmune Reactions and Matrix Disorganization.

    PubMed

    Martins, Carlo de Oliveira; Demarchi, Lea; Ferreira, Frederico Moraes; Pomerantzeff, Pablo Maria Alberto; Brandao, Carlos; Sampaio, Roney Orismar; Spina, Guilherme Sobreira; Kalil, Jorge; Cunha-Neto, Edecio; Guilherme, Luiza

    2017-01-01

    Autoimmune inflammatory reactions leading to rheumatic fever (RF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD) result from untreated Streptococcus pyogenes throat infections in individuals who exhibit genetic susceptibility. Immune effector mechanisms have been described that lead to heart tissue damage culminating in mitral and aortic valve dysfunctions. In myxomatous valve degeneration (MXD), the mitral valve is also damaged due to non-inflammatory mechanisms. Both diseases are characterized by structural valve disarray and a previous proteomic analysis of them has disclosed a distinct profile of matrix/structural proteins differentially expressed. Given their relevance in organizing valve tissue, we quantitatively evaluated the expression of vimentin, collagen VI, lumican, and vitronectin as well as performed immunohistochemical analysis of their distribution in valve tissue lesions of patients in both diseases. We identified abundant expression of two isoforms of vimentin (45 kDa, 42 kDa) with reduced expression of the full-size protein (54 kDa) in RHD valves. We also found increased vitronectin expression, reduced collagen VI expression and similar lumican expression between RHD and MXD valves. Immunohistochemical analysis indicated disrupted patterns of these proteins in myxomatous degeneration valves and disorganized distribution in rheumatic heart disease valves that correlated with clinical manifestations such as valve regurgitation or stenosis. Confocal microscopy analysis revealed a diverse pattern of distribution of collagen VI and lumican into RHD and MXD valves. Altogether, these results demonstrated distinct patterns of altered valve expression and tissue distribution/organization of structural/matrix proteins that play important pathophysiological roles in both valve diseases.

  14. Measuring disorganized speech in schizophrenia: automated analysis explains variance in cognitive deficits beyond clinician-rated scales.

    PubMed

    Minor, K S; Willits, J A; Marggraf, M P; Jones, M N; Lysaker, P H

    2018-04-25

    Conveying information cohesively is an essential element of communication that is disrupted in schizophrenia. These disruptions are typically expressed through disorganized symptoms, which have been linked to neurocognitive, social cognitive, and metacognitive deficits. Automated analysis can objectively assess disorganization within sentences, between sentences, and across paragraphs by comparing explicit communication to a large text corpus. Little work in schizophrenia has tested: (1) links between disorganized symptoms measured via automated analysis and neurocognition, social cognition, or metacognition; and (2) if automated analysis explains incremental variance in cognitive processes beyond clinician-rated scales. Disorganization was measured in schizophrenia (n = 81) with Coh-Metrix 3.0, an automated program that calculates basic and complex language indices. Trained staff also assessed neurocognition, social cognition, metacognition, and clinician-rated disorganization. Findings showed that all three cognitive processes were significantly associated with at least one automated index of disorganization. When automated analysis was compared with a clinician-rated scale, it accounted for significant variance in neurocognition and metacognition beyond the clinician-rated measure. When combined, these two methods explained 28-31% of the variance in neurocognition, social cognition, and metacognition. This study illustrated how automated analysis can highlight the specific role of disorganization in neurocognition, social cognition, and metacognition. Generally, those with poor cognition also displayed more disorganization in their speech-making it difficult for listeners to process essential information needed to tie the speaker's ideas together. Our findings showcase how implementing a mixed-methods approach in schizophrenia can explain substantial variance in cognitive processes.

  15. Less Structured Movement Patterns Predict Severity of Positive Syndrome, Excitement, and Disorganization

    PubMed Central

    Walther, Sebastian

    2014-01-01

    Disorganized behavior is a key symptom of schizophrenia. The objective assessment of disorganized behavior is particularly challenging. Actigraphy has enabled the objective assessment of motor behavior in various settings. Reduced motor activity was associated with negative syndrome scores, but simple motor activity analyses were not informative on other symptom dimensions. The analysis of movement patterns, however, could be more informative for assessing schizophrenia symptom dimensions. Here, we use time series analyses on actigraphic data of 100 schizophrenia spectrum disorder patients. Actigraphy recording intervals were set at 2 s. Data from 2 defined 60-min periods were analyzed, and partial autocorrelations of the actigraphy time series indicated predictability of movements in each individual. Increased positive syndrome scores were associated with reduced predictability of movements but not with the overall amount of movement. Negative syndrome scores were associated with low activity levels but unrelated with predictability of movement. The factors disorganization and excitement were related to movement predictability but emotional distress was not. Thus, the predictability of objectively assessed motor behavior may be a marker of positive symptoms and disorganized behavior. This behavior could become relevant for translational research. PMID:23502433

  16. Alcohol outlets, social disorganization, and robberies: accounting for neighborhood characteristics and alcohol outlet types.

    PubMed

    Snowden, Aleksandra J; Freiburger, Tina L

    2015-05-01

    We estimated spatially lagged regression and spatial regime models to determine if the variation in total, on-premise, and off-premise alcohol outlet(1) density is related to robbery density, while controlling for direct and moderating effects of social disorganization.(2) Results suggest that the relationship between alcohol outlet density and robbery density is sensitive to the measurement of social disorganization levels. Total alcohol outlet density and off-premise alcohol outlet density were significantly associated with robbery density when social disorganization variables were included separately in the models. However, when social disorganization levels were captured as a four item index, only the association between off-premise alcohol outlets and robbery density remained significant. More work is warranted in identifying the role of off-premise alcohol outlets and their characteristics in robbery incidents. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. A Novel Functional Role of Collagen Glycosylation

    PubMed Central

    Jürgensen, Henrik J.; Madsen, Daniel H.; Ingvarsen, Signe; Melander, Maria C.; Gårdsvoll, Henrik; Patthy, Laszlo; Engelholm, Lars H.; Behrendt, Niels

    2011-01-01

    Collagens make up the most abundant component of interstitial extracellular matrices and basement membranes. Collagen remodeling is a crucial process in many normal physiological events and in several pathological conditions. Some collagen subtypes contain specific carbohydrate side chains, the function of which is poorly known. The endocytic collagen receptor urokinase plasminogen activator receptor-associated protein (uPARAP)/Endo180 plays an important role in matrix remodeling through its ability to internalize collagen for lysosomal degradation. uPARAP/Endo180 is a member of the mannose receptor protein family. These proteins all include a fibronectin type II domain and a series of C-type lectin-like domains, of which only a minor part possess carbohydrate recognition activity. At least two of the family members, uPARAP/Endo180 and the mannose receptor, interact with collagens. The molecular basis for this interaction is known to involve the fibronectin type II domain but nothing is known about the function of the lectin domains in this respect. In this study, we have investigated a possible role of the single active lectin domain of uPARAP/Endo180 in the interaction with collagens. By expressing truncated recombinant uPARAP/Endo180 proteins and analyzing their interaction with collagens with high and low levels of glycosylation we demonstrated that this lectin domain interacts directly with glycosylated collagens. This interaction is functionally important because it was found to modulate the endocytic efficiency of the receptor toward highly glycosylated collagens such as basement membrane collagen IV. Surprisingly, this property was not shared by the mannose receptor, which internalized glycosylated collagens independently of its lectin function. This role of modulating its uptake efficiency by a specific receptor is a previously unrecognized function of collagen glycosylation. PMID:21768090

  18. Infant attachment disorganization and moderation pathways to level and change in externalizing behavior during preschool ages.

    PubMed

    Wang, Feihong; Willoughby, Michael; Mills-Koonce, Roger; Cox, Martha J

    2016-12-01

    This research examined the child, parent, and family conditions under which attachment disorganization was related to both level and change in externalizing behavior during preschool among a community sample. Using the ordinary least squares regression, we found that attachment disorganization at 12 months significantly predicted children's externalizing behavior at 36 months and this prediction was not contingent on any other factors tested. For predicting changes in externalizing behavior from 36 to 60 months, we found a significant main effect of family cumulative risk and an interaction effect between attachment disorganization at 12 months and maternal sensitivity at 24 months. Specifically, high disorganization was related to a significant decrease in externalizing behavior from 36 to 60 months when maternal sensitivity at 24 months was high. Our main-effect findings replicated the significant effect of attachment disorganization and cumulative risk on externalizing behavior with preschool-aged children. Our interaction finding provided support for understanding the parenting conditions under which infant attachment disorganization may be related to change in externalizing behavior during preschool ages. Implications of the findings were discussed.

  19. Disruption of fibronectin matrix affects type IV collagen, fibrillin and laminin deposition into extracellular matrix of human trabecular meshwork (HTM) cells.

    PubMed

    Filla, Mark S; Dimeo, Kaylee D; Tong, Tiegang; Peters, Donna M

    2017-12-01

    Fibronectin fibrils are a major component of the extracellular matrix (ECM) of the trabecular meshwork (TM). They are a key mediator of the formation of the ECM which controls aqueous humor outflow and contributes to the pathogenesis of glaucoma. The purpose of this work was to determine if a fibronectin-binding peptide called FUD, derived from the Streptococcus pyogenes Functional Upstream Domain of the F1 adhesin protein, could be used to control fibronectin fibrillogenesis and hence ECM formation under conditions where its expression was induced by treatment with the glucocorticoid dexamethasone. FUD was very effective at preventing fibronectin fibrillogenesis in the presence or absence of steroid treatment as well as the removal of existing fibronectin fibrils. Disruption of fibronectin fibrillogenesis by FUD also disrupted the incorporation of type IV collagen, laminin and fibrillin into the ECM. The effect of FUD on these other protein matrices, however, was found to be dependent upon the maturity of the ECM when FUD was added. FUD effectively disrupted the incorporation of these other proteins into matrices when added to newly confluent cells that were forming a nascent ECM. In contrast, FUD had no effect on these other protein matrices if the cell cultures already possessed a pre-formed, mature ECM. Our studies indicate that FUD can be used to control fibronectin fibrillogenesis and that these fibrils play a role in regulating the assembly of other ECM protein into matrices involving type IV collagen, laminin, and fibrillin within the TM. This suggests that under in vivo conditions, FUD would selectively disrupt fibronectin fibrils and de novo assembly of other proteins into the ECM. Finally, our studies suggest that targeting fibronectin fibril assembly may be a viable treatment for POAG as well as other glaucomas involving excessive or abnormal matrix deposition of the ECM. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. [How does family disorganization influence children's drug use? A review].

    PubMed

    Becoña, Elisardo; Martínez, Úrsula; Calafat, Amador; Juan, Montse; Duch, Mariangels; Fernández-Hermida, José Ramón

    2012-01-01

    It is well known that various aspects of family functioning can influence children's drug use, both by promoting resilience and by increasing the risk of use. This review examines studies published in the last 30 years about the influence of family disorganization on children's drug use. Based on the results, we consider that disorganised families (charactirezed by parents' mental illness, parents' substance use and/or non-intact families) are more likely to have children who are drug users, both legal and illegal. Finally, we stress the need to improve the conceptualization of family disorganization and its assessment, and point out other methodological limitations found in the empirical studies reviewed.

  1. Decreased collagen types I and IV, laminin, CK-19 and α-SMA expression after bone marrow cell transplantation in rats with liver fibrosis.

    PubMed

    Carvalho, S N; Lira, D C; Oliveira, G P; Thole, A A; Stumbo, A C; Caetano, C E; Marques, R G; Carvalho, L

    2010-11-01

    Bone marrow cells have frequently been tested in animal models of liver fibrosis to assess their role in hepatic regeneration. The mononuclear fraction of bone marrow cells is of particular interest, as many studies show that these cells may be beneficial to treat hepatic fibrosis. In this study, we used the bile duct ligation model to induce hepatic fibrosis in an irreversible manner, and rats were treated with bone marrow mononuclear (BMMN) cells after fibrosis was established. Analysis of collagen types I and IV, laminin and α-SMA showed a decreased expression of these proteins in fibrotic livers after 7 days of BMMN cell injection. Moreover, cytokeratin-19 analysis showed a reduction in bile ducts in the BMMN cell-treated group. These results were accompanied by ameliorated levels of hepatic enzymes GPT (Glutamic-pyruvic transaminase), GOT (glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase) and alkaline phosphatase (AP). Therefore, we showed that BMMN cells decrease hepatic fibrosis by significantly reducing myofibroblast numbers and through reduction of the collagen and laminin-rich extracellular matrix of fibrotic septa and hepatic sinusoids.

  2. Toward an architecture of attachment disorganization: John Bowlby’s published and unpublished reflections

    PubMed Central

    Solomon, Judith; Duschinsky, Robbie; Bakkum, Lianne; Schuengel, Carlo

    2017-01-01

    This article examines the construct of disorganized attachment originally proposed by Main and Solomon, developing some new conjectures based on inspiration from a largely unknown source: John Bowlby’s unpublished texts, housed at the Wellcome Trust Library Archive in London (with permission from the Bowlby family). We explore Bowlby’s discussions of disorganized attachment, which he understood from the perspective of ethological theories of conflict behavior. Bowlby’s reflections regarding differences among the behaviors used to code disorganized attachment will be used to explore distinctions that may underlie the structure of the current coding system. The article closes with an emphasis on the importance Bowlby placed on Popper’s distinction between the context of discovery and the context of justification in developmental science. PMID:28791871

  3. Polarity and transport properties of rabbit kidney proximal tubule cells on collagen IV-coated porous membranes.

    PubMed

    Genestie, I; Morin, J P; Vannier, B; Lorenzon, G

    1995-07-01

    A high degree of functional polarity has been obtained in primary cultures of rabbit kidney proximal tubule cells grown on collagen IV-coated porous membranes. Tight confluency was attained 6 days after seeding and maintained for at least 6 more days, as shown by analysis of paracellular inulin diffusion. From day 6 onward, L-lactate, ammonia, and D-glucose concentration gradient and a pH difference of approximately 1 unit developed between the two nutrient medium compartments. Confluent monolayers expressed organic ion transport properties higher than those formerly reported for other cell models. Transcellular transport of 20 microM tetraethylammonium was directed from basal to apical compartment and was specifically inhibited by mepiperphenidol (1 mM). Unidirectional transport of 2.4 microM p-aminohippurate also occurred from basal to apical compartment, was saturable, and specifically inhibited by probenecid (1 mM). These results suggest that rabbit kidney proximal tubule cells, cultured under the experimental conditions described here, may be a useful model for the in vitro study of highly polarized renal transport processes.

  4. Family Disorganization, Sleep Hygiene, and Adolescent Sleep Disturbance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Billows, Michael; Gradisar, Michael; Dohnt, Hayley; Johnston, Anna; McCappin, Stephanie; Hudson, Jennifer

    2009-01-01

    The link between sleep hygiene and adolescent sleep is well documented, though evidence suggests contributions from other factors, particularly the family environment. The present study examined whether sleep hygiene mediated the relationship between family disorganization and self-reported sleep onset latency, total sleep time, and daytime…

  5. Neighborhood characteristics contribute to urban alcohol availability: Accounting for race/ethnicity and social disorganization.

    PubMed

    Snowden, Aleksandra J

    2016-01-01

    This study examined the role that race/ethnicity and social disorganization play in alcohol availability in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, census block groups. This study estimated negative binomial regression models to examine separately the relationship between neighborhood racial/ethnic composition and social disorganization levels for (1) total, (2) on-premise, and (3) off-premise alcohol outlets. Results of this study suggest that proportion Hispanic was positively associated with total and with off-premise alcohol outlets. Second, proportion African American was negatively associated with on-premise alcohol outlets and positively associated with off-premise alcohol outlets. Proportion Asian was not associated with total, on-premise, or off-premise alcohol outlets. However, the effects of race/ethnicity on alcohol availability were either unrelated or negatively related to alcohol outlet availability once neighborhood social disorganization levels were taken into account, and social disorganization was positively and significantly associated with all alcohol outlet types. Neighborhood characteristics contribute to alcohol availability and must be considered in any efforts aimed toward prevention of alcohol-related negative health and social outcomes.

  6. Convergence in Reports of Adolescents' Psychopathology: A Focus on Disorganized Attachment and Reflective Functioning.

    PubMed

    Borelli, Jessica L; Palmer, Alexandra; Vanwoerden, Salome; Sharp, Carla

    2017-12-13

    Although convergence in parent-youth reports of adolescent psychopathology is critical for treatment planning, research documents a pervasive lack of agreement in ratings of adolescents' symptoms. Attachment insecurity (particularly disorganized attachment) and impoverished reflective functioning (RF) are 2 theoretically implicated predictors of low convergence that have not been examined in the literature. In a cross-sectional investigation of adolescents receiving inpatient psychiatric treatment, we examined whether disorganized attachment and low (adolescent and parent) RF were associated with patterns of convergence in adolescent internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Compared with organized adolescents, disorganized adolescents had lower parent-youth convergence in reports of their internalizing symptoms and higher convergence in reports of their externalizing symptoms; low adolescent self-focused RF was associated with low convergence in parent-adolescent reports of internalizing symptoms, whereas low adolescent global RF was associated with high convergence in parent-adolescent reports of externalizing symptoms. Among adolescents receiving inpatient psychiatric treatment, disorganized attachment and lower RF were associated with weaker internalizing symptom convergence and greater externalizing symptom convergence, which if replicated, could inform assessment strategies and treatment planning in this setting.

  7. ADHD and Infant Disorganized Attachment: A Prospective Study of Children Next-Born after Stillbirth

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pinto, Carmen; Turton, Penelope; Hughes, Patricia; White, Sarah; Gillberg, Christopher

    2006-01-01

    Objective: To examine whether infant disorganized attachment predicts ADHD at school age. Method: A cohort of 53 children who had been identified as having significant levels of disorganized attachment in infancy is compared to a control group. Symptoms and signs of ADHD at age 7 are evaluated together with a range of relevant maternal variables.…

  8. The disorganized family: institutions, practices and normativity.

    PubMed

    Smyth, Lisa

    2016-12-01

    This paper considers the value of a normative account of the relationship between agents and institutions for contemporary efforts to explain ever more complex and disorganized forms of social life. The character of social institutions, as they relate to practices, agents and norms, is explored through an engagement with the common claim that family life has been de-institutionalized. The paper argues that a normative rather than empirical definition of institutions avoids a false distinction between institutions and practices. Drawing on ideas of social freedom and creative action from critical theory, the changes in family life are explained not as an effect of de-institutionalization, but as a shift from an organized to a disorganized institutional type. This is understood as a response to changes in the wider normative structure, as a norm of individual freedom has undermined the legitimacy of the organized patriarchal nuclear family, with gender ascribed roles and associated duties. Contemporary motherhood is drawn on to illustrate the value of analysing the dynamic interactions between institutions, roles and practices for capturing both the complexity and the patterned quality of social experience. © London School of Economics and Political Science 2016.

  9. Details of the Collagen and Elastin Architecture in the Human Limbal Conjunctiva, Tenon's Capsule and Sclera Revealed by Two-Photon Excited Fluorescence Microscopy.

    PubMed

    Park, Choul Yong; Marando, Catherine M; Liao, Jason A; Lee, Jimmy K; Kwon, Jiwon; Chuck, Roy S

    2016-10-01

    To investigate the architecture and distribution of collagen and elastin in human limbal conjunctiva, Tenon's capsule, and sclera. The limbal conjunctiva, Tenon's capsule, and sclera of human donor corneal buttons were imaged with an inverted two-photon excited fluorescence microscope. No fixation process was necessary. The laser (Ti:sapphire) was tuned at 850 nm for two-photon excitation. Backscatter signals of second harmonic generation (SHG) and autofluorescence (AF) were collected through a 425/30-nm and a 525/45-nm emission filter, respectively. Multiple, consecutive, and overlapping (z-stack) images were acquired. Collagen signals were collected with SHG, whereas elastin signals were collected with AF. The size and density of collagen bundles varied widely depending on depth: increasing from conjunctiva to sclera. In superficial image planes, collagen bundles were <10 μm in width, in a loose, disorganized arrangement. In deeper image planes (episclera and superficial sclera), collagen bundles were thicker (near 100 μm in width) and densely packed. Comparatively, elastin fibers were thinner and sparse. The orientation of elastin fibers was independent of collagen fibers in superficial layers; but in deep sclera, elastin fibers wove through collagen interbundle gaps. At the limbus, both collagen and elastin fibers were relatively compact and were distributed perpendicular to the limbal annulus. Two-photon excited fluorescence microscopy has enabled us to understand in greater detail the collagen and elastin architecture of the human limbal conjunctiva, Tenon's capsule, and sclera.

  10. Long-pulsed 1064-nm Nd: YAG laser ameliorates LL-37-induced rosacea-like skin lesions through promoting collagen remodeling in BALB/c mice.

    PubMed

    Kim, Miri; Kim, Jongsic; Jeong, Seo-Won; Jo, Hyunmu; Park, Hyun Jeong

    2018-02-01

    Long-pulsed 1064-nm neodymium: yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser (LPND) effectively treats rosacea, although the underlying mechanism is unclear, to evaluate the histological effects and molecular mechanism of LPND on LL-37-induced rosacea-like skin lesions in mice. Intradermal injection of LL-37 was performed into the dorsal skin of BALB/c mice (n = 30) twice a day for 2 days. Fifteen mice were treated with LPND. After 48 h, the excised skin sample was stained for histology and type I collagen; transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and interleukin (IL)-1α mRNA levels were determined by real-time RT-PCR. Intradermal injection of LL-37 induced rosacea-like clinical features. LPND treatment significantly reduced erythema and increased dermal collagen production. Levels of Type I collagen, TGF-β, and MMP-1 mRNA were significantly higher in LPND-treated mice than in untreated mice. LPND may improve rosacea by ameliorating dermal connective tissue disorganization and elastosis through MMP-mediated dermal collagen remodeling.

  11. Immunolocalization of Collagens (I and III) and Cartilage Oligomeric Matrix Protein in the Normal and Injured Equine Superficial Digital Flexor Tendon

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    This is a descriptive study of tendon pathology with different structural appearances of repair tissue correlated to immunolocalization of cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) and type I and III collagens and expression of COMP mRNA. The material consists of nine tendons from seven horses (5–25 years old; mean age of 10 years) with clinical tendinopathy and three normal tendons from horses (3, 3, and 13 years old) euthanized for non-orthopedic reasons. The injured tendons displayed different repair-tissue appearances with organized and disorganized fibroblastic regions as well as areas of necrosis. The normal tendons presented distinct immunoreactivity for COMP and expression of COMP mRNA and type I collagen in the normal aligned fiber structures, but no immunolabeling of type III collagen. However, immunoreactivity for type III collagen was present in the endotenon surrounding the fiber bundles, where no expression of COMP could be seen. Immunostaining for type I and III collagens was present in all of the pathologic regions indicating repair tissue. Interestingly, the granulation tissues showed immunostaining for COMP and expression of COMP mRNA, indicating a role for COMP in repair and remodeling of the tendon after fiber degeneration and rupture. The present results suggest that not only type III collagen but also COMP is involved in the repair and remodeling processes of the tendon. PMID:23020676

  12. Disorganization at the stage of schizophrenia clinical outcome: Clinical-biological study.

    PubMed

    Nestsiarovich, A; Obyedkov, V; Kandratsenka, H; Siniauskaya, M; Goloenko, I; Waszkiewicz, N

    2017-05-01

    According to the multidimensional model of schizophrenia, three basic psychopathological dimensions constitute its clinical structure: positive symptoms, negative symptoms and disorganization. The latter one is the newest and the least studied. Our aim was to discriminate disorganization in schizophrenia clinical picture and to identify its distinctive biological and socio-psychological particularities and associated genetic and environmental factors. We used SAPS/SANS psychometrical scales, scales for the assessment of patient's compliance, insight, social functioning, life quality. Neuropsychological tests included Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), Stroop Color-Word test. Neurophysiological examination included registration of P300 wave of the evoked cognitive auditory potentials. Environmental factors related to patient's education, family, surrounding and nicotine use, as well as subjectively significant traumatic events in childhood and adolescence were assessed. Using PCR we detected SNP of genes related to the systems of neurotransmission (COMT, SLC6A4 and DRD2), inflammatory response (IL6, TNF), cellular detoxification (GSTM1, GSTT1), DNA methylation (MTHFR, DNMT3b, DNMT1). Disorganization is associated with early schizophrenia onset and history of psychosis in family, low level of insight and compliance, high risk of committing delicts, distraction errors in WCST, lengthened P300 latency of evoked cognitive auditory potentials, low-functional alleles of genes MTHFR (rs1801133) and DNMT3b (rs2424913), high level of urbanicity and psychotraumatic events at early age. Severe disorganization at the stage of schizophrenia clinical outcome is associated with the set of specific biological and social-psychological characteristics that indicate its epigenetic nature and maladaptive social significance. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  13. Long-term stability of dentin matrix following treatment with various natural collagen cross-linkers

    PubMed Central

    Castellan, Carina Strano; Bedran-Russo, Ana Karina; Karol, Sachin; Rodrigues Pereira, Patrícia Nóbrega

    2011-01-01

    Objectives Collagen disorganization is one of the main degradation patterns found in unsuccessful adhesive restorations. The hypothesis of this study was that pretreatment using natural collagen cross-linking agents rich in proanthocyanidin (PA) would improve mechanical properties and stability over time of the dentin collagen and, thus, confer a more resistant and lasting substrate for adhesive restorations. Methods PA-based extracts, from grape seed (GSE), cocoa seed (CSE), cranberry (CRE), cinnamon (CNE) and açaí berry (ACE) were applied over the demineralized dentin. The apparent elastic modulus (E) of the treated dentin collagen was analyzed over a 12 months period. Specimens were immersed in the respective solution and E values were obtained by a micro-flexural test at baseline, 10, 30, 60, 120 and 240 min. Samples were stored in artificial saliva and re-tested after 3, 6 and 12 months. Data was analyzed using ANOVA and Tukey test. Results GSE and CSE extracts showed a time-dependant effect and were able to improve [240 min (MPa): GSE=108.96±56.08; CSE=59.21±24.87] and stabilize the E of the organic matrix [12 months (MPa): GSE=40.91±19.69; CSE= 42.11±13.46]. CRE and CNE extracts were able to maintain the E of collagen matrices constant over 12 months [CRE=11.17±7.22; CNE= 9,96±6.11; MPa]. ACE (2.64±1.22 MPa) and control groups immersed in neat distilled water (1.37±0.69 MPa) and ethanol water (0.95±0.33MPa) showed no effect over dentin organic matrix and enable their degradation and reduction of mechanical properties. Significance Some PA-based extracts were capable of improving and stabilizing collagen matrices through exogenous cross-links induction. PMID:21783144

  14. Maternal Physiological Dysregulation While Parenting Poses Risk for Infant Attachment Disorganization and Behavior Problems

    PubMed Central

    Leerkes, Esther M.; Su, Jinni; Calkins, Susan D.; O’Brien, Marion; Supple, Andrew J.

    2017-01-01

    The extent to which indices of maternal physiological arousal (skin conductance augmentation) and regulation (vagal withdrawal) while parenting predict infant attachment disorganization and behavior problems directly or indirectly via maternal sensitivity was examined in a sample of 259 mothers and their infants. Two covariates, maternal self-reported emotional risk and AAI attachment coherence were assessed prenatally. Mothers’ physiological arousal and regulation were measured during parenting tasks when infants were 6 months old. Maternal sensitivity was observed during distress-eliciting tasks when infants were 6 and 14 months old, and an average sensitivity score was calculated. Attachment disorganization was observed during the Strange Situation when infants were 14 months old and mothers reported on infants’ behavior problems when infants were 27 months old. Over and above covariates, mothers’ arousal and regulation while parenting interacted to predict infant attachment disorganization and behavior problems such that maternal arousal was associated with higher attachment disorganization and behavior problems when maternal regulation was low but not when maternal regulation was high. This effect was direct and not explained by maternal sensitivity. Results suggest that maternal physiological dysregulation while parenting places infants at risk for psychopathology. PMID:26902983

  15. Maternal physiological dysregulation while parenting poses risk for infant attachment disorganization and behavior problems.

    PubMed

    Leerkes, Esther M; Su, Jinni; Calkins, Susan D; O'Brien, Marion; Supple, Andrew J

    2017-02-01

    The extent to which indices of maternal physiological arousal (skin conductance augmentation) and regulation (vagal withdrawal) while parenting predict infant attachment disorganization and behavior problems directly or indirectly via maternal sensitivity was examined in a sample of 259 mothers and their infants. Two covariates, maternal self-reported emotional risk and Adult Attachment Interview attachment coherence were assessed prenatally. Mothers' physiological arousal and regulation were measured during parenting tasks when infants were 6 months old. Maternal sensitivity was observed during distress-eliciting tasks when infants were 6 and 14 months old, and an average sensitivity score was calculated. Attachment disorganization was observed during the Strange Situation when infants were 14 months old, and mothers reported on infants' behavior problems when infants were 27 months old. Over and above covariates, mothers' arousal and regulation while parenting interacted to predict infant attachment disorganization and behavior problems such that maternal arousal was associated with higher attachment disorganization and behavior problems when maternal regulation was low but not when maternal regulation was high. This effect was direct and not explained by maternal sensitivity. The results suggest that maternal physiological dysregulation while parenting places infants at risk for psychopathology.

  16. Gene expression profile of collagen types, osteopontin in the tympanic membrane of patients with tympanosclerosis.

    PubMed

    Sakowicz-Burkiewicz, Monika; Kuczkowski, Jerzy; Przybyła, Tomasz; Grdeń, Marzena; Starzyńska, Anna; Pawełczyk, Tadeusz

    2017-09-01

    Tympanosclerosis is a pathological process involving the middle ear. The hallmark of this disease is the formation of calcium deposits. In the submucosal layer, as well as in the right layer of the tympanic membrane, the calcium deposits result in a significant increase in the activity of fibroblasts and deposition of collagen fibers. The aim of our study was to examine the expression level of genes encoding collagen type I, II, III and IV (COL1A1, COL2A1, COL3A1, COL4A1) and osteopontin (SPP1) in the tympanic membrane of patients with tympanosclerosis. The total RNA was isolated from middle ear tissues with tympanosclerosis, received from 25 patients and from 19 normal tympanic membranes. The gene expression level was determined by real-time RT-PCR. The gene expression levels were correlated with clinical Tos classification of tympanosclerosis. We observed that in the tympanic membrane of patients with tympanosclerosis, the expression of type I collagen is decreased, while the expression of type II and IV collagen and osteopontin is increased. Moreover, mRNA levels of the investigated genes strongly correlated with the clinical stages of tympanosclerosis. The strong correlations between the expression of type I, II, IV collagen and osteopontin and the clinical stage of tympanosclerosis indicate the involvement of these proteins in excessive fibrosis and pathological remodeling of the tympanic membrane. In the future, a treatment aiming to modulate these gene expressions and/or regulation of the degradation of their protein products could be used as a new medical approach for patients with tympanosclerosis.

  17. Change in Atypical Maternal Behavior Predicts Change in Attachment Disorganization from 12 to 24 Months in a High-Risk Sample

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Forbes, L. M.; Evans, E. M.; Moran, G.; Pederson, D. R.

    2007-01-01

    This longitudinal study examined links between disorganization and atypical maternal behavior at 12 and 24 months in 71 adolescent mother-child dyads. Organized attachment and maternal not disrupted behavior were more stable than disorganization and disrupted behavior, respectively. At both ages, disorganization and maternal disrupted behavior…

  18. Lysyl oxidase interacts with AGE signalling to modulate collagen synthesis in polycystic ovarian tissue

    PubMed Central

    Papachroni, Katerina K; Piperi, Christina; Levidou, Georgia; Korkolopoulou, Penelope; Pawelczyk, Leszek; Diamanti-Kandarakis, Evanthia; Papavassiliou, Athanasios G

    2010-01-01

    Abstract Connective tissue components – collagen types I, III and IV – surrounding the ovarian follicles undergo drastic changes during ovulation. Abnormal collagen synthesis and increased volume and density of ovarian stroma characterize the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). During the ovulatory process, collagen synthesis is regulated by prolyl hydroxylase and lysyl oxidase (LOX) activity in ovarian follicles. LOX catalyzes collagen and elastin cross-linking and plays essential role in coordinating the control of ovarian extracellular matrix (ECM) during follicular development. We have recently shown accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), molecules that stimulate ECM production and abnormal collagen cross-linking, in ovarian tissue. However, the possible link between LOX and AGEs-induced signalling in collagen production and stroma formation in ovarian tissue from PCOS remains elusive. The present study investigates the hypothesis of AGE signalling pathway interaction with LOX gene activity in polycystic ovarian (PCO) tissue. We show an increased distribution and co-localization of LOX, collagen type IV and AGE molecules in the PCO tissue compared to control, as well as augmented expression of AGE signalling mediators/effectors, phospho(p)-ERK, phospho(p)-c-Jun and nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) in pathological tissue. Moreover, we demonstrate binding of AGE-induced transcription factors, NF-κB and activator protein-1 (AP-1) on LOX promoter, indicating a possible involvement of AGEs in LOX gene regulation, which may account for the documented increase in LOX mRNA and protein levels compared to control. These findings suggest that deposition of excess collagen in PCO tissue that induces cystogenesis may, in part, be due to AGE-mediated stimulation of LOX activity. PMID:19583806

  19. Association between maternal childhood maltreatment and mother-infant attachment disorganization: Moderation by maternal oxytocin receptor gene and cortisol secretion.

    PubMed

    Ludmer, Jaclyn A; Gonzalez, Andrea; Kennedy, James; Masellis, Mario; Meinz, Paul; Atkinson, Leslie

    2018-04-24

    This study examined maternal oxytocin receptor (OXTR, rs53576) genotype and cortisol secretion as moderators of the relation between maternal childhood maltreatment history and disorganized mother-infant attachment in the Strange Situation Procedure (SSP). A community sample of 314 mother-infant dyads completed the SSP at infant age 17 months. Self-reported maltreatment history more strongly predicted mother-infant attachment disorganization score and disorganized classification for mothers with more plasticity alleles of OXTR (G), relative to mothers with fewer plasticity alleles. Maltreatment history also more strongly predicted mother-infant attachment disorganization score and classification for mothers with higher SSP cortisol secretion, relative to mothers with lower SSP cortisol secretion. Findings indicate that maltreatment history is related to disorganization in the next generation, but that this relation depends on maternal genetic characteristics and cortisol. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Infant Attachment Disorganization and Moderation Pathways to Level and Change in Externalizing Behavior during Preschool Ages

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wang, Feihong; Willoughby, Michael; Mills-Koonce, Roger; Cox, Martha J.

    2016-01-01

    This research examined the child, parent, and family conditions under which attachment disorganization was related to both level and change in externalizing behavior during preschool among a community sample. Using the ordinary least squares regression, we found that attachment disorganization at 12 months significantly predicted children's…

  1. A polarized light microscopy method for accurate and reliable grading of collagen organization in cartilage repair.

    PubMed

    Changoor, A; Tran-Khanh, N; Méthot, S; Garon, M; Hurtig, M B; Shive, M S; Buschmann, M D

    2011-01-01

    Collagen organization, a feature that is critical for cartilage load bearing and durability, is not adequately assessed in cartilage repair tissue by present histological scoring systems. Our objectives were to develop a new polarized light microscopy (PLM) score for collagen organization and to test its reliability. This PLM score uses an ordinal scale of 0-5 to rate the extent that collagen network organization resembles that of young adult hyaline articular cartilage (score of 5) vs a totally disorganized tissue (score of 0). Inter-reader reliability was assessed using Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICC) for Agreement, calculated from scores of three trained readers who independently evaluated blinded sections obtained from normal (n=4), degraded (n=2) and repair (n=22) human cartilage biopsies. The PLM score succeeded in distinguishing normal, degraded and repair cartilages, where the latter displayed greater complexity in collagen structure. Excellent inter-reader reproducibility was found with ICCs for Agreement of 0.90 [ICC(2,1)] (lower boundary of the 95% confidence interval is 0.83) and 0.96 [ICC(2,3)] (lower boundary of the 95% confidence interval is 0.94), indicating the reliability of a single reader's scores and the mean of all three readers' scores, respectively. This PLM method offers a novel means for systematically evaluating collagen organization in repair cartilage. We propose that it be used to supplement current gold standard histological scoring systems for a more complete assessment of repair tissue quality. Copyright © 2010 Osteoarthritis Research Society International. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Age-related collagen turnover of the interstitial matrix and basement membrane: Implications of age- and sex-dependent remodeling of the extracellular matrix.

    PubMed

    Kehlet, Stephanie N; Willumsen, Nicholas; Armbrecht, Gabriele; Dietzel, Roswitha; Brix, Susanne; Henriksen, Kim; Karsdal, Morten A

    2018-01-01

    The extracellular matrix (ECM) plays a vital role in maintaining normal tissue function. Collagens are major components of the ECM and there is a tight equilibrium between degradation and formation of these proteins ensuring tissue health and homeostasis. As a consequence of tissue turnover, small collagen fragments are released into the circulation, which act as important biomarkers in the study of certain tissue-related remodeling factors in health and disease. The aim of this study was to establish an age-related collagen turnover profile of the main collagens of the interstitial matrix (type I and III collagen) and basement membrane (type IV collagen) in healthy men and women. By using well-characterized competitive ELISA-assays, we assessed specific fragments of degraded (C1M, C3M, C4M) and formed (PINP, Pro-C3, P4NP7S) type I, III and IV collagen in serum from 617 healthy men and women ranging in ages from 22 to 86. Subjects were divided into 5-year age groups according to their sex and age. Groups were compared using Kruskal-Wallis adjusted for Dunn's multiple comparisons test and Mann-Whitney t-test. Age-specific changes in collagen turnover was most profound for type I collagen. PINP levels decreased in men with advancing age, whereas in women, the level decreased in early adulthood followed by an increase around the age of menopause (age 40-60). Sex-specific changes in type I, III and IV collagen turnover was present at the age around menopause (age 40-60) with women having an increased turnover. In summary, collagen turnover is affected by age and sex with the interstitial matrix and the basement membrane being differently regulated. The observed changes needs to be accounted for when measuring ECM related biomarkers in clinical studies.

  3. Mother-infant joint attention and sharing: relations to disorganized attachment and maternal disrupted communication.

    PubMed

    Annie Yoon, Seungyeon; Kelso, Gwendolyn A; Lock, Anna; Lyons-Ruth, Karlen

    2014-01-01

    The normative development of infant shared attention has been studied extensively, but few studies have examined the impact of disorganized attachment and disturbed maternal caregiving on mother-infant shared attention. The authors examined both maternal initiations of joint attention and infants' responses to those initiations during the reunion episodes of the Strange Situation Procedure at 12 and 18 months of infant age. The mothers' initiations of joint attention and three forms of infant response, including shunning, simple joint attention, and sharing attention, were examined in relation to infant disorganized attachment and maternal disrupted communication. Mothers who were disrupted in communication with their infants at 18 months initiated fewer bids for joint attention at 12 months, and, at 18 months, mothers of infants classified disorganized initiated fewer bids. However, the infant' responses were unrelated to either the infant' or the mother' disturbed attachment. At both ages, disorganized infants and infants of disrupted mothers were as likely to respond to maternal bids as were their lower risk counterparts. Our results suggest that a disposition to share experiences with others is robust in infancy, even among infants with adverse attachment experiences, but this infant disposition may depend on adult initiation of bids to be realized.

  4. Constructing bio-layer of heparin and type IV collagen on titanium surface for improving its endothelialization and blood compatibility.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Kun; Chen, Jun-ying; Qin, Wei; Li, Jing-an; Guan, Fang-xia; Huang, Nan

    2016-04-01

    The modification of cardiovascular stent surface for a better micro-environment has gradually changed to multi-molecule, multi-functional designation. In this study, heparin (Hep) and type IV collagen (IVCol) were used as the functional molecule to construct a bifunctional micro-environment of anticoagulation and promoting endothelialization on titanium (Ti). The surface characterization results (AFM, Alcian Blue 8GX Staining and fluorescence staining of IVCol) indicated that the bio-layer of Hep and IVCol were successfully fabricated on the Ti surface through electrostatic self-assembly. The APTT and platelet adhesion test demonstrated that the bionic layer possessed better blood compatibility compared with Ti surface. The adhesion, proliferation, migration and apoptosis tests of endothelial cells proved that the Hep/IVCol layer was able to enhance the endothelialization of the Ti surface. The in vivo animal implantation results manifested that the bionic surface could encourage new endothelialization. This work provides an important reference for the construction of multifunction micro-environment on the cardiovascular scaffold surface.

  5. The invasion mode of GH(3) cells is conditioned by collagen subtype, and its efficiency depends on cell-cell adhesion.

    PubMed

    Azorín, Erika; Solano-Agama, Carmen; Mendoza-Garrido, M Eugenia

    2012-12-15

    The adaptation of GH(3) cells to different microenvironments is a consequence of a partial compromise with the tumor phenotype. A collagen type IV enriched microenvironment favors an invasive phenotype and increases the substrate adhesion capacity, whereas it decreases the phosphorylation of the regulatory myosin light chain and the aggregation capacity. In contrast, the higher internal tension and increased aggregation capacity induced by collagen type I/III are factors that reduce the invasion rate. Our results show, for the first time, the importance of collagen subtypes in determining the migratory strategy: collagen I/III favors mesenchymal-like motility, whereas collagen type IV induces an ameboid-type displacement. The reciprocal modulation of the myosin light chain kinase and the Rho-kinase determines the invasive capacity through changes in tissue cohesion, extracellular matrix affinity, regulatory myosin light chain phosphorylation and spatial distribution. The collagen subtype determines which of the mechano-transduction signaling pathways will regulate the tensional homeostasis and affect the invasion ability as well as the preferred migration strategy of the cells. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Conflict and Attachment: The Experience of Disorganized/Controlling Children.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Solomon, Judith; George, Carol

    Findings of a study on the relation between 6-year-olds' attachment security and their mental representations of attachment relationships are reported. It was expected that infants whose attachment behavior seemed disorganized would be fearful of their attachment figures and experience themselves as helpless, and that these conditions would be…

  7. Disorganized Attachment and Inhibitory Capacity: Predicting Externalizing Problem Behaviors

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bohlin, Gunilla; Eninger, Lilianne; Brocki, Karin Cecilia; Thorell, Lisa B.

    2012-01-01

    The aim of the present study was to investigate whether attachment insecurity, focusing on disorganized attachment, and the executive function (EF) component of inhibition, assessed at age 5, were longitudinally related to general externalizing problem behaviors as well as to specific symptoms of ADHD and Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and…

  8. Inhibition of microRNA-214-5p promotes cell survival and extracellular matrix formation by targeting collagen type IV alpha 1 in osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells.

    PubMed

    Li, Q S; Meng, F Y; Zhao, Y H; Jin, C L; Tian, J; Yi, X J

    2017-08-01

    This study aimed to investigate the functional effects of microRNA (miR)-214-5p on osteoblastic cells, which might provide a potential role of miR-214-5p in bone fracture healing. Blood samples were obtained from patients with hand fracture or intra-articular calcaneal fracture and from healthy controls (HCs). Expression of miR-214-5p was monitored by qRT-PCR at day 7, 14 and 21 post-surgery. Mouse osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells were transfected with antisense oligonucleotides (ASO)-miR-214-5p, collagen type IV alpha 1 (COL4A1) vector or their controls; thereafter, cell viability, apoptotic rate, and the expression of collagen type I alpha 1 (COL1A1), type II collagen (COL-II), and type X collagen (COL-X) were determined. Luciferase reporter assay, qRT-PCR, and Western blot were performed to ascertain whether COL4A1 was a target of miR-214-5p. Plasma miR-214-5p was highly expressed in patients with bone fracture compared with HCs after fracture (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01). Inhibition of miR-214-5p increased the viability of MC3T3-E1 cells and the expressions of COL1A1 and COL-X, but decreased the apoptotic rate and COL-II expression (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01). COL4A1 was a target of miR-214-5p, and was negatively regulated by miR-214-5p (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01). Overexpression of COL4A1 showed a similar impact on cell viability, apoptotic rate, and COL1A1, COL-II, and COL-X expressions inhibiting miR-214-5p (p < 0.01). Inhibition of miR-214-5p promotes cell survival and extracellular matrix (ECM) formation of osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells by targeting COL4A1. Cite this article: Q. S. Li, F. Y. Meng, Y. H. Zhao, C. L. Jin, J. Tian, X. J. Yi. Inhibition of microRNA-214-5p promotes cell survival and extracellular matrix formation by targeting collagen type IV alpha 1 in osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells. Bone Joint Res 2017;6:464-471. DOI: 10.1302/2046-3758.68.BJR-2016-0208.R2. © 2017 Yi et al.

  9. Beyond the usual suspects: a multidimensional genetic exploration of infant attachment disorganization and security.

    PubMed

    Pappa, Irene; Szekely, Eszter; Mileva-Seitz, Viara R; Luijk, Maartje P C M; Bakermans-Kranenburg, Marian J; van IJzendoorn, Marinus H; Tiemeier, Henning

    2015-01-01

    Although the environmental influences on infant attachment disorganization and security are well-studied, little is known about their heritability. Candidate gene studies have shown small, often non-replicable effects. In this study, we gathered the largest sample (N = 657) of ethnically homogenous, 14-month-old children with both observed attachment and genome-wide data. First, we used a Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) approach to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with attachment disorganization and security. Second, we annotated them into genes (Versatile Gene-based Association Study) and functional pathways. Our analyses provide evidence of novel genes (HDAC1, ZNF675, BSCD1) and pathways (synaptic transmission, cation transport) associated with attachment disorganization. Similar analyses identified a novel gene (BECN1) but no distinct pathways associated with attachment security. The results of this first extensive, exploratory study on the molecular-genetic basis of infant attachment await replication in large, independent samples.

  10. Assessing a change mechanism in a randomized home-visiting trial: Reducing disrupted maternal communication decreases infant disorganization.

    PubMed

    Tereno, Susana; Madigan, Sheri; Lyons-Ruth, Karlen; Plamondon, Andre; Atkinson, Leslie; Guedeney, Nicole; Greacen, Tim; Dugravier, Romain; Saias, Thomas; Guedeney, Antoine

    2017-05-01

    Although randomized interventions trials have been shown to reduce the incidence of disorganized attachment, no studies to date have identified the mechanisms of change responsible for such reductions. Maternal sensitivity has been assessed in various studies and shown to change with intervention, but in the only study to formally assess mediation, changes in maternal sensitivity did not mediate changes in infant security of attachment (Cicchetti, Rogosch, & Toth, 2006). Primary aims of the current randomized controlled intervention trial in a high-risk population were to fill gaps in the literature by assessing whether the intervention (a) reduced disorganization, (b) reduced disrupted maternal communication, and (c) whether reductions in disrupted maternal communication mediated changes in infant disorganization. The results indicated that, compared to controls (n = 52), both infant disorganization and disrupted maternal communication were significantly reduced in the intervention group (n = 65) that received regular home-visiting during pregnancy and the first year of life. Furthermore, reductions in disrupted maternal communication partially accounted for the observed reductions in infant disorganization compared to randomized controls. The results are discussed in relation to the societal cost effectiveness of early attachment-informed interventions for mothers and infants, as well as the importance of formally assessing underlying mechanisms of change in order to improve and appropriately target preventive interventions.

  11. Biochemical and biophysical characterization of collagens of marine sponge, Ircinia fusca (Porifera: Demospongiae: Irciniidae).

    PubMed

    Pallela, Ramjee; Bojja, Sreedhar; Janapala, Venkateswara Rao

    2011-07-01

    Collagens were isolated and partially characterized from the marine demosponge, Ircinia fusca from Gulf of Mannar (GoM), India, with an aim to develop potentially applicable collagens from unused and under-used resources. The yield of insoluble, salt soluble and acid soluble forms of collagens was 31.71 ± 1.59, 20.69 ± 1.03, and 17.38 ± 0.87 mg/g dry weight, respectively. Trichrome staining, Scanning & Transmission Electron microscopic (SEM & TEM) studies confirmed the presence of collagen in the isolated, terminally globular irciniid filaments. The partially purified (gel filtration chromatography), non-fibrillar collagens appeared as basement type collagenous sheets under light microscopy whereas the purified fibrillar collagens appeared as fibrils with a repeated band periodicity of 67 nm under Atomic Force Microscope (AFM). The non-fibrillar and fibrillar collagens were seen to have affinity for anti-collagen type IV and type I antibodies raised against human collagens, respectively. The macromolecules, i.e., total protein, carbohydrate and lipid contents within the tissues were also quantified. The present information on the three characteristic irciniid collagens (filamentous, fibrillar and non-fibrillar) could assist the future attempts to unravel the therapeutically important, safer collagens from marine sponges for their use in pharmaceutical and cosmeceutical industries. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Disorganized attachment in infancy: a review of the phenomenon and its implications for clinicians and policy-makers.

    PubMed

    Granqvist, Pehr; Sroufe, L Alan; Dozier, Mary; Hesse, Erik; Steele, Miriam; van Ijzendoorn, Marinus; Solomon, Judith; Schuengel, Carlo; Fearon, Pasco; Bakermans-Kranenburg, Marian; Steele, Howard; Cassidy, Jude; Carlson, Elizabeth; Madigan, Sheri; Jacobvitz, Deborah; Foster, Sarah; Behrens, Kazuko; Rifkin-Graboi, Anne; Gribneau, Naomi; Spangler, Gottfried; Ward, Mary J; True, Mary; Spieker, Susan; Reijman, Sophie; Reisz, Samantha; Tharner, Anne; Nkara, Frances; Goldwyn, Ruth; Sroufe, June; Pederson, David; Pederson, Deanne; Weigand, Robert; Siegel, Daniel; Dazzi, Nino; Bernard, Kristin; Fonagy, Peter; Waters, Everett; Toth, Sheree; Cicchetti, Dante; Zeanah, Charles H; Lyons-Ruth, Karlen; Main, Mary; Duschinsky, Robbie

    2017-12-01

    Disorganized/Disoriented (D) attachment has seen widespread interest from policy makers, practitioners, and clinicians in recent years. However, some of this interest seems to have been based on some false assumptions that (1) attachment measures can be used as definitive assessments of the individual in forensic/child protection settings and that disorganized attachment (2) reliably indicates child maltreatment, (3) is a strong predictor of pathology, and (4) represents a fixed or static "trait" of the child, impervious to development or help. This paper summarizes the evidence showing that these four assumptions are false and misleading. The paper reviews what is known about disorganized infant attachment and clarifies the implications of the classification for clinical and welfare practice with children. In particular, the difference between disorganized attachment and attachment disorder is examined, and a strong case is made for the value of attachment theory for supportive work with families and for the development and evaluation of evidence-based caregiving interventions.

  13. Disorganized attachment in infancy: a review of the phenomenon and its implications for clinicians and policy-makers

    PubMed Central

    Granqvist, Pehr; Sroufe, L. Alan; Dozier, Mary; Hesse, Erik; Steele, Miriam; van Ijzendoorn, Marinus; Solomon, Judith; Schuengel, Carlo; Fearon, Pasco; Bakermans-Kranenburg, Marian; Steele, Howard; Cassidy, Jude; Carlson, Elizabeth; Madigan, Sheri; Jacobvitz, Deborah; Foster, Sarah; Behrens, Kazuko; Rifkin-Graboi, Anne; Gribneau, Naomi; Spangler, Gottfried; Ward, Mary J; True, Mary; Spieker, Susan; Reijman, Sophie; Reisz, Samantha; Tharner, Anne; Nkara, Frances; Goldwyn, Ruth; Sroufe, June; Pederson, David; Pederson, Deanne; Weigand, Robert; Siegel, Daniel; Dazzi, Nino; Bernard, Kristin; Fonagy, Peter; Waters, Everett; Toth, Sheree; Cicchetti, Dante; Zeanah, Charles H; Lyons-Ruth, Karlen; Main, Mary; Duschinsky, Robbie

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT Disorganized/Disoriented (D) attachment has seen widespread interest from policy makers, practitioners, and clinicians in recent years. However, some of this interest seems to have been based on some false assumptions that (1) attachment measures can be used as definitive assessments of the individual in forensic/child protection settings and that disorganized attachment (2) reliably indicates child maltreatment, (3) is a strong predictor of pathology, and (4) represents a fixed or static “trait” of the child, impervious to development or help. This paper summarizes the evidence showing that these four assumptions are false and misleading. The paper reviews what is known about disorganized infant attachment and clarifies the implications of the classification for clinical and welfare practice with children. In particular, the difference between disorganized attachment and attachment disorder is examined, and a strong case is made for the value of attachment theory for supportive work with families and for the development and evaluation of evidence-based caregiving interventions. PMID:28745146

  14. Disorganized attachment in young adulthood as a partial mediator of relations between severity of childhood abuse and dissociation.

    PubMed

    Byun, Sooyeon; Brumariu, Laura E; Lyons-Ruth, Karlen

    2016-01-01

    Disorganized attachment has been proposed as a mediating mechanism in the relation between childhood abuse and dissociation. However, support for mediation has been mixed when interview or self-report measures of attachment have been used. In the current work, relations among severity of abuse, attachment disorganization, and dissociation were assessed in young adulthood using both interview and interaction-based measures of attachment. A total of 112 low-income young adults were assessed for socioeconomic stresses, abusive experiences in childhood, and attachment disorganization at age 20. Attachment disorganization was assessed with the Adult Attachment Interview, coded independently for Unresolved states of mind and for Hostile-Helpless states of mind. Attachment disorganization was also measured using a newly validated assessment of young adult-parent interaction during a conflict discussion. Mediation analyses revealed that the link between childhood abuse and dissociation was partially explained by disturbances in young adult-parent interaction. Narrative disturbances on the Adult Attachment Interview were related to abuse and to dissociation but did not mediate the link between the two. Results are discussed in relation to the role of parent-child communication processes in pathways to dissociation.

  15. Attachment and Temperament Revisited: Infant Distress, Attachment Disorganization, and the Serotonin Transporter Polymorphism.

    PubMed

    Brumariu, Laura E; Bureau, Jean-François; Nemoda, Zsofia; Sasvari-Szekely, Maria; Lyons-Ruth, Karlen

    This study's aim was to evaluate whether infant disorganized attachment and infant proneness to distress exhibited differential relations to infant genetic factors as indexed by the serotonin transporter polymorphism. The role of the short allele of the serotonin transporter polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) in enhancing sensitivity to fearful and negative affect has been well-established (Canli & Lesch, 2007). In the current study, we used this known property of the short allele to provide a test of an important postulate of attachment theory, namely that infant attachment security or disorganization is not a function of the infant's proneness to distress. Participants were 39 parents and infants assessed between 12 and 18 months in the Strange Situation procedure. Genotype categories for the 5-HTTLPR (and rs25531) were created by both the original and the reclassified grouping system; infant proneness to distress was assessed directly in the Strange Situation Procedure. We also assessed maternal behavior at 18 months to evaluate whether any observed genetic effect indicated a passive effect through the mother. Consistent with previous findings, the 5-HTTLPR short allele was significantly related to the infant's wariness and distress, but was not related to attachment security or attachment disorganization. In addition, maternal disrupted interaction with the infant was not related to infant genotype or infant distress. Results support the concept that infant proneness to distress is associated with serotonergic factors while infant attachment security or disorganization is not a function of either 5-HTTLPR or behaviorally rated proneness to distress.

  16. Attachment and Temperament Revisited: Infant Distress, Attachment Disorganization, and the Serotonin Transporter Polymorphism

    PubMed Central

    Brumariu, Laura E.; Bureau, Jean-François; Nemoda, Zsofia; Sasvari-Szekely, Maria; Lyons-Ruth, Karlen

    2015-01-01

    Objective This study's aim was to evaluate whether infant disorganized attachment and infant proneness to distress exhibited differential relations to infant genetic factors as indexed by the serotonin transporter polymorphism. Background The role of the short allele of the serotonin transporter polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) in enhancing sensitivity to fearful and negative affect has been well-established (Canli & Lesch, 2007). In the current study, we used this known property of the short allele to provide a test of an important postulate of attachment theory, namely that infant attachment security or disorganization is not a function of the infant's proneness to distress. Methods Participants were 39 parents and infants assessed between 12 and 18 months in the Strange Situation procedure. Genotype categories for the 5-HTTLPR (and rs25531) were created by both the original and the reclassified grouping system; infant proneness to distress was assessed directly in the Strange Situation Procedure. We also assessed maternal behavior at 18 months to evaluate whether any observed genetic effect indicated a passive effect through the mother. Results Consistent with previous findings, the 5-HTTLPR short allele was significantly related to the infant's wariness and distress, but was not related to attachment security or attachment disorganization. In addition, maternal disrupted interaction with the infant was not related to infant genotype or infant distress. Conclusion Results support the concept that infant proneness to distress is associated with serotonergic factors while infant attachment security or disorganization is not a function of either 5-HTTLPR or behaviorally rated proneness to distress. PMID:26912941

  17. Mapping structural landmarks, ligand binding sites and missense mutations to the collagen IV heterotrimers predicts major functional domains, novel interactions and variation in phenotypes in inherited diseases affecting basement membranes

    PubMed Central

    Des Parkin, J.; San Antonio, James D.; Pedchenko, Vadim; Hudson, Billy; Jensen, Shane T.; Savige, Judy

    2016-01-01

    Collagen IV is the major protein found in basement membranes. It comprises 3 heterotrimers (α1α1α2, α3α4α5, and α5α5α6) that form distinct networks, and are responsible for membrane strength and integrity. We constructed linear maps of the collagen IV heterotrimers (‘interactomes’) that indicated major structural landmarks, known and predicted ligand-binding sites, and missense mutations, in order to identify functional and disease-associated domains, potential interactions between ligands, and genotype-phenotype relationships. The maps documented more than 30 known ligand-binding sites as well as motifs for integrins, heparin, von Willebrand factor (VWF), decorin and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP). They predicted functional domains for angiogenesis and haemostasis, and disease domains for autoimmunity, tumor growth and inhibition, infection and glycation. Cooperative ligand interactions were indicated by binding site proximity, for example, between integrins, matrix metalloproteinases and heparin. The maps indicated that mutations affecting major ligand-binding sites, for example for Von Hippel Lindau (VHL) protein in the α1 chain or integrins in the α5 chain, resulted in distinctive phenotypes (Hereditary Angiopathy, Nephropathy, Aneurysms and muscle Cramps (HANAC) syndrome, and early onset Alport syndrome respectively). These maps further our understanding of basement membrane biology and disease, and suggest novel membrane interactions, functions, and therapeutic targets. PMID:21280145

  18. Autoimmunity to the alpha 3 chain of type IV collagen in glomerulonephritis is triggered by ‘autoantigen complementarity’

    PubMed Central

    Reynolds, John; Preston, Gloria A.; Pressler, Barrak M.; Hewins, Peter; Brown, Michael; Roth, Aleeza; Alderman, Elizabeth; Bunch, Donna; Jennette, J. Charles; Cook, H. Terence; Falk, Ronald J.; Pusey, Charles D.

    2015-01-01

    ‘Autoantigen complementarity’ is a theory proposing that the initiator of an autoimmune response is not necessarily the autoantigen or its molecular mimic, but may instead be a peptide that is ‘antisense/complementary’ to the autoantigen. We investigated whether such complementary proteins play a role in the immunopathogenesis of autoimmune glomerulonephritis. Experimental autoimmune glomerulonephritis, a model of anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) disease, can be induced in Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats by immunization with the α3 chain of type IV collagen. In this study, WKY rats were immunized with a complementary α3 peptide (c-α3-Gly) comprised of amino acids that ‘complement’ the well characterized epitope on α3(IV)NC1, pCol(24–38). Within 8 weeks post-immunization, these animals developed cresentic glomerulonephritis, similar to pCol(24–38)-immunized rats, while animals immunized with scrambled peptide were normal. Anti-idiotypic antibodies to epitopes from c-α3-Gly-immunized animals were shown to be specific for α3 protein, binding in a region containing sense pCol(24–38) sequence. Interestingly, anticomplementary α3 antibodies were identified in sera from patients with anti-GBM disease, suggesting a role for ‘autoantigen complementarity’ in immunopathogenesis of the human disease. This work supports the idea that autoimmune glomerulonephritis can be initiated through an immune response against a peptide that is anti-sense or complementary to the autoantigen. The implications of this discovery may be far reaching, and other autoimmune diseases could be due to responses to these once unsuspected ‘complementary’ antigens. PMID:25841937

  19. Disorganized Attachment in Infancy Predicts Greater Amygdala Volume in Adulthood

    PubMed Central

    Lyons-Ruth, K.; Pechtel, P.; Yoon, S.A.; Anderson, C.M.; Teicher, M.H.

    2016-01-01

    Early life stress in rodents is associated with increased amygdala volume in adulthood. In humans, the amygdala develops rapidly during the first two years of life. Thus, disturbed care during this period may be particularly important to amygdala development. In the context of a 30-year longitudinal study of impoverished, highly stressed families, we assessed whether disorganization of the attachment relationship in infancy was related to amygdala volume in adulthood. Amygdala volumes were assessed among 18 low-income young adults (8M/10F, 29.33±0.49 years) first observed in infancy (8.5±5.6 months) and followed longitudinally to age 29. In infancy (18.58±1.02 mos), both disorganized infant attachment behavior and disrupted maternal communication were assessed in the standard Strange Situation Procedure (SSP). Increased left amygdala volume in adulthood was associated with both maternal and infant components of disorganized attachment interactions at 18 months of age (overall r = .679, p < .004). Later stressors, including childhood maltreatment and attachment disturbance in adolescence, were not significantly related to left amygdala volume. Left amygdala volume was further associated with dissociation and limbic irritability in adulthood. Finally, left amygdala volume mediated the prediction from attachment disturbance in infancy to limbic irritability in adulthood. Results point to the likely importance of quality of early care for amygdala development in human children as well as in rodents. The long-term prediction found here suggests that the first two years of life may be an early sensitive period for amygdala development during which clinical intervention could have particularly important consequences for later child outcomes. PMID:27060720

  20. Disorganized attachment in infancy predicts greater amygdala volume in adulthood.

    PubMed

    Lyons-Ruth, K; Pechtel, P; Yoon, S A; Anderson, C M; Teicher, M H

    2016-07-15

    Early life stress in rodents is associated with increased amygdala volume in adulthood. In humans, the amygdala develops rapidly during the first two years of life. Thus, disturbed care during this period may be particularly important to amygdala development. In the context of a 30-year longitudinal study of impoverished, highly stressed families, we assessed whether disorganization of the attachment relationship in infancy was related to amygdala volume in adulthood. Amygdala volumes were assessed among 18 low-income young adults (8M/10F, 29.33±0.49years) first observed in infancy (8.5±5.6months) and followed longitudinally to age 29. In infancy (18.58±1.02mos), both disorganized infant attachment behavior and disrupted maternal communication were assessed in the standard Strange Situation Procedure (SSP). Increased left amygdala volume in adulthood was associated with both maternal and infant components of disorganized attachment interactions at 18 months of age (overall r=0.679, p<0.004). Later stressors, including childhood maltreatment and attachment disturbance in adolescence, were not significantly related to left amygdala volume. Left amygdala volume was further associated with dissociation and limbic irritability in adulthood. Finally, left amygdala volume mediated the prediction from attachment disturbance in infancy to limbic irritability in adulthood. Results point to the likely importance of quality of early care for amygdala development in human children as well as in rodents. The long-term prediction found here suggests that the first two years of life may be an early sensitive period for amygdala development during which clinical intervention could have particularly important consequences for later child outcomes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Disorganized Behavior in Adolescent-Parent Interaction: Relations to Attachment State of Mind, Partner Abuse, and Psychopathology

    PubMed Central

    Obsuth, Ingrid; Hennighausen, Katherine; Brumariu, Laura E.; Lyons-Ruth, Karlen

    2013-01-01

    Disoriented, punitive, and caregiving/role-reversed attachment behaviors are associated with psychopathology in childhood but have not been assessed in adolescence. One hundred twenty low-income late adolescents (aged 18 – 23) and parents were assessed in a conflict-resolution paradigm. Their interactions were coded with the Goal-Corrected Partnership in Adolescence Coding Scales. Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated that the three disorganized constructs (punitive, care-giving, and disoriented interaction) were best represented as distinct factors and were separable from a fourth factor for collaboration. The four factors were then assessed in relation to measures of attachment disorganization, partner abuse, and psychopathology. Results indicate that forms of disorganized behavior first described in early childhood can also be reliably assessed in adolescence and are associated with maladaptive outcomes across multiple domains. PMID:23621826

  2. Structure of the human type IV collagen COL4A6 gene, which is mutated in Alport syndrome-associated leiomyomatosis

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Zhang, Xu; Zhou, Jing; Reeders, S.T.

    1996-05-01

    Basement membrane (type IV) collagen, a subfamily of the collagen protein family, is encoded by six distinct genes in mammals. Three of those, COL4A3, COL4A4, and COL4A5, are linked with Alport syndrome (hereditary nephritis). Patients with leimoyomatosis associated with Alport syndrome have been shown to have deletions in the 5{prime} end of the COL4A6 gene, in addition to having deletions in COL4A6. The human COL4A6 gene is reported to be 425 kb as determined by mapping of overlapping YAC clones by probes for its 5{prime} and 3{prime} ends. In the present study we describe the complete exon/intron size pattern ofmore » the human COL4A6 gene. The 12 {lambda} phage clones characterized in the study spanned a total of 110 kb, including 85 kb of the actual gene and 25 kb of flanking sequences. The overlapping clones contained all 46 exons of the gene and all introns, except for intron 2. Since the total size of the exons and all introns except for intron 2 is about 85 kb, intron 2 must be about 340 kb. All exons of the gene were assigned to EcoRI restriction fragments to facilitate analysis of the gene in patients with leiomyomatosis associated with Alport syndrome. The exon size pattern of COL4A6 is highly homologous with that of the human and mouse COL4A2 genes, with 27 of the 46 exons of COL4A6 being identical in size between the genes. 42 refs., 2 figs., 3 tabs.« less

  3. Disorganized Symptoms Predicted Worse Functioning Outcome in Schizophrenia Patients with Established Illness.

    PubMed

    Ortiz, Bruno Bertolucci; Gadelha, Ary; Higuchi, Cinthia Hiroko; Noto, Cristiano; Medeiros, Daiane; Pitta, José Cássio do Nascimento; de Araújo Filho, Gerardo Maria; Hallak, Jaime Eduardo Cecílio; Bressan, Rodrigo Affonseca

    Most patients with schizophrenia will have subsequent relapses of the disorder, with continuous impairments in functioning. However, evidence is lacking on how symptoms influence functioning at different phases of the disease. This study aims to investigate the relationship between symptom dimensions and functioning at different phases: acute exacerbation, nonremission and remission. Patients with schizophrenia were grouped into acutely ill (n=89), not remitted (n=89), and remitted (n=69). Three exploratory stepwise linear regression analyses were performed for each phase of schizophrenia, in which the five PANSS factors and demographic variables were entered as the independent variables and the total Global Assessment of Functioning Scale (GAF) score was entered as the dependent variable. An additional exploratory stepwise logistic regression analysis was performed to predict subsequent remission at discharge in the inpatient population. The Disorganized factor was the most significant predictor for acutely ill patients (p<0.001), while the Hostility factor was the most significant for not-remitted patients and the Negative factor was the most significant for remitted patients (p=0.001 and p<0.001, respectively). In the logistic regression, the Disorganized factor score presented a significant negative association with remission (p=0.007). Higher disorganization symptoms showed the greatest impact in functioning at acute phase, and prevented patients from achieving remission, suggesting it may be a marker of symptom severity and worse outcome in schizophrenia.

  4. A contingency-based approach to the etiology of 'disorganized' attachment: the 'flickering switch' hypothesis.

    PubMed

    Koós, O; Gergely, G

    2001-01-01

    The authors present a new approach to the etiology of disorganized attachment based on contingency detection theory. According to this view, the relevant common factor in parental maltreatment and unresolved loss that leads to disorganized attachment has to do with the type of "deviant contingency environment" that both of these conditions generate. In such environments, infants experience periods of being in control followed by periods of sudden loss of control over the caregiver's behavior. The authors hypothesize that this adversely affects the developmental unfolding of the infant's innate "contingency detection module" (Gergely & Watson, 1999), which normally involves a maturational shift around 3 months from an initial attention bias for perfectly contingent stimulation to an emerging preference for less-than-perfect social contingencies. The periodically changing controllability of abusive and dissociating "unresolved" attachment figures is hypothesized to block this process and to lead to the defensive fixation of a dysfunctional "flickering contingency switch" mechanism with two dominant and competing target positions (self-oriented vs. other-oriented). This results in the dissociative style of attention and behavioral organization characteristic of disorganized infant attachment. The authors summarize the preliminary results of an empirical study that provides support for this model in 6.5-month-old infants using a modified Still-Face situation (the Mirror Interaction Situation). The study demonstrates differential emotional and behavioral reactions to sudden loss of maternal contingency and a specific interest in exploring the perfectly contingent self-image in the mirror in infants who at 12 months become categorized as "disorganized" in the Strange Situation.

  5. Liposomal gene transfer of keratinocyte growth factor improves wound healing by altering growth factor and collagen expression.

    PubMed

    Pereira, Clifford T; Herndon, David N; Rocker, Roland; Jeschke, Marc G

    2007-05-15

    Growth factors affect the complex cascade of wound healing; however, interaction between different growth factors during dermal and epidermal regeneration are still not entirely defined. In the present study, we thought to determine the interaction between keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) administered as liposomal cDNA with other dermal and epidermal growth factors and collagen synthesis in an acute wound. Rats received an acute wound and were divided into two groups to receive weekly subcutaneous injections of liposomes plus the Lac-Z gene (0.22 microg, vehicle), or liposomes plus the KGF cDNA (2.2 microg) and Lac-Z gene (0.22 microg). Histological and immunohistochemical techniques were used to determine growth factor, collagen expression, and dermal and epidermal structure. KGF cDNA increased insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3), and fibroblast growth factor (FGF), decreased transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), while it had no effect on platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) levels in the wound. KGF cDNA significantly increased collagen Type IV at both the wound edge as well as the wound bed, while it had no effect on collagen Type I and III. KGF cDNA increased re-epithelialization, improved dermal regeneration, and increased neovascularization. Exogenous administered KGF cDNA causes increases in IGF-I, IGF-BP3, FGF, and collagen IV and decreases TGF-beta concentration. KGF gene transfer accelerates wound healing without causing an increase in collagen I or III.

  6. Rape and its relation to social disorganization, pornography and inequality in the USA.

    PubMed

    Baron, L; Straus, M A

    1989-01-01

    A theoretical model seeks to integrate social disorganization and feminist theories of rape, reporting an empirical test of that model using data on rapes per 100,000 population known to the police in the 50 states of the United States. The model includes the following aspects of the social organization of the states: social disorganization (measured by a six item index), sexual inequality (measured by a status of women index to men), pornography (measured by a sex magazine circulation index for eight sexually explicit magazines) and the level of culturally legitimate violence (measured by a 12 item legitimate violence index using indicators like corporal punishment in schools. There were marked differences between states of the USA in the incidence of rape during the 1980-82. Path analysis was used to test the theoretical model, which posits rape as a function of the direct and indirect effects of social disorganization, sexual inequality, pornography, legitimate violence and seven control variables. The results show that all four variables play an important part in explaining differences between states in rape; and that together, the variables in the model explain 83 per cent of the state-to-state variation in rape. Women are in much greater danger of being raped in some American states than in others. Since the FBI began compiling statistics on rape, states like Alaska, Nevada, and California have consistently registered many more rapes per capita than North Dakota, Maine, and Iowa. What factors account for such differences between states? Could the variation in the rape rate be explained by four aspects of the social structure of states: (1) the proliferation of pornography (2) sexual inequality (3) culturally legitimate violence and (4) social disorganization. Each factor represents a theory which will be examined within the context of an integrated theory on rape.

  7. Collagen hydrolysate based collagen/hydroxyapatite composite materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ficai, Anton; Albu, Madalina Georgiana; Birsan, Mihaela; Sonmez, Maria; Ficai, Denisa; Trandafir, Viorica; Andronescu, Ecaterina

    2013-04-01

    The aim of this study was to study the influence of collagen hydrolysate (HAS) on the formation of ternary collagen-hydrolysate/hydroxyapatite composite materials (COLL-HAS/HA). During the precipitation process of HA, a large amount of brushite is resulted at pH = 7 but, practically pure HA is obtained at pH ⩾ 8. The FTIR data reveal the duplication of the most important collagen absorption bands due to the presence of the collagen hydrolysate. The presence of collagen hydrolysate is beneficial for the management of bone and joint disorders such as osteoarthritis and osteoporosis.

  8. Apoptotic cell infusion treats ongoing collagen-induced arthritis, even in the presence of methotrexate, and is synergic with anti-TNF therapy.

    PubMed

    Bonnefoy, Francis; Daoui, Anna; Valmary-Degano, Séverine; Toussirot, Eric; Saas, Philippe; Perruche, Sylvain

    2016-08-11

    Apoptotic cell-based therapies have been proposed to treat chronic inflammatory diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of intravenous (i.v.) apoptotic cell infusion in ongoing collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) and the interaction of this therapy with other treatments used in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), including methotrexate (MTX) or anti-TNF therapy. The effects of i.v. apoptotic cell infusion were evaluated in a CIA mouse model in DBA/1 mice immunized with bovine type II collagen. The number and functions of antigen-presenting cells (APC), regulatory CD4(+) T cells (Treg), and circulating anti-collagen auto-antibodies were analyzed in CIA mice. Treatment of arthritic mice with i.v. apoptotic cell infusion significantly reduced the arthritis clinical score. This therapeutic approach modified T cell responses against the collagen auto-antigen with selective induction of collagen-specific Treg. In addition, we observed that APC from apoptotic-cell-treated animals were resistant to toll-like receptor ligand activation and favored ex vivo Treg induction, indicating APC reprogramming. Apoptotic cell injection-induced arthritis modulation was dependent on transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, as neutralizing anti-TGF-β antibody prevented the effects of apoptotic cells. Methotrexate did not interfere, while anti-TNF therapy was synergic with apoptotic-cell-based therapy. Overall, our data demonstrate that apoptotic-cell-based therapy is efficient in treating ongoing CIA, compatible with current RA treatments, and needs to be evaluated in humans in the treatment of RA.

  9. The Importance of Parenting in the Development of Disorganized Attachment: Evidence from a Preventive Intervention Study in Adoptive Families

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Juffer, Femmie; Bakermans-Kranenburg, Marian J.; van IJzendoorn, Marinus H.

    2005-01-01

    Background: As infant disorganized attachment is a serious risk factor for later child psychopathology, it is important to examine whether attachment disorganization can be prevented or reduced. Method: In a randomized intervention study involving 130 families with 6-month-old adopted infants, two attachment-based intervention programs were…

  10. Role of acellular collagen matrix surgisis in the endoscopic management of ureteropelvic junction obstruction.

    PubMed

    Yohannes, Paulos; Rotariu, Paul; Liatsikos, Evangelos; Malik, Aftab; Alexianu, Mihai; Pinkasov, David; Morgenstern, Nora; Lee, Benjamin R; Smith, Arthur D

    2002-10-01

    To investigate the role of acellular collagen matrix (Surgisis during endopyelotomy. Nine female pigs (25-35 kg) were enrolled in our protocol. The pigs were categorized as follows. Group I (N = 3) had endopyelotomy + insertion of SIS, Group II (N = 3) creation of UPJ stricture + endopyelotomy + insertion of SIS, and Group III (N = 3) Davis intubated ureterotomy using SIS. The contralateral side served as a control for each group (one pig in each group). In three pigs (two in Group III and one in Group II), Surgisis was treated with India ink prior to insertion at the endopyelotomy site. An endopyelotomy stent (14/8 F x 24 cm) was used to stent the ureteropelvic junction (UPJ) for 4 weeks. Four weeks after the stent was removed, laparoscopic nephroureterectomy was performed, and the animals were euthanized. Histopathologic analysis of the Surgisis-regenerated segment of the UPJ was performed using hematoxylin and eosin, reticular (collagen), smooth muscle actin, and S-100 (nerve) stains. All animals tolerated the procedure. The mean operative time was 162 minutes. One pig (Group II) developed pyonephrosis; one pig (Group III) developed significant ascites and was sacrificed 2 week before the end of the experiment. Histopathologic analysis showed complete epithelializaton at 8 weeks. Reticular stain demonstrated abundant collagen matrix in the submucosa. Smooth muscle staining revealed myofibroblastic proliferation within the SIS-regenerated tissue adjacent to disorganized smooth muscle cells. India ink-stained SIS-regenerated tissue did not show smooth muscle cells. The S-100 stain did not demonstrate neurons at 8 weeks; however, in three pigs, peristaltic activity was noted across the UPJ. The use of acellular collagen matrix in the endoscopic management of UPJ obstruction is a promising technique. The abundance of myofibroblasts and absence of abundant smooth muscle regeneration indicates a need to investigate the role of growth factors in SIS regeneration of

  11. Social Disorganization Theory and Crime Rates on California Community College Campuses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ravalin, Tamara; Tevis, Tenisha

    2017-01-01

    Recent media attention concerning the escalation of crime on college campuses has created a sense of urgency to address how crime will impact the largest community college system in the United States, California Community Colleges. Crime can deter academic success and social engagement. This study utilizes social disorganization theory to examine…

  12. A Test of Social Disorganization Theory in High-Risk Urban Neighborhoods

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kingston, Beverly; Huizinga, David; Elliott, Delbert S.

    2009-01-01

    Although there is a growing body of research based on social disorganization theory that relates the neighborhood context to juvenile crime and delinquency, it is unknown whether neighborhood social processes operate in a similar way across all types of disadvantaged neighborhoods. It is possible that some social processes are unique to…

  13. Sodium-dependent Vitamin C transporter 2 deficiency impairs myelination and remyelination after injury: Roles of collagen and demethylation.

    PubMed

    Röhr, Dominik; Halfter, Hartmut; Schulz, Jörg B; Young, Peter; Gess, Burkhard

    2017-07-01

    Peripheral nerve myelination involves rapid production of tightly bound lipid layers requiring cholesterol biosynthesis and myelin protein expression, but also a collagen-containing extracellular matrix providing mechanical stability. In previous studies, we showed a function of ascorbic acid in peripheral nerve myelination and extracellular matrix formation in adult mice. Here, we sought the mechanism of action of ascorbic acid in peripheral nerve myelination using different paradigms of myelination in vivo and in vitro. We found impaired myelination and reduced collagen expression in Sodium-dependent Vitamin C Transporter 2 heterozygous mice (SVCT2 +/- ) during peripheral nerve development and after peripheral nerve injury. In dorsal root ganglion (DRG) explant cultures, hypo-myelination could be rescued by precoating with different collagen types. The activity of the ascorbic acid-dependent demethylating Ten-eleven-translocation (Tet) enzymes was reduced in ascorbic acid deprived and SVCT2 +/- DRG cultures. Further, in ascorbic acid-deprived DRG cultures, methylation of a CpG island in the collagen alpha1 (IV) and alpha2 (IV) bidirectional promoter region was increased compared to wild-type and ascorbic acid treated controls. Taken together, these results provide further evidence for the function of ascorbic acid in myelination and extracellular matrix formation in peripheral nerves and suggest a putative molecular mechanism of ascorbic acid function in Tet-dependent demethylation of collagen promoters. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  14. Genome-wide association study of clinical dimensions of schizophrenia: polygenic effect on disorganized symptoms.

    PubMed

    Fanous, Ayman H; Zhou, Baiyu; Aggen, Steven H; Bergen, Sarah E; Amdur, Richard L; Duan, Jubao; Sanders, Alan R; Shi, Jianxin; Mowry, Bryan J; Olincy, Ann; Amin, Farooq; Cloninger, C Robert; Silverman, Jeremy M; Buccola, Nancy G; Byerley, William F; Black, Donald W; Freedman, Robert; Dudbridge, Frank; Holmans, Peter A; Ripke, Stephan; Gejman, Pablo V; Kendler, Kenneth S; Levinson, Douglas F

    2012-12-01

    Multiple sources of evidence suggest that genetic factors influence variation in clinical features of schizophrenia. The authors present the first genome-wide association study (GWAS) of dimensional symptom scores among individuals with schizophrenia. Based on the Lifetime Dimensions of Psychosis Scale ratings of 2,454 case subjects of European ancestry from the Molecular Genetics of Schizophrenia (MGS) sample, three symptom factors (positive, negative/disorganized, and mood) were identified with exploratory factor analysis. Quantitative scores for each factor from a confirmatory factor analysis were analyzed for association with 696,491 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) using linear regression, with correction for age, sex, clinical site, and ancestry. Polygenic score analysis was carried out to determine whether case and comparison subjects in 16 Psychiatric GWAS Consortium (PGC) schizophrenia samples (excluding MGS samples) differed in scores computed by weighting their genotypes by MGS association test results for each symptom factor. No genome-wide significant associations were observed between SNPs and factor scores. Most of the SNPs producing the strongest evidence for association were in or near genes involved in neurodevelopment, neuroprotection, or neurotransmission, including genes playing a role in Mendelian CNS diseases, but no statistically significant effect was observed for any defined gene pathway. Finally, polygenic scores based on MGS GWAS results for the negative/disorganized factor were significantly different between case and comparison subjects in the PGC data set; for MGS subjects, negative/disorganized factor scores were correlated with polygenic scores generated using case-control GWAS results from the other PGC samples. The polygenic signal that has been observed in cross-sample analyses of schizophrenia GWAS data sets could be in part related to genetic effects on negative and disorganized symptoms (i.e., core features of chronic

  15. Qualitative and quantitative assessment of collagen and elastin in annulus fibrosus of the physiologic and scoliotic intervertebral discs.

    PubMed

    Kobielarz, Magdalena; Szotek, Sylwia; Głowacki, Maciej; Dawidowicz, Joanna; Pezowicz, Celina

    2016-09-01

    The biophysical properties of the annulus fibrosus of the intervertebral disc are determined by collagen and elastin fibres. The progression of scoliosis is accompanied by a number of pathological changes concerning these structural proteins. This is a major cause of dysfunction of the intervertebral disc. The object of the study were annulus fibrosus samples excised from intervertebral discs of healthy subjects and patients treated surgically for scoliosis in the thoracolumbar or lumbar spine. The research material was subjected to structural analysis by light microscopy and quantitative analysis of the content of collagen types I, II, III and IV as well as elastin by immunoenzymatic test (ELISA). A statistical analysis was conducted to assess the impact of the sampling site (Mann-Whitney test, α=0.05) and scoliosis (Wilcoxon matched pairs test, α=0.05) on the obtained results. The microscopic studies conducted on scoliotic annulus fibrosus showed a significant architectural distortion of collagen and elastin fibres. Quantitative biochemical assays demonstrated region-dependent distribution of only collagen types I and II in the case of healthy intervertebral discs whereas in the case of scoliotic discs region-dependent distribution concerned all examined proteins of the extracellular matrix. Comparison of scoliotic and healthy annulus fibrosus revealed a significant decrease in the content of collagen type I and elastin as well as a slight increase in the proportion of collagen types III and IV. The content of collagen type II did not differ significantly between both groups. The observed anomalies are a manifestation of degenerative changes affecting annulus fibrosus of the intervertebral disc in patients suffering from scoliosis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Clinical presentations of Ehlers Danlos syndrome type IV.

    PubMed Central

    Pope, F M; Narcisi, P; Nicholls, A C; Liberman, M; Oorthuys, J W

    1988-01-01

    Ehlers Danlos syndrome type IV is an often lethal disease caused by various mutations of type III collagen genes. It presents in infancy and childhood in several ways, and the symptoms and signs include low birth weight, prematurity, congenital dislocation of the hips, easy inappropriate bruising (sometimes suspected as child battering), and a diagnostic facial phenotype. These features predict a lethal adult disease often complicated by fatal arterial rupture in early or middle adult life. Most affected patients can be diagnosed from radiolabelled collagen protein profiles by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Prenatal diagnosis by specific type III collagen restriction fragment length polymorphisms is possible in some families, and will become increasingly important. Prenatal diagnosis and prevention of the disease in selected families is already possible and will be widely available in the future. Images Fig 1 Fig 2 Fig 3 Fig 4 Fig 5 Fig 6 Fig 7 Fig 8 Fig 9 Fig 10 Fig 11 PMID:3178263

  17. The eye of the begetter: predicting infant attachment disorganization from women's prenatal interpretations of infant facial expressions.

    PubMed

    Bernstein, Rosemary E; Tenedios, Catherine M; Laurent, Heidemarie K; Measelle, Jeffery R; Ablow, Jennifer C

    2014-01-01

    Infant-caregiver attachment disorganization has been linked to many long-term negative psychosocial outcomes. While various prevention programs appear to be effective in preventing disorganized attachment, methods currently used to identify those at risk are unfortunately either overly general or impractical. The current investigation tested whether women's prenatal biases in identifying infant expressions of emotion--tendencies previously shown to relate to some of the maternal variables associated with infant attachment, including maternal traumatization, trauma symptoms, and maternal sensitivity--could predict infant attachment classification at 18 months postpartum. Logistic regression analyses revealed that together with women's adult history of high betrayal traumatization, response concordance with a normative reference sample in labeling infant expressions as negatively valenced, and the number of infant facial expressions that participants classified as "sad" and "angry" predicted subsequent infant attachment security versus disorganization. Implications for screening and prevention are discussed. © 2014 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health.

  18. Lsa63, a newly identified surface protein of Leptospira interrogans binds laminin and collagen IV.

    PubMed

    Vieira, Monica L; de Morais, Zenaide M; Gonçales, Amane P; Romero, Eliete C; Vasconcellos, Silvio A; Nascimento, Ana L T O

    2010-01-01

    Leptospira interrogans is the etiological agent of leptospirosis, a zoonotic disease that affects populations worldwide. We have identified in proteomic studies a protein that is encoded by the gene LIC10314 and expressed in virulent strain of L. interrogans serovar Pomona. This protein was predicted to be surface exposed by PSORT program and contains a p83/100 domain identified by BLAST analysis that is conserved in protein antigens of several strains of Borrelia and Treponema spp. The proteins containing this domain have been claimed antigen candidates for serodiagnosis of Lyme borreliosis. Thus, we have cloned the LIC10314 and expressed the protein in Escherichia coli BL21-SI strain by using the expression vector pAE. The recombinant protein tagged with N-terminal hexahistidine was purified by metal-charged chromatography and characterized by circular dichroism spectroscopy. This protein is conserved among several species of pathogenic Leptospira and absent in the saprophytic strain L. biflexa. We confirm by liquid-phase immunofluorescence assays with living organisms that this protein is most likely a new surface leptospiral protein. The ability of the protein to mediate attachment to ECM components was evaluated by binding assays. The leptospiral protein encoded by LIC10314, named Lsa63 (Leptospiral surface adhesin of 63kDa), binds strongly to laminin and collagen IV in a dose-dependent and saturable fashion. In addition, Lsa63 is probably expressed during infection since it was recognized by antibodies of serum samples of confirmed-leptospirosis patients in convalescent phase of the disease. Altogether, the data suggests that this novel identified surface protein may be involved in leptospiral pathogenesis. 2009 The British Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Human soluble phospholipase A2 receptor is an inhibitor of the integrin-mediated cell migratory response to collagen-I.

    PubMed

    Watanabe, Kazunori; Watanabe, Kazuhiro; Watanabe, Yosuke; Fujioka, Daisuke; Nakamura, Takamitsu; Nakamura, Kazuto; Obata, Jun-Ei; Kugiyama, Kiyotaka

    2018-05-23

    Murine membrane-bound phospholipase A 2 receptor 1 (PLA 2 R) is shed and released into plasma in a soluble form that retains all of the extracellular domains. Relatively little is known about human PLA 2 R. This study examined whether human soluble PLA 2 R may have biological functions and whether soluble PLA 2 R may exist in human plasma. Here, we showed that human recombinant soluble PLA 2 R (rsPLA 2 R) bound to collagen-I and inhibited interaction of collagen-I with the extracellular domain of integrin β1 on the cell surface of HEK293 cells. As a result, rsPLA 2 R suppressed integrin β1-mediated migratory responses of HEK293 cells to collagen-I in Boyden chamber experiments. Inhibition of phosphorylation of FAK Tyr397 was also observed. Similar results were obtained with experiments using soluble PLA 2 R released from HEK293 cells transfected with a construct encoding human soluble PLA 2 R. rsPLA 2 R lacking the fibronectin-like type II (FNII) domain had no inhibitory effects on cell responses to collagen-I, suggesting an important role of the FNII domain in the interaction of rsPLA 2 R with collagen-I. In addition, rsPLA 2 R suppressed the migratory response to collagen-IV and binding of collagen-IV to the cell surface of human podocytes that endogenously express membrane-bound full-length PLA 2 R. Immunoprecipitation and Western blotting showed the existence of immuno-reactive PLA 2 R in human plasma. In conclusion, human recombinant soluble PLA 2 R inhibits integrin β1-mediated cell responses to collagens. Further studies are warranted to elucidate whether immuno-reactive PLA 2 R in human plasma has the same properties as rsPLA 2 R.

  20. Evaluation of Anterior Vertebral Interbody Fusion Using Osteogenic Mesenchymal Stem Cells Transplanted in Collagen Sponge.

    PubMed

    Yang, Wencheng; Dong, Youhai; Hong, Yang; Guang, Qian; Chen, Xujun

    2016-05-01

    The study used a rabbit model to achieve anterior vertebral interbody fusion using osteogenic mesenchymal stem cells (OMSCs) transplanted in collagen sponge. We investigated the effectiveness of graft material for anterior vertebral interbody fusion using a rabbit model by examining the OMSCs transplanted in collagen sponge. Anterior vertebral interbody fusion is commonly performed. Although autogenous bone graft remains the gold-standard fusion material, it requires a separate surgical procedure and is associated with significant short-term and long-term morbidity. Recently, mesenchymal stem cells from bone marrow have been studied in various fields, including posterolateral spinal fusion. Thus, we hypothesized that cultured OMSCs transplanted in porous collagen sponge could be used successfully even in anterior vertebral interbody fusion. Forty mature male White Zealand rabbits (weight, 3.5-4.5 kg) were randomly allocated to receive one of the following graft materials: porous collagen sponge plus cultured OMSCs (group I); porous collagen sponge alone (group II); autogenous bone graft (group III); and nothing (group IV). All animals underwent anterior vertebral interbody fusion at the L4/L5 level. The lumbar spine was harvested en bloc, and the new bone formation and spinal fusion was evaluated using radiographic analysis, microcomputed tomography, manual palpation test, and histologic examination at 8 and 12 weeks after surgery. New bone formation and bony fusion was evident as early as 8 weeks in groups I and III. And there was no statistically significant difference between 8 and 12 weeks. At both time points, by microcomputed tomography and histologic analysis, new bone formation was observed in both groups I and III, fibrous tissue was observed and there was no new bone in both groups II and IV; by manual palpation test, bony fusion was observed in 40% (4/10) of rabbits in group I, 70% (7/10) of rabbits in group III, and 0% (0/10) of rabbits in both groups

  1. The heterogeneity of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms and conduct problems: Cognitive inhibition, emotion regulation, emotionality, and disorganized attachment.

    PubMed

    Forslund, Tommie; Brocki, Karin C; Bohlin, Gunilla; Granqvist, Pehr; Eninger, Lilianne

    2016-09-01

    This study examined the contributions of several important domains of functioning to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms and conduct problems. Specifically, we investigated whether cognitive inhibition, emotion regulation, emotionality, and disorganized attachment made independent and specific contributions to these externalizing behaviour problems from a multiple pathways perspective. The study included laboratory measures of cognitive inhibition and disorganized attachment in 184 typically developing children (M age = 6 years, 10 months, SD = 1.7). Parental ratings provided measures of emotion regulation, emotionality, and externalizing behaviour problems. Results revealed that cognitive inhibition, regulation of positive emotion, and positive emotionality were independently and specifically related to ADHD symptoms. Disorganized attachment and negative emotionality formed independent and specific relations to conduct problems. Our findings support the multiple pathways perspective on ADHD, with poor regulation of positive emotion and high positive emotionality making distinct contributions to ADHD symptoms. More specifically, our results support the proposal of a temperamentally based pathway to ADHD symptoms. The findings also indicate that disorganized attachment and negative emotionality constitute pathways specific to conduct problems rather than to ADHD symptoms. © 2016 The British Psychological Society.

  2. Losartan inhibits collagen I synthesis and improves the distribution and efficacy of nanotherapeutics in tumors

    PubMed Central

    Diop-Frimpong, Benjamin; Chauhan, Vikash P.; Krane, Stephen; Boucher, Yves; Jain, Rakesh K.

    2011-01-01

    The dense collagen network in tumors significantly reduces the penetration and efficacy of nanotherapeutics. We tested whether losartan—a clinically approved angiotensin II receptor antagonist with noted antifibrotic activity—can enhance the penetration and efficacy of nanomedicine. We found that losartan inhibited collagen I production by carcinoma-associated fibroblasts isolated from breast cancer biopsies. Additionally, it led to a dose-dependent reduction in stromal collagen in desmoplastic models of human breast, pancreatic, and skin tumors in mice. Furthermore, losartan improved the distribution and therapeutic efficacy of intratumorally injected oncolytic herpes simplex viruses. Finally, it also enhanced the efficacy of i.v. injected pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (Doxil). Thus, losartan has the potential to enhance the efficacy of nanotherapeutics in patients with desmoplastic tumors. PMID:21282607

  3. On the Origins of Disorganized Attachment and Internal Working Models: Paper II. An Empirical Microanalysis of 4-Month Mother-Infant Interaction

    PubMed Central

    Beebe, Beatrice; Lachmann, Frank; Markese, Sara; Buck, Karen A.; Bahrick, Lorraine E.; Chen, Henian; Cohen, Patricia; Andrews, Howard; Feldstein, Stanley; Jaffe, Joseph

    2012-01-01

    A microanalysis of 4-month mother-infant face-to-face communication predicted 12-month infant disorganized (vs. secure) attachment outcomes in an urban community sample. We documented a dyadic systems view of the roles of both partners, the roles of both self- and interactive contingency, and the importance of attention, orientation and touch, and as well as facial and vocal affect, in the co-construction of attachment disorganization. The analysis of different communication modalities identified striking intrapersonal and interpersonal intermodal discordance or conflict, in the context of intensely distressed infants, as the central feature of future disorganized dyads at 4 months. Lowered maternal contingent coordination, and failures of maternal affective correspondence, constituted maternal emotional withdrawal from distressed infants. This maternal withdrawal compromises infant interactive agency and emotional coherence. We characterize of the nature of emerging internal working models of future disorganized infants as follows: Future disorganized infants represent states of not being sensed and known by their mothers, particularly in moments of distress; they represent confusion about both their own and their mothers’ basic emotional organization, and about their mothers’ response to their distress. This internal working model sets a trajectory in development which may disturb the fundamental integration of the person. The remarkable specificity of our findings has the potential to lead to more finely-focused clinical interventions. PMID:23066334

  4. The Collagen Family

    PubMed Central

    Ricard-Blum, Sylvie

    2011-01-01

    Collagens are the most abundant proteins in mammals. The collagen family comprises 28 members that contain at least one triple-helical domain. Collagens are deposited in the extracellular matrix where most of them form supramolecular assemblies. Four collagens are type II membrane proteins that also exist in a soluble form released from the cell surface by shedding. Collagens play structural roles and contribute to mechanical properties, organization, and shape of tissues. They interact with cells via several receptor families and regulate their proliferation, migration, and differentiation. Some collagens have a restricted tissue distribution and hence specific biological functions. PMID:21421911

  5. Social Disorganization Theory and the Contextual Nature of Crime in Nonmetropolitan Counties

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barnett, Cynthia; Mencken, F. Carson

    2002-01-01

    This research explores violent and property crime rates in nonmetropolitan counties. It is argued that crime rates are lower in these counties because of higher levels of social integration. We test the hypothesis that predictors of crime from social disorganization theory exert different effects on violent and property crimes at different levels…

  6. Defibrillation depends on conductivity fluctuations and the degree of disorganization in reentry patterns.

    PubMed

    Plank, Gernot; Leon, L Joshua; Kimber, Shane; Vigmond, Edward J

    2005-02-01

    Defibrillation depends on conductivity and disorganization. Cardiac fibrillation is the deterioration of the heart's normally well-organized activity into one or more meandering spiral waves, which subsequently break up into many meandering wave fronts. Delivery of an electric shock (defibrillation) is the only effective way of restoring the normal rhythm. This study focuses on examining whether higher degrees of disorganization requires higher shock strengths to defibrillate and whether microscopic conductivity fluctuations favor shock success. We developed a three-dimensional computer bidomain model of a block of cardiac tissue with straight fibers immersed in a conductive bath. The membrane behavior was described by the Courtemanche human atrial action potential model incorporating electroporation and an acetylcholine- (ACh) dependent potassium current. Intracellular conductivities were varied stochastically around nominal values with variations of up to 50%. A single rotor reentry was initiated and, by adjusting the spatial ACh variation, the level of organization could be controlled. The single rotor could be stabilized or spiral wave breakup could be provoked leading to fibrillatory-like activity. For each level of organization, multiple shock timings and strengths were applied to compute the probability of shock success as a function of shock strength. Our results suggest that the level of the small-scale conductivity fluctuations is a very important factor in defibrillation. A higher variation significantly lowers the required shock strength. Further, we demonstrated that success also heavily depends on the level of organization of the fibrillatory episode. In general, higher levels of disorganization require higher shock strengths to defibrillate.

  7. Suppression of hedgehog signaling regulates hepatic stellate cell activation and collagen secretion.

    PubMed

    Li, Tao; Leng, Xi-Sheng; Zhu, Ji-Ye; Wang, Gang

    2015-01-01

    Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) play an important role in liver fibrosis. This study investigates the expression of hedgehog in HSC and the role of hedgehog signaling on activation and collagen secretion of HSC. Liver ex vivo perfusion with collagenase IV and density gradient centrifugation were used to isolate HSC. Expression of hedgehog signaling components Ihh, Smo, Ptc, Gli2 and Gli3 in HSC were detected by RT-PCR. Hedgehog siRNA vectors targeting Ihh, Smo and Gli2 were constructed and transfected into HSC respectively. Suppression of hedgehog signaling were detected by SYBR Green fluorescence quantitative RT-PCR. Effects of hedgehog signaling inhibition on HSC activation and collagen I secretion were analyzed. Hedgehog signaling components Ihh, Smo, Ptc, Gli2 and Gli3 were expressed in HSC. siRNA vectors targeting Ihh, Smo and Gli2 were successfully constructed and decreased target gene expression. Suppression of hedgehog signaling significantly decreased the expression of α-SMA in HSC (P<0.01). Collagen type I secretion of HSC were also significantly decreased (P<0.01). In summary, HSC activation and collagen secretion can be regulated by hedgehog signaling. Hedgehog may play a role in the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis.

  8. Evaluation and Comparison of the Biopathology of Collagen and Inflammation in the Extracellular Matrix of Oral Epithelial Dysplasias and Inflammatory Fibrous Hyperplasia Using Picrosirius Red Stain and Polarising Microscopy: A Preliminary Study

    PubMed Central

    Varghese, Soma Susan; Sarojini, Sreenivasan Bargavan; George, Giju Baby; Vinod, Sankar; Mathew, Philips; Babu, Anulekh; Sebastian, Joseph

    2015-01-01

    Background: The role of tumour inflammation and the dysplastic epithelial-stromal interactions on the nature of collagen fibres in the extracellular matrix of dysplastic epithelium is not fully understood. The present study was aimed to evaluate and compare the inflammation and pathological stromal collagen (loosely packed thin disorganized collagen) present in mild, moderate and severe epithelial dysplasias with that of inflammatory fibrous hyperplasias. The basement membrane intactness of epithelial dysplasias was also evaluated to determine if dysplastic epithelial mesenchymal interaction has any role in the integrity of stromal collagen in epithelial dysplasia. Methods: Oral epithelial dysplasias, inflammatory fibrous hyperplasia and normal oral mucosal samples were used for the study. Packing, thickness and orientation of collagen fibres in mild, moderate and severe grades of oral epithelial dysplasias (n = 24), inflammatory fibrous hyperplasia (n = 8) and normal oral mucosal samples (n = 8) were analysed based on the polarisation of collagen fibres in picrosirius red polarising stain under polarising microscope. Results: All the grades of epithelial dysplasias showed greenish yellow birefringence confirming the presence of loosely arranged pathological collagen in the presence of moderate inflammation. All the cases of inflammatory fibrous hyperplasia showed red polarisation hue and moderate inflammation. A statistically significant difference was found in the packing and orientation of collagen when epithelial dysplasias and inflammatory fibrous hyperplasia were compared (P < 0.01). When the intactness of basement membrane integrity was compared in all the groups of epithelial dysplasia, a statistically significant result was obtained (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Presence of significant amount of loosely packed thin disoriented collagen even in mild epithelial dysplasia suggests that tumourigenic factors are released to connective tissue stroma much earlier than

  9. Evaluation and Comparison of the Biopathology of Collagen and Inflammation in the Extracellular Matrix of Oral Epithelial Dysplasias and Inflammatory Fibrous Hyperplasia Using Picrosirius Red Stain and Polarising Microscopy: A Preliminary Study.

    PubMed

    Varghese, Soma Susan; Sarojini, Sreenivasan Bargavan; George, Giju Baby; Vinod, Sankar; Mathew, Philips; Babu, Anulekh; Sebastian, Joseph

    2015-12-01

    The role of tumour inflammation and the dysplastic epithelial-stromal interactions on the nature of collagen fibres in the extracellular matrix of dysplastic epithelium is not fully understood. The present study was aimed to evaluate and compare the inflammation and pathological stromal collagen (loosely packed thin disorganized collagen) present in mild, moderate and severe epithelial dysplasias with that of inflammatory fibrous hyperplasias. The basement membrane intactness of epithelial dysplasias was also evaluated to determine if dysplastic epithelial mesenchymal interaction has any role in the integrity of stromal collagen in epithelial dysplasia. Oral epithelial dysplasias, inflammatory fibrous hyperplasia and normal oral mucosal samples were used for the study. Packing, thickness and orientation of collagen fibres in mild, moderate and severe grades of oral epithelial dysplasias (n = 24), inflammatory fibrous hyperplasia (n = 8) and normal oral mucosal samples (n = 8) were analysed based on the polarisation of collagen fibres in picrosirius red polarising stain under polarising microscope. All the grades of epithelial dysplasias showed greenish yellow birefringence confirming the presence of loosely arranged pathological collagen in the presence of moderate inflammation. All the cases of inflammatory fibrous hyperplasia showed red polarisation hue and moderate inflammation. A statistically significant difference was found in the packing and orientation of collagen when epithelial dysplasias and inflammatory fibrous hyperplasia were compared (P < 0.01). When the intactness of basement membrane integrity was compared in all the groups of epithelial dysplasia, a statistically significant result was obtained (P < 0.05). Presence of significant amount of loosely packed thin disoriented collagen even in mild epithelial dysplasia suggests that tumourigenic factors are released to connective tissue stroma much earlier than expected. Hence we suggest considering the

  10. Collagen telopeptides (cross-linking sites) play a role in collagen gel lattice contraction

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Woodley, D. T.; Yamauchi, M.; Wynn, K. C.; Mechanic, G.; Briggaman, R. A.

    1991-01-01

    Solubilized interstitial collagens will form a fibrillar, gel-like lattice when brought to physiologic conditions. In the presence of human dermal fibroblasts the collagen lattice will contract. The rate of contraction can be determined by computer-assisted planemetry. The mechanisms involved in contraction are as yet unknown. Using this system it was found that the rate of contraction was markedly decreased when collagen lacking telopeptides was substituted for native collagen. Histidinohydroxylysinonorleucine (HHL) is a major stable trifunctional collagen cross-link in mature skin that involves a carboxyl terminal, telopeptide site 16c, the sixteenth amino acid residue from the carboxy terminal of the telopeptide region of alpha 1 (I) in type I collagen. Little, if any, HHL was present in native, purified, reconstituted, soluble collagen fibrils from 1% acetic acid-extracted 2-year-old bovine skin. In contrast, HHL cross-links were present (0.22 moles of cross-link per mole of collagen) in lattices of the same collagen contracted by fibroblasts. However, rat tail tendon does not contain HHL cross-links, and collagen lattices made of rat tail tendon collagen are capable of contraction. This suggests that telopeptide sites, and not mature HHL cross-links per se, are essential for fibroblasts to contract collagen lattices. Beta-aminopropionitrile fumarate (BAPN), a potent lathyrogen that perturbs collagen cross-linking by inhibition of lysyl oxidase, also inhibited the rate of lattice cell contraction in lattices composed of native collagen. However, the concentrations of BAPN that were necessary to inhibit the contraction of collagen lattices also inhibited fibroblast growth suggestive of cellular toxicity. In accordance with other studies, we found no inhibition of the rate of lattice contraction when fibronectin-depleted serum was used. Electron microscopy of contracted gels revealed typical collagen fibers with a characteristic axial periodicity. The data

  11. Dendritic cells: In vitro culture in two- and three-dimensional collagen systems and expression of collagen receptors in tumors and atherosclerotic microenvironments.

    PubMed

    Sprague, Leslee; Muccioli, Maria; Pate, Michelle; Singh, Manindra; Xiong, Chengkai; Ostermann, Alexander; Niese, Brandon; Li, Yihan; Li, Yandi; Courreges, Maria Cecilia; Benencia, Fabian

    2014-04-15

    Dendritic cells (DCs) are immune cells found in the peripheral tissues where they sample the organism for infections or malignancies. There they take up antigens and migrate towards immunological organs to contact and activate T lymphocytes that specifically recognize the antigen presented by these antigen presenting cells. In the steady state there are several types of resident DCs present in various different organs. For example, in the mouse, splenic DC populations characterized by the co-expression of CD11c and CD8 surface markers are specialized in cross-presentation to CD8 T cells, while CD11c/SIRP-1α DCs seem to be dedicated to activating CD4 T cells. On the other hand, DCs have also been associated with the development of various diseases such as cancer, atherosclerosis, or inflammatory conditions. In such disease, DCs can participate by inducing angiogenesis or immunosuppression (tumors), promoting autoimmune responses, or exacerbating inflammation (atherosclerosis). This change in DC biology can be prompted by signals in the microenvironment. We have previously shown that the interaction of DCs with various extracellular matrix components modifies the immune properties and angiogenic potential of these cells. Building on those studies, herewith we analyzed the angiogenic profile of murine myeloid DCs upon interaction with 2D and 3D type-I collagen environments. As determined by PCR array technology and quantitative PCR analysis we observed that interaction with these collagen environments induced the expression of particular angiogenic molecules. In addition, DCs cultured on collagen environments specifically upregulated the expression of CXCL-1 and -2 chemokines. We were also able to establish DC cultures on type-IV collagen environments, a collagen type expressed in pathological conditions such as atherosclerosis. When we examined DC populations in atherosclerotic veins of Apolipoprotein E deficient mice we observed that they expressed adhesion

  12. [Study on the tectology change of rectum wall above the hemorrhoids].

    PubMed

    Zhang, Li; Yang, Bin; Zhang, Yu-Chao; Fu, Yu-Ru; Chen, Shuang

    2009-06-15

    To investigate the histomorphological characteristics and its significance of rectum wall above hemorrhoids. Tissues of rectum wall above hemorrhoids were obtained after stapled hemorrhoidopexy from 21 patients with grade III-IV internal hemorrhoids. Seven macroscopically normal rectal tissues collected from upper rectal cancer patients without a history of hemorrhoids served as control. Masson trichrome staining was performed for detecting smooth muscles and collagen in the tissues. The expression of type III collagen was detected by using immunohistochemical staining in the two groups. Morphological abnormalities, such as fragment, rupture, disorganization were found in smooth muscle of proximal rectal tissues above the piles, and it was statistically different from the distal rectal tissues above the piles and control tissues (all P < 0.05). Moreover, hyperplasia of type III collagen in both muscularis mucosa and rectum wall in tissues above hemorrhoids were observed, no such changes was found in the control tissues. The range of pathological changes in hemorrhoids is beyond the anal cushions. The pathological changes of the smooth muscle and the type III collagen in the tissues above the piles are the pathological basis of hemorrhoids.

  13. Type I Collagen and Collagen Mimetics as Angiogenesis Promoting Superpolymers

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Twardowski, T.; Fertala, A.; Orgel, J.P.R.O.

    Angiogenesis, the development of blood vessels from the pre-existing vasculature, is a key component of embryogenesis and tissue regeneration. Angiogenesis also drives pathologies such as tumor growth and metastasis, and hemangioma development in newborns. On the other hand, promotion of angiogenesis is needed in tissues with vascular insufficiencies, and in bioengineering, to endow tissue substitutes with appropriate microvasculatures. Therefore, much research has focused on defining mechanisms of angiogenesis, and identifying pro- and anti-angiogenic molecules. Type I collagen, the most abundant protein in humans, potently stimulates angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo. Crucial to its angiogenic activity appears to be ligationmore » and possibly clustering of endothelial cell (EC) surface {alpha}1{beta}1/{alpha}2{beta}1 integrin receptors by the GFPGER502-507 sequence of the collagen fibril. However, additional aspects of collagen structure and function that may modulate its angiogenic properties are discussed. Moreover, type I collagen and fibrin, another angiogenic polymer, share several structural features. These observations suggest strategies for creating 'angiogenic superpolymers', including: modifying type I collagen to influence its biological half-life, immunogenicity, and integrin binding capacity; genetically engineering fibrillar collagens to include additional integrin binding sites or angiogenic determinants, and remove unnecessary or deleterious sequences without compromising fibril integrity; and exploring the suitability of poly(ortho ester), PEG-lysine copolymer, tubulin, and cholesteric cuticle as collagen mimetics, and suggesting means of modifying them to display ideal angiogenic properties. The collagenous and collagen mimetic angiogenic superpolymers described here may someday prove useful for many applications in tissue engineering and human medicine.« less

  14. Deamidation of collagen.

    PubMed

    Hurtado, Pilar Perez; O'Connor, Peter B

    2012-03-20

    Collagen is the major component of skin, tendons, ligaments, teeth, and bones, it provides the framework that holds most multicellular animals together, and collagen type I constitutes the major fibrillar collagen of bone. Because of the complexity of collagen's structure, the study of post-translational modifications such as deamidation for this protein is challenging. Although there is no evidence of this protein being used for age assessment, it has been shown that deamidation of collagen is remarkably increased in old bones from mammals. Nonspectrometric methodologies have been used for the determination of the extent of deamidation as a measure of the amount of amide nitrogen released in ammonia as well as constant rates for deamidation of asparagine in collagen. In general, these methodologies required more sample and separation processes. To understand if collagen plays a significant role in the aging process of fossil materials, a simpler and more accurate method is needed to determine the extent of deamidation at the whole protein level. The present work shows a method to determine the extent of deamidation in collagen using Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance-mass spectrometry (FTICR-MS) along with collisionally activated dissociation (CAD) and electron capture dissociation (ECD). The measured deamidation half-life for three different tryptic peptides from collagen (I) ranged from 2000 to 6000 s under high temperature conditions (∼62 °C) and pH 7.5.

  15. Reevaluation of the role of the polar groups of collagen in the platelet-collagen interaction.

    PubMed Central

    Chesney, C. M.; Pifer, D. D.; Crofford, L. J.; Huch, K. M.

    1983-01-01

    Chemical modification of collagen is a tool for exploring the platelet-collagen interaction. Since collagen must polymerize prior to the initiation of platelet aggregation and secretion, modification must be shown to affect platelet-collagen interaction and not collagen-collagen interaction. To address this point, the authors carried out the following chemical modifications on soluble monomeric collagen and preformed fibrillar collagen in parallel: 1) N-and O-acetylation, 2) esterification of the carboxyl groups, 3) succinylation of the free amino groups, 4) esterification of succinylated collagen. Intrinsic viscosity studies of the modified soluble collagens were consistent with normal triple helix conformation. Electron microscopy revealed all modified fibrillar collagen to maintain a fibrillar structure. Platelet aggregation and secretion of 14C-serotonin and platelet factor 4 by soluble and fibrillar collagen, respectively, were studied in human platelet-rich plasma. Neutralization of polar groups by 1) totally abolished aggregation and secretion by both collagens, while blocking acidic groups 2) resulted in enhanced aggregation and secretion by both soluble and fibrillar collagen. Blockage of amino groups by 3) abolished aggregation and secretion by both collagens. Esterified succinylated collagen 4) caused aggregation and secretion at relatively high collagen concentrations. These data support the theory that positive groups of collagen are important in platelet-collagen interaction. Images Figure 1 PMID:6881287

  16. Vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome mutations in type III collagen differently stall the triple helical folding.

    PubMed

    Mizuno, Kazunori; Boudko, Sergei; Engel, Jürgen; Bächinger, Hans Peter

    2013-06-28

    Vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) type IV is the most severe form of EDS. In many cases the disease is caused by a point mutation of Gly in type III collagen. A slower folding of the collagen helix is a potential cause for over-modifications. However, little is known about the rate of folding of type III collagen in patients with EDS. To understand the molecular mechanism of the effect of mutations, a system was developed for bacterial production of homotrimeric model polypeptides. The C-terminal quarter, 252 residues, of the natural human type III collagen was attached to (GPP)7 with the type XIX collagen trimerization domain (NC2). The natural collagen domain forms a triple helical structure without 4-hydroxylation of proline at a low temperature. At 33 °C, the natural collagenous part is denatured, but the C-terminal (GPP)7-NC2 remains intact. Switching to a low temperature triggers the folding of the type III collagen domain in a zipper-like fashion that resembles the natural process. We used this system for the two known EDS mutations (Gly-to-Val) in the middle at Gly-910 and at the C terminus at Gly-1018. In addition, wild-type and Gly-to-Ala mutants were made. The mutations significantly slow down the overall rate of triple helix formation. The effect of the Gly-to-Val mutation is much more severe compared with Gly-to-Ala. This is the first report on the folding of collagen with EDS mutations, which demonstrates local delays in the triple helix propagation around the mutated residue.

  17. Jellyfish collagen matrices conserve the chondrogenic phenotype in two- and three-dimensional collagen matrices.

    PubMed

    Sewing, Judith; Klinger, Matthias; Notbohm, Holger

    2017-03-01

    Cartilage is a tissue with a very low capability of self-repair and the search for suitable materials supporting the chondrogenic phenotype and thus avoiding fibrotic dedifferentiation for matrix-associated chondrocyte transplantation (MACI) is ongoing. Jellyfish collagen was thought to be a suitable material mainly because of its good availability and easy handling. Collagen was extracted from jellyfish Rhopilema esculentum and the spreading of porcine chondrocytes on two (2D) and three dimensional (3D) collagen matrices examined in comparison with vertebrate collagens, placenta collagen and a commercially available matrix from porcine collagen type I (Optimaix®). In 2D, most chondrocytes kept their round shape on jellyfish collagen and vertebrate collagen type II compared with vertebrate collagen type I. This was also confirmed in 3D experiments, where chondrocytes preserved their phenotype on jellyfish collagen, as indicated by high collagen II/(II + I) ratios (≥54 % and ~92 % collagen type II in mRNA and protein, respectively) and no proliferation during 28 days of cultivation. These observations were discussed with a view to potential structural differences of jellyfish collagen, which might influence the integrin-mediated adhesion mechanisms of vertebrate cells on jellyfish collagen. This probably results from a lack of integrin-binding sites and the existence of an alternative binding mechanism such that cells kept their round shape on jellyfish collagen, preventing chondrocytes from dedifferentiation. Thus, collagen from R. esculentum is a very suitable and promising material for cartilage tissue engineering. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  18. Collagenous gastritis and collagenous colitis: a report with sequential histological and ultrastructural findings

    PubMed Central

    Pulimood, A; Ramakrishna, B; Mathan, M

    1999-01-01

    The case is reported of a young adult man with collagenous gastritis, an extremely rare disorder with only three case reports in the English literature, who subsequently presented with collagenous colitis. Sequential gastric biopsies showed a notable increase in thickness of the subepithelial collagen band. Ultrastructural study of gastric and rectal mucosa showed the characteristic subepithelial band composed of haphazardly arranged collagen fibres, prominent degranulating eosinophils, and activated pericryptal fibroblasts.


Keywords: collagenous gastritis; collagenous colitis; stomach; colon PMID:10323893

  19. Exploring links between juvenile offenders and social disorganization at a large map scale: a Bayesian spatial modeling approach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Law, Jane; Quick, Matthew

    2013-01-01

    This paper adopts a Bayesian spatial modeling approach to investigate the distribution of young offender residences in York Region, Southern Ontario, Canada, at the census dissemination area level. Few geographic researches have analyzed offender (as opposed to offense) data at a large map scale (i.e., using a relatively small areal unit of analysis) to minimize aggregation effects. Providing context is the social disorganization theory, which hypothesizes that areas with economic deprivation, high population turnover, and high ethnic heterogeneity exhibit social disorganization and are expected to facilitate higher instances of young offenders. Non-spatial and spatial Poisson models indicate that spatial methods are superior to non-spatial models with respect to model fit and that index of ethnic heterogeneity, residential mobility (1 year moving rate), and percentage of residents receiving government transfer payments are, respectively, the most significant explanatory variables related to young offender location. These findings provide overwhelming support for social disorganization theory as it applies to offender location in York Region, Ontario. Targeting areas where prevalence of young offenders could or could not be explained by social disorganization through decomposing the estimated risk map are helpful for dealing with juvenile offenders in the region. Results prompt discussion into geographically targeted police services and young offender placement pertaining to risk of recidivism. We discuss possible reasons for differences and similarities between the previous findings (that analyzed offense data and/or were conducted at a smaller map scale) and our findings, limitations of our study, and practical outcomes of this research from a law enforcement perspective.

  20. Cutaneous Collagenous Vasculopathy

    PubMed Central

    Ortleb, Melanie; Boyd, Alan S.; Powers, Jennifer

    2015-01-01

    Cutaneous collagenous vasculopathy is a rare microangiopathy of dermal blood vessels. Clinically indistinguishable from generalized essential telangiectasia, this condition is diagnosed by its unique histological appearance. In contrast to other primary telangiectatic processes, cutaneous collagenous vasculopathy has dilated vascular structures that contain deposits of eosinophilic hyaline material within the vessel walls. To date, cutaneous collagenous vasculopathy has been described in a total of 19 cases in the medical literature. The first several cases were described exclusively in middle-aged to elderly men. Though it has now been described in both men and women, cutaneous collagenous vasculopathy is still most often described in middle-aged to older adults. No particular disease or medication has been linked to the development of cutaneous collagenous vasculopathy, and the etiology remains unknown. In this case series, the authors present three additional patients diagnosed with cutaneous collagenous vasculopathy and discuss their clinical and histopathologic features. PMID:26705441

  1. Collagen Accumulation in Osteosarcoma Cells lacking GLT25D1 Collagen Galactosyltransferase*

    PubMed Central

    Baumann, Stephan

    2016-01-01

    Collagen is post-translationally modified by prolyl and lysyl hydroxylation and subsequently by glycosylation of hydroxylysine. Despite the widespread occurrence of the glycan structure Glc(α1–2)Gal linked to hydroxylysine in animals, the functional significance of collagen glycosylation remains elusive. To address the role of glycosylation in collagen expression, folding, and secretion, we used the CRISPR/Cas9 system to inactivate the collagen galactosyltransferase GLT25D1 and GLT25D2 genes in osteosarcoma cells. Loss of GLT25D1 led to increased expression and intracellular accumulation of collagen type I, whereas loss of GLT25D2 had no effect on collagen secretion. Inactivation of the GLT25D1 gene resulted in a compensatory induction of GLT25D2 expression. Loss of GLT25D1 decreased collagen glycosylation by up to 60% but did not alter collagen folding and thermal stability. Whereas cells harboring individually inactivated GLT25D1 and GLT25D2 genes could be recovered and maintained in culture, cell clones with simultaneously inactive GLT25D1 and GLT25D2 genes could be not grown and studied, suggesting that a complete loss of collagen glycosylation impairs osteosarcoma cell proliferation and viability. PMID:27402836

  2. In vivo topical application of acetyl aspartic acid increases fibrillin-1 and collagen IV deposition leading to a significant improvement of skin firmness.

    PubMed

    Gillbro, J M; Merinville, E; Cattley, K; Al-Bader, T; Hagforsen, E; Nilsson, M; Mavon, A

    2015-10-01

    Acetyl aspartic acid (A-A-A) was discovered through gene array analysis with corresponding Cmap analysis. We found that A-A-A increased keratinocyte regeneration, inhibited dermal matrix metalloprotease (MMP) expression and relieved fibroblast stiffness through reduction of the fibroblast stiffness marker F-actin. Dermal absorption studies showed successful delivery to both the epidermal and dermal regions, and in-use trial demonstrated that 1% A-A-A was well tolerated. In this study, the aim was to investigate whether A-A-A could stimulate the synthesis of extracellular matrix supporting proteins in vivo and thereby improving the viscoelastic properties of human skin by conducting a dual histological and biophysical clinical study. Two separate double-blind vehicle-controlled in vivo studies were conducted using a 1% A-A-A containing oil-in-water (o/w) emulsion. In the histological study, 16 female volunteers (>55 years of age) exhibiting photodamaged skin on their forearm were included, investigating the effect of a 12-day treatment of A-A-A on collagen IV (COLIV) and fibrillin-1. In a subsequent pilot study, 0.1% retinol was used for comparison to A-A-A (1%). The biomechanical properties of the skin were assessed in a panel of 16 women (>45 years of age) using the standard Cutometer MPA580 after topical application of the test products for 28 days. The use of multiple suction enabled the assessment of F4, an area parameter specifically representing skin firmness. Twelve-day topical application of 1% A-A-A significantly increased COLIV and fibrillin with 13% and 6%, respectively, compared to vehicle. 1% A-A-A and 0.1% retinol were found to significantly reduce F4 after 28 days of treatment by 15.8% and 14.7%, respectively, in the pilot Cutometer study. No significant difference was found between retinol and A-A-A. However, only A-A-A exhibited a significant effect vs. vehicle on skin firmness which indicated the incremental benefit of A-A-A as a skin

  3. Collagen Quantification in Tissue Specimens.

    PubMed

    Coentro, João Quintas; Capella-Monsonís, Héctor; Graceffa, Valeria; Wu, Zhuning; Mullen, Anne Maria; Raghunath, Michael; Zeugolis, Dimitrios I

    2017-01-01

    Collagen is the major extracellular protein in mammals. Accurate quantification of collagen is essential in the biomaterials (e.g., reproducible collagen scaffold fabrication), drug discovery (e.g., assessment of collagen in pathophysiologies, such as fibrosis), and tissue engineering (e.g., quantification of cell-synthesized collagen) fields. Although measuring hydroxyproline content is the most widely used method to quantify collagen in biological specimens, the process is very laborious. To this end, the Sircol™ Collagen Assay is widely used due to its inherent simplicity and convenience. However, this method leads to overestimation of collagen content due to the interaction of Sirius red with basic amino acids of non-collagenous proteins. Herein, we describe the addition of an ultrafiltration purification step in the process to accurately determine collagen content in tissues.

  4. Collagen Accumulation in Osteosarcoma Cells lacking GLT25D1 Collagen Galactosyltransferase.

    PubMed

    Baumann, Stephan; Hennet, Thierry

    2016-08-26

    Collagen is post-translationally modified by prolyl and lysyl hydroxylation and subsequently by glycosylation of hydroxylysine. Despite the widespread occurrence of the glycan structure Glc(α1-2)Gal linked to hydroxylysine in animals, the functional significance of collagen glycosylation remains elusive. To address the role of glycosylation in collagen expression, folding, and secretion, we used the CRISPR/Cas9 system to inactivate the collagen galactosyltransferase GLT25D1 and GLT25D2 genes in osteosarcoma cells. Loss of GLT25D1 led to increased expression and intracellular accumulation of collagen type I, whereas loss of GLT25D2 had no effect on collagen secretion. Inactivation of the GLT25D1 gene resulted in a compensatory induction of GLT25D2 expression. Loss of GLT25D1 decreased collagen glycosylation by up to 60% but did not alter collagen folding and thermal stability. Whereas cells harboring individually inactivated GLT25D1 and GLT25D2 genes could be recovered and maintained in culture, cell clones with simultaneously inactive GLT25D1 and GLT25D2 genes could be not grown and studied, suggesting that a complete loss of collagen glycosylation impairs osteosarcoma cell proliferation and viability. © 2016 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  5. The triple helix of collagens - an ancient protein structure that enabled animal multicellularity and tissue evolution.

    PubMed

    Fidler, Aaron L; Boudko, Sergei P; Rokas, Antonis; Hudson, Billy G

    2018-04-09

    The cellular microenvironment, characterized by an extracellular matrix (ECM), played an essential role in the transition from unicellularity to multicellularity in animals (metazoans), and in the subsequent evolution of diverse animal tissues and organs. A major ECM component are members of the collagen superfamily -comprising 28 types in vertebrates - that exist in diverse supramolecular assemblies ranging from networks to fibrils. Each assembly is characterized by a hallmark feature, a protein structure called a triple helix. A current gap in knowledge is understanding the mechanisms of how the triple helix encodes and utilizes information in building scaffolds on the outside of cells. Type IV collagen, recently revealed as the evolutionarily most ancient member of the collagen superfamily, serves as an archetype for a fresh view of fundamental structural features of a triple helix that underlie the diversity of biological activities of collagens. In this Opinion, we argue that the triple helix is a protein structure of fundamental importance in building the extracellular matrix, which enabled animal multicellularity and tissue evolution. © 2018. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

  6. A novel explanation of corneal clouding in a bone marrow transplant-treated patient with Hurler syndrome

    PubMed Central

    Yuan, Ching; Bothun, Erick D.; Hardten, David R.; Tolar, Jakub; McLoon, Linda K.

    2016-01-01

    One common complication of mucopolysaccharidosis I-Hurler (MPS1-H) is corneal clouding, which occurs despite current treatments, including bone marrow transplantation. Human corneas were obtained from a 14 year old subject with MPS1-H and visual disability from progressive corneal clouding despite a prior bone marrow transplant at age 2. This was compared to a cornea from a 17 year old donated to our eye bank after his accidental death. The corneas were analyzed microscopically after staining with Alcian blue, antibodies to collagen I, IV, VI, and α-smooth muscle actin. Differences in levels of expression of the indicated molecules were assessed. Corneas from Hurler and control mice were examined similarly to determine potential mechanistic overlap. The MPS1-H subject cornea showed elevations in mucopolysaccharide deposition. The MPS1-H and Hurler mice corneas showed increased and disorganized expression of collagen I and IV relative to the control corneas. The MPS1-H corneas also showed increased and disordered expression of collagen VI. Positive expression of α-smooth muscle actin indicated myofibroblast conversion within the MPS1-H cornea in both the patient and mutant mouse material compared to normal human and control mouse cornea. Increased deposition of collagens and smooth muscle actin correlate with corneal clouding, providing a potential mechanism for corneal clouding despite bone marrow transplantation in MPS1-H patients. It might be possible to prevent or slow the onset of corneal clouding by treating the cornea with drugs known to prevent myofibroblast conversion. PMID:27235795

  7. Urothelial signet-ring cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis with collagenous spherulosis: a case report.

    PubMed

    Hes, Ondrej; Curík, Romuald; Mainer, Karel; Michal, Michal

    2005-10-01

    We present a unique case of urothelial carcinoma of the right renal pelvis. It occurred in a 58-year-old woman. The tumor was located in the renal pelvis with extension into the adjacent renal medulla and cortex. Two years after surgical excision the patient is free of recurrence and metastasis. The tumor was well demarcated, without capsule, firm, solid, and whitish on the cut surface. It was 3x4 cm in largest diameter and without signs of necroses and hemorrhages. The tumor did not infiltrate the ureter. Histologically the predominant pattern of the tumor was adenocarcinomatous differentiation, and only very rare foci of urothelial carcinoma composed of typical transitional cells were found. No signs of intestinal type of metaplasia and adenocarcinoma, changes similar to the cystitis cystica or cystitis glandularis, were found in the tumor or in its vicinity. Most of the tumor looked like solid nests composed of cells with intracytoplasmic lumens. The resulting appearance was that of typical signet-ring cell change. These solid nests were usually surrounded by columnar epithelium, which in many areas formed papillary structures. A very striking feature was formation of collagen spherules. Small collagen spherules were often surrounded by a layer of the neoplastic cells so that collagenous rosettes were formed. In some areas these collagenous spherules clustered together so that they formed areas of collagenous spherulosis. The collagen in the spherules reacted positively with collagen IV. Ultrastructurally these spherules were formed by basal membrane-like material. Intracytoplasmic lumens of the signet-ring cell change were endowed by slender microvilli at ultrastructural level.

  8. Enigmatic insight into collagen

    PubMed Central

    Deshmukh, Shrutal Narendra; Dive, Alka M; Moharil, Rohit; Munde, Prashant

    2016-01-01

    Collagen is a unique, triple helical molecule which forms the major part of extracellular matrix. It is the most abundant protein in the human body, representing 30% of its dry weight. It is the fibrous structural protein that makes up the white fibers (collagen fibers) of skin, tendons, bones, cartilage and all other connective tissues. Collagens are not only essential for the mechanical resistance and resilience of multicellular organisms, but are also signaling molecules defining cellular shape and behavior. The human body has at least 16 types of collagen, but the most prominent types are I, II and III. Collagens are produced by several cell types and are distinguishable by their molecular compositions, morphologic characteristics, distribution, functions and pathogenesis. This is the major fibrous glycoprotein present in the extracellular matrix and in connective tissue and helps in maintaining the structural integrity of these tissues. It has a triple helical structure. Various studies have proved that mutations that modify folding of the triple helix result in identifiable genetic disorders. Collagen diseases share certain similarities with autoimmune diseases, because autoantibodies specific to each collagen disease are produced. Therefore, this review highlights the role of collagen in normal health and also the disorders associated with structural and functional defects in collagen. PMID:27601823

  9. The interplay of birth weight, dopamine receptor D4 gene (DRD4), and early maternal care in the prediction of disorganized attachment at 36 months of age.

    PubMed

    Wazana, Ashley; Moss, Ellen; Jolicoeur-Martineau, Alexis; Graffi, Justin; Tsabari, Gal; Lecompte, Vanessa; Pascuzzo, Katherine; Babineau, Vanessa; Gordon-Green, Cathryn; Mileva, Viara; Atkinson, Leslie; Minde, Klaus; Bouvette-Turcot, André Anne; Sassi, Roberto; St-André, Martin; Carrey, Normand; Matthews, Stephen; Sokolowski, Marla; Lydon, John; Gaudreau, Helene; Steiner, Meir; Kennedy, James L; Fleming, Alison; Levitan, Robert; Meaney, Michael J

    2015-11-01

    Disorganized attachment is an important early risk factor for socioemotional problems throughout childhood and into adulthood. Prevailing models of the etiology of disorganized attachment emphasize the role of highly dysfunctional parenting, to the exclusion of complex models examining the interplay of child and parental factors. Decades of research have established that extreme child birth weight may have long-term effects on developmental processes. These effects are typically negative, but this is not always the case. Recent studies have also identified the dopamine D4 receptor (DRD4) as a moderator of childrearing effects on the development of disorganized attachment. However, there are inconsistent findings concerning which variant of the polymorphism (seven-repeat long-form allele or non-seven-repeat short-form allele) is most likely to interact with caregiving in predicting disorganized versus organized attachment. In this study, we examined possible two- and three-way interactions and child DRD4 polymorphisms and birth weight and maternal caregiving at age 6 months in longitudinally predicting attachment disorganization at 36 months. Our sample is from the Maternal Adversity, Vulnerability and Neurodevelopment project, a sample of 650 mother-child dyads. Birth weight was cross-referenced with normative data to calculate birth weight percentile. Infant DRD4 was obtained with buccal swabs and categorized according to the presence of the putative allele seven repeat. Macroanalytic and microanalytic measures of maternal behavior were extracted from a videotaped session of 20 min of nonfeeding interaction followed by a 10-min divided attention maternal task at 6 months. Attachment was assessed at 36 months using the Strange Situation procedure, and categorized into disorganized attachment and others. The results indicated that a main effect for DRD4 and a two-way interaction of birth weight and 6-month maternal attention (frequency of maternal looking away

  10. An Examination of Social Disorganization and Pluralistic Neighborhood Theories with Rural Mothers and Their Adolescents

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Witherspoon, Dawn; Ennett, Susan

    2011-01-01

    Neighborhoods matter for youth; yet, most literature focuses on neighborhood deficits rather than strengths. To understand how best to capture neighborhoods, this study used census- and perception-based measures of neighborhood characteristics as suggested by social disorganization and pluralistic neighborhood theories, respectively, to determine…

  11. Liver fibrosis marker, 7S domain of collagen type IV, in patients with pre-capillary pulmonary hypertension.

    PubMed

    Yoshihisa, Akiomi; Kimishima, Yusuke; Kiko, Takatoyo; Sato, Yu; Watanabe, Shunsuke; Kanno, Yuki; Abe, Satoshi; Miyata-Tatsumi, Makiko; Sato, Takamasa; Suzuki, Satoshi; Oikawa, Masayoshi; Kobayashi, Atsushi; Yamaki, Takayoshi; Sugimoto, Koichi; Kunii, Hiroyuki; Nakazato, Kazuhiko; Suzuki, Hitoshi; Ishida, Takafumi; Takeishi, Yasuchika

    2018-05-01

    Pulmonary hypertension (PH) causes right ventricular dysfunction and central venous congestion, and may lead to congestive hepatopathy. The serum 7S domain of collagen type IV (P4NP 7S) is an established marker of liver fibrosis in chronic liver disease. We aimed to determine whether P4NP 7S is related to hemodynamic parameters, and assessed the potential values of P4NP 7S to predict mortality. Consecutive 76 pre-capillary PH patients were divided into tertiles based on their serum P4NP 7S levels. We compared right-heart catheterization, echocardiographic findings, and mortality among the tertiles, and compared P4NP 7S with other known biomarkers of mortality. Cardiac index, mean pulmonary arterial pressure, pulmonary vascular resistance, and right ventricular fractional area change did not differ among the three groups. In contrast, compared to 1st and 2nd tertiles, the 3rd tertile had higher levels of right atrial pressure, right atrial area, and right ventricular area (P<0.05, respectively). In the Kaplan-Meier analysis, mortality progressively increased from the 1st to 2nd and 3rd tertiles (log-rank, P=0.002). In the Cox proportional hazard analysis, P4NP 7S was a predictor of mortality. ROC analysis demonstrated that a P4NP 7S concentration of 4.75ng/ml predicted mortality (AUC 0.85, 95% CI 0.75-0.94; P<0.001), and that the prognostic value of P4NP 7S was comparable or superior to that of other biomarkers (total bilirubin, creatinine, uric acid, C-reactive protein, B-type natriuretic peptide, and troponin I). Serum P4NP 7S is associated with higher central venous pressure, right-sided volume overload, and mortality in PH patients. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Collagen mimetic peptide engineered M13 bacteriophage for collagen targeting and imaging in cancer.

    PubMed

    Jin, Hyo-Eon; Farr, Rebecca; Lee, Seung-Wuk

    2014-11-01

    Collagens are over-expressed in various human cancers and subsequently degraded and denatured by proteolytic enzymes, thus making them a target for diagnostics and therapeutics. Genetically engineered bacteriophage (phage) is a promising candidate for the development of imaging or therapeutic materials for cancer collagen targeting due to its promising structural features. We genetically engineered M13 phages with two functional peptides, collagen mimetic peptide and streptavidin binding peptide, on their minor and major coat proteins, respectively. The resulting engineered phage functions as a therapeutic or imaging material to target degraded and denatured collagens in cancerous tissues. We demonstrated that the engineered phages are able to target and label abnormal collagens expressed on A549 human lung adenocarcinoma cells after the conjugation with streptavidin-linked fluorescent agents. Our engineered collagen binding phage could be a useful platform for abnormal collagen imaging and drug delivery in various collagen-related diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  13. Emotional and Adrenocortical Regulation in Early Adolescence: Prediction by Attachment Security and Disorganization in Infancy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Spangler, Gottfried; Zimmermann, Peter

    2014-01-01

    The aim of the present study was to examine differences in emotion expression and emotion regulation in emotion-eliciting situations in early adolescence from a bio-psycho-social perspective, specifically investigating the influence of early mother-infant attachment and attachment disorganization on behavioural and adrenocortical responses. The…

  14. Coherence, disorganization, and fragmentation in traumatic memory reconsidered: A response to Rubin et al. (2016).

    PubMed

    Brewin, Chris R

    2016-10-01

    Although clinical theories of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) claim that in this condition trauma memories tend to be disorganized and fragmented, this has been disputed by some autobiographical memory researchers, such as Rubin, Berntsen, and their colleagues (e.g., Rubin et al., 2016). In this article I review the evidence for and against the fragmentation hypothesis and identify important sources of methodological variability between the studies. This analysis suggests that fragmentation and disorganization are associated with differences in the type of narrative (specifically, with detailed rather than general narratives) and in the focus of the analysis (specifically, with a local focus on sections of text concerned with the worst moments of the trauma rather than with a global focus on the text as a whole). The implication is that apparently discrepant data and discrepant views can be accommodated within a more comprehensive formulation of memory impairment in PTSD. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  15. Cell-populated collagen lattice contraction model for the investigation of fibroblast collagen interactions.

    PubMed

    Ehrlich, H Paul; Moyer, Kurtis E

    2013-01-01

    The fibroblast-populated collagen lattice (FPCL) was intended to act as the dermal component for "skin-equivalent" or artificial skin developed for skin grafting burn patients. The "skin-equivalent" was clinically unsuccessful as a skin graft, but today it is successfully used as a dressing for the management of chronic wounds. The FPCL has, however, become an instrument for investigating cell-connective tissue interactions within a three-dimensional matrix. Through the capacity of cell compaction of collagen fibrils, the FPCL undergoes a reduction in volume referred to as lattice contraction. Lattice contraction proceeds by cell-generated forces that reduce the water mass between collagen fibers, generating a closer relationship between collagen fibers. The compaction of collagen fibers is responsible for the reduction in the FPCL volume. Cell-generated forces through the linkage of collagen fibers with fibroblast's cytoskeletal actin-rich microfilament structures are responsible for the completion of the collagen matrix compaction. The type of culture dish used to cast FPCL as well as the cell number will dictate the mechanism for compacting collagen matrices. Fibroblasts, at moderate density, cast as an FPCL within a petri dish and released from the surface of the dish soon after casting compact collagen fibers through cell tractional forces. Fibroblasts at moderate density cast as an FPCL within a tissue culture dish and not released for 4 days upon release show rapid lattice contraction through a mechanism of cell contraction forces. Fibroblasts at high density cast in an FPCL within a petri dish, released from the surface of the dish soon after casting, compact a collagen lattice very rapidly through forces related to cell elongation. The advantage of the FPCL contraction model is the study of cells in the three-dimensional environment, which is similar to the environment from which these cells were isolated. In this chapter methods are described for

  16. Molecular assessment of collagen denaturation in decellularized tissues using a collagen hybridizing peptide.

    PubMed

    Hwang, Jeongmin; San, Boi Hoa; Turner, Neill J; White, Lisa J; Faulk, Denver M; Badylak, Stephen F; Li, Yang; Yu, S Michael

    2017-04-15

    Decellularized extracellular matrix (ECM) derived from tissues and organs are emerging as important scaffold materials for regenerative medicine. Many believe that preservation of the native ECM structure during decellularization is highly desirable. However, because effective techniques to assess the structural damage in ECM are lacking, the disruptive effects of a decellularization method and the impact of the associated structural damage upon the scaffold's regenerative capacity are often debated. Using a novel collagen hybridizing peptide (CHP) that specifically binds to unfolded collagen chains, we investigated the molecular denaturation of collagen in the ECM decellularized by four commonly used cell-removing detergents: sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulfonate (CHAPS), sodium deoxycholate (SD), and Triton X-100. Staining of the detergent-treated porcine ligament and urinary bladder matrix with carboxyfluorescein-labeled CHP demonstrated that SDS and Triton X-100 denature the triple helical collagen molecule while CHAPS and SD do not, although second harmonic generation imaging and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed that all four detergents disrupt collagen fibrils. Our findings from the CHP staining were further confirmed by the circular dichroism spectra of intact triple helical collagen molecules in CHAPS and SD solutions, and the TEM images of CHP-conjugated gold nanoparticles binding only to the SDS and Triton X-100 treated collagen fibrils. CHP is a powerful new tool for direct and reliable measurement of denatured collagen molecules in decellularized tissues. It is expected to have wide applications in the development and standardization of the tissue/organ decellularization technology. Preservation of the native ECM structure in decellularized tissues is highly desirable, since denaturation of ECM molecules (e.g., collagen) during decellularization can strongly influence the cellular response

  17. Molecular assessment of collagen denaturation in decellularized tissues using a collagen hybridizing peptide

    PubMed Central

    Hwang, Jeongmin; San, Boi Hoa; Turner, Neill J.; White, Lisa J.; Faulk, Denver M.; Badylak, Stephen F.; Li, Yang; Yu, S. Michael

    2017-01-01

    Decellularized extracellular matrix (ECM) derived from tissues and organs are emerging as important scaffold materials for regenerative medicine. Many believe that preservation of the native ECM structure during decellularization is highly desirable. However, because effective techniques to assess the structural damage in ECM are lacking, the disruptive effects of a decellularization method and the impact of the associated structural damage upon the scaffold’s regenerative capacity are often debated. Using a novel collagen hybridizing peptide (CHP) that specifically binds to unfolded collagen chains, we investigated the molecular denaturation of collagen in the ECM decellularized by four commonly used cellremoving detergents: sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-1-propa nesulfonate (CHAPS), sodium deoxycholate (SD), and Triton X-100. Staining of the detergent-treated porcine ligament and urinary bladder matrix with carboxyfluorescein-labeled CHP demonstrated that SDS and Triton X-100 denature the triple helical collagen molecule while CHAPS and SD do not, although second harmonic generation imaging and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed that all four detergents disrupt collagen fibrils. Our findings from the CHP staining were further confirmed by the circular dichroism spectra of intact triple helical collagen molecules in CHAPS and SD solutions, and the TEM images of CHP-conjugated gold nanoparticles binding only to the SDS and Triton X-100 treated collagen fibrils. CHP is a powerful new tool for direct and reliable measurement of denatured collagen molecules in decellularized tissues. It is expected to have wide applications in the development and standardization of the tissue/organ decellularization technology. Statement of Significance Preservation of the native ECM structure in decellularized tissues is highly desirable, since denaturation of ECM molecules (e.g., collagen) during decellularization can strongly

  18. A Disorganized Toddler in Foster Care: Healing and Change from an Attachment Theory Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mann, Janet; Kretchmar, Molly D.

    2006-01-01

    This article focuses on the remarkable story of a deeply disorganized child, Rachel, and her experience in foster care with Janet and Paul Mann, founders of the Children's Ark. Rachel and her mother were referred to the Ark, an innovative intervention center for at-risk families, when Rachel was 10 months old. After 11 months at the Ark, Rachel…

  19. A collagen-binding EGFR antibody fragment targeting tumors with a collagen-rich extracellular matrix.

    PubMed

    Liang, Hui; Li, Xiaoran; Wang, Bin; Chen, Bing; Zhao, Yannan; Sun, Jie; Zhuang, Yan; Shi, Jiajia; Shen, He; Zhang, Zhijun; Dai, Jianwu

    2016-02-17

    Many tumors over-express collagen, which constitutes the physical scaffold of tumor microenvironment. Collagen has been considered to be a target for cancer therapy. The collagen-binding domain (CBD) is a short peptide, which could bind to collagen and achieve the sustained release of CBD-fused proteins in collagen scaffold. Here, a collagen-binding EGFR antibody fragment was designed and expressed for targeting the collagen-rich extracellular matrix in tumors. The antibody fragment (Fab) of cetuximab was fused with CBD (CBD-Fab) and expressed in Pichia pastoris. CBD-Fab maintained antigen binding and anti-tumor activity of cetuximab and obtained a collagen-binding ability in vitro. The results also showed CBD-Fab was mainly enriched in tumors and had longer retention time in tumors in A431 s.c. xenografts. Furthermore, CBD-Fab showed a similar therapeutic efficacy as cetuximab in A431 xenografts. Although CBD-Fab hasn't showed better therapeutic effects than cetuximab, its smaller molecular and special target may be applicable as antibody-drug conjugates (ADC) or immunotoxins.

  20. A collagen-binding EGFR antibody fragment targeting tumors with a collagen-rich extracellular matrix

    PubMed Central

    Liang, Hui; Li, Xiaoran; Wang, Bin; Chen, Bing; Zhao, Yannan; Sun, Jie; Zhuang, Yan; Shi, Jiajia; Shen, He; Zhang, Zhijun; Dai, Jianwu

    2016-01-01

    Many tumors over-express collagen, which constitutes the physical scaffold of tumor microenvironment. Collagen has been considered to be a target for cancer therapy. The collagen-binding domain (CBD) is a short peptide, which could bind to collagen and achieve the sustained release of CBD-fused proteins in collagen scaffold. Here, a collagen-binding EGFR antibody fragment was designed and expressed for targeting the collagen-rich extracellular matrix in tumors. The antibody fragment (Fab) of cetuximab was fused with CBD (CBD-Fab) and expressed in Pichia pastoris. CBD-Fab maintained antigen binding and anti-tumor activity of cetuximab and obtained a collagen-binding ability in vitro. The results also showed CBD-Fab was mainly enriched in tumors and had longer retention time in tumors in A431 s.c. xenografts. Furthermore, CBD-Fab showed a similar therapeutic efficacy as cetuximab in A431 xenografts. Although CBD-Fab hasn’t showed better therapeutic effects than cetuximab, its smaller molecular and special target may be applicable as antibody–drug conjugates (ADC) or immunotoxins. PMID:26883295

  1. Disorganization and real-world functioning in schizophrenia: Results from the multicenter study of the Italian Network for Research on Psychoses.

    PubMed

    Rocca, P; Galderisi, S; Rossi, A; Bertolino, A; Rucci, P; Gibertoni, D; Montemagni, C; Bellino, S; Aguglia, E; Amore, M; Bellomo, A; Biondi, M; Carpiniello, B; Cuomo, A; D'Ambrosio, E; dell'Osso, L; Girardi, P; Marchesi, C; Monteleone, P; Montemitro, C; Oldani, L; Pacitti, F; Roncone, R; Siracusano, A; Tenconi, E; Vita, A; Zeppegno, P; Steardo, L; Vignapiano, A; Maj, M

    2018-06-10

    A general consensus has not yet been reached regarding the role of disorganization symptoms in real-world functioning in schizophrenia. We used structural equations modeling (SEM) to analyze the direct and indirect associations between disorganization and real-world functioning assessed through the Specific Levels of Functioning Scale (SLOF) in 880 subjects with schizophrenia. We found that: 1) conceptual disorganization was directly and strongly connected with SLOF daily activities; difficulty in abstract thinking was associated with moderate strength to all SLOF domains, and poor attention was connected with SLOF work skills; 2) grandiosity was only related with poor work skills, and delusions were associated with poor functioning in all SLOF domains; interpersonal relationships were weakly indirectly influenced by hallucinatory behavior, delusions and unusual thought contents through the mediation of social cognition (SC); 3) among the negative symptoms, avolition had only direct links with SLOF work skills and SLOF activities; anhedonia had direct links with SLOF work skills and SLOF interpersonal and indirect link with SLOF work skills through functional capacity (FC); asociality with SLOF interpersonal; blunted affect had direct links with SLOF activities and indirect links with SLOF interpersonal relationships mediated by SC. Lastly, alogia had only indirect links mediated by SC, FC, and neurocognition (NC). Overall conceptual disorganization is the symptom that contributed more (both directly and indirectly) to the activities of community living in real-world. Thus, it should be considered as a treatment target in intervention programs for patients with schizophrenia. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  2. Collagen membranes: a review.

    PubMed

    Bunyaratavej, P; Wang, H L

    2001-02-01

    Collagen materials have been utilized in medicine and dentistry because of their proven biocompatability and capability of promoting wound healing. For guided tissue regeneration (GTR) procedures, collagen membranes have been shown to be comparable to non-absorbable membranes with regard to probing depth reduction, clinical attachment gain, and percent of bone fill. Although these membranes are absorbable, collagen membranes have been demonstrated to prevent epithelial down-growth along the root surfaces during the early phase of wound healing. The use of grafting material in combination with collagen membranes seems to improve clinical outcomes for furcation, but not intrabony, defects when compared to the use of membranes alone. Recently, collagen materials have also been applied in guided bone regeneration (GBR) and root coverage procedures with comparable success rates to non-absorbable expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) membranes and conventional subepithelial connective tissue grafts, respectively. Long-term clinical trials are still needed to further evaluate the benefits of collagen membranes in periodontal and peri-implant defects. This article will review the rationale for each indication and its related literature, both in vitro and in vivo studies. The properties that make collagen membranes attractive for use in regenerative therapy will be addressed. In addition, varieties of cross-linking techniques utilized to retard the degradation rate of collagen membranes will be discussed.

  3. Effects of ingestion of collagen peptide on collagen fibrils and glycosaminoglycans in the dermis.

    PubMed

    Matsuda, Naoya; Koyama, Yoh-ichi; Hosaka, Yoshinao; Ueda, Hiromi; Watanabe, Takafumi; Araya, Takayuki; Irie, Shinkichi; Takehana, Kazushige

    2006-06-01

    In order to investigate the effects of collagen peptide ingestion on fibroblasts and the extracellular matrix in the dermis, collagen peptide was administered orally to pigs at 0.2 g/kg body weight/d for 62 d, and its effects were compared with those of lactalbumin and water controls. Fibroblast density, and diameter and density of collagen fibrils were significantly larger in the collagen peptide group than in the lactalbumin and water control groups. The two major components of dermal glycosaminoglycans, hyaluronic acid and dermatan sulfate, which are present in the inter-fibrillar space, did not differ significantly among the three groups. However, the ratio of dermatan sulfate, which is derived from fibril-bound decorin, was largest in the collagen peptide group. These results suggest that ingestion of collagen peptide induces increased fibroblast density and enhances formation of collagen fibrils in the dermis in a protein-specific manner.

  4. ECM turnover-stimulated gene delivery through collagen-mimetic peptide-plasmid integration in collagen.

    PubMed

    Urello, Morgan A; Kiick, Kristi L; Sullivan, Millicent O

    2017-10-15

    Gene therapies have great potential in regenerative medicine; however, clinical translation has been inhibited by low stability and limited transfection efficiencies. Herein, we incorporate collagen-mimetic peptide (CMP)-linked polyplexes in collagen scaffolds to increase DNA stability by up to 400% and enable tailorable in vivo transgene expression at 100-fold higher levels and 10-fold longer time periods. These improvements were directly linked to a sustained interaction between collagen and polyplexes that persisted during cellular remodeling, polyplex uptake, and intracellular trafficking. Specifically, incorporation of CMPs into polyethylenimine (PEI) polyplexes preserved serum-exposed polyplex-collagen activity over a period of 14days, with 4 orders-of-magnitude more intact DNA present in CMP-modified polyplex-collagen relative to unmodified polyplex-collagen after a 10day incubation under cell culture conditions. CMP-modification also altered endocytic uptake, as indicated by gene silencing studies showing a nearly 50% decrease in transgene expression in response to caveolin-1 silencing in modified samples versus only 30% in unmodified samples. Furthermore, cellular internalization studies demonstrated that polyplex-collagen association persisted within cells in CMP polyplexes, but not in unmodified polyplexes, suggesting that CMP linkage to collagen regulates intracellular transport. Moreover, experiments in an in vivo repair model showed that CMP modification enabled tailoring of transgene expression from 4 to 25days over a range of concentrations. Overall, these findings demonstrate that CMP decoration provides substantial improvements in gene retention, altered release kinetics, improved serum-stability, and improved gene activity in vivo. This versatile technique has great potential for multiple applications in regenerative medicine. In this work, we demonstrate a novel approach for stably integrating DNA into collagen scaffolds to exploit the natural

  5. The fibrillar collagen family.

    PubMed

    Exposito, Jean-Yves; Valcourt, Ulrich; Cluzel, Caroline; Lethias, Claire

    2010-01-28

    Collagens, or more precisely collagen-based extracellular matrices, are often considered as a metazoan hallmark. Among the collagens, fibrillar collagens are present from sponges to humans, and are involved in the formation of the well-known striated fibrils. In this review we discuss the different steps in the evolution of this protein family, from the formation of an ancestral fibrillar collagen gene to the formation of different clades. Genomic data from the choanoflagellate (sister group of Metazoa) Monosiga brevicollis, and from diploblast animals, have suggested that the formation of an ancestral alpha chain occurred before the metazoan radiation. Phylogenetic studies have suggested an early emergence of the three clades that were first described in mammals. Hence the duplication events leading to the formation of the A, B and C clades occurred before the eumetazoan radiation. Another important event has been the two rounds of "whole genome duplication" leading to the amplification of fibrillar collagen gene numbers, and the importance of this diversification in developmental processes. We will also discuss some other aspects of fibrillar collagen evolution such as the development of the molecular mechanisms involved in the formation of procollagen molecules and of striated fibrils.

  6. C-peptide prevents SMAD3 binding to alpha promoters to inhibit collagen type IV synthesis.

    PubMed

    Li, Yanning; Zhong, Yan; Gong, Wenjian; Gao, Xuehan; Qi, Huanli; Liu, Kun; Qi, Jinsheng

    2018-07-01

    Activation of transforming growth factor β1 (TGFB1)/SMAD3 signaling may lead to additional synthesis of collagen type IV (COL4), which is a major contributor to extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation in diabetic nephropathy (DN). C-peptide can attenuate fibrosis to have unique beneficial effects in DN. However, whether and how C-peptide affects TGFB1/SMAD3-activated COL4 synthesis is unclear. In this study, pathological changes, expression of COL4 a1-a5 chains ( Col4a1-a5 ), COL4 distribution and protein and TGFB1 and SMAD3 protein were first assessed in a rat model of diabetes. Then, rat mesangial cells were treated with high glucose (HG) and/or C-peptide to investigate the underlying mechanism. Col4a1-a5 expression, COL4 protein and secretion, TGFB1 protein, SMAD3 nuclear translocation and binding of SMAD3 to its cognate sites in the promoters of Col4a1a2 , Col4a3a4 and Col4a5 were measured. It was found that C-peptide attenuated glomerular pathological changes and suppressed renal Col4a1 -a5 mRNA expression, COL4 protein content and TGFB1 protein content. C-peptide had a dose-dependent effect to inhibit Col4a1-a5 mRNA expression, COL4 protein content and secretion, in HG-stimulated mesangial cells. In addition, the HG-induced increase in TGFB1 protein content was significantly reduced by C-peptide. Although not apparently affecting SMAD3 nuclear translocation, C-peptide prevented SMAD3 from binding to its sites in the Col4a1a2 , Col4a3a4 and Col4a5 promoters in HG-stimulated mesangial cells. In conclusion, C-peptide could prevent SMAD3 from binding to its sites in the Col4a1a2 , Col4a3a4 and Col4a5 promoters, to inhibit COL4 generation. These results may provide a mechanism for the alleviation of fibrosis in DN by C-peptide. © 2018 Society for Endocrinology.

  7. Collagenous gastritis.

    PubMed

    Jin, Xiaoyi; Koike, Tomoyuki; Chiba, Takashi; Kondo, Yutaka; Ara, Nobuyuki; Uno, Kaname; Asano, Naoki; Iijima, Katsunori; Imatani, Akira; Watanabe, Mika; Shirane, Akio; Shimosegawa, Tooru

    2013-09-01

    In the present paper, we report a case of rare collagenous gastritis. The patient was a 25-year-old man who had experienced nausea, abdominal distention and epigastralgia since 2005. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) carried out at initial examination by the patient's local doctor revealed an extensively discolored depression from the upper gastric body to the lower gastric body, mainly including the greater curvature, accompanied by residual mucosa with multiple islands and nodularity with a cobblestone appearance. Initial biopsies sampled from the nodules and accompanying atrophic mucosa were diagnosed as chronic gastritis. In August, 2011, the patient was referred to Tohoku University Hospital for observation and treatment. EGD at our hospital showed the same findings as those by the patient's local doctor. Pathological findings included a membranous collagen band in the superficial layer area of the gastric mucosa, which led to a diagnosis of collagenous gastritis. Collagenous gastritis is an extremely rare disease, but it is important to recognize its characteristic endoscopic findings to make a diagnosis. © 2012 The Authors. Digestive Endoscopy © 2012 Japan Gastroenterological Endoscopy Society.

  8. Formation of Highly Aligned Collagen Nanofibers by Continuous Cyclic Stretch of a Collagen Hydrogel Sheet.

    PubMed

    Nam, Eunryel; Lee, Won Chul; Takeuchi, Shoji

    2016-07-01

    A collagen sheet with highly aligned collagen fibers is fabricated by continuous cyclic stretch. The rearrangement of the collagen fibers depends on the different process parameters of the cyclic stretch, including magnitude, frequency, and period of stretch. The collagen fibers are aligned perpendicularly to the direction of the stretch. Corneal stromal cells and smooth muscle cells cultivated on the highly aligned collagen sheet show alignment along the collagen fibers without the stretch during culture. Thus, the sheet can be a suitable scaffold for use in regenerative medicine. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  9. Accelerated collagen turnover in women with angina pectoris without obstructive coronary artery disease: An iPOWER substudy.

    PubMed

    Nielsen, Signe H; Mygind, Naja D; Michelsen, Marie M; Bechsgaard, Daria F; Suhrs, Hannah E; Genovese, Federica; Nielsen, Henning B; Brix, Susanne; Karsdal, Morten; Prescott, Eva; Kastrup, Jens

    2018-05-01

    Aim Collagens are major cardiac extracellular matrix components, known to be actively remodelled and accumulated during diffuse myocardial fibrosis. We evaluated whether accelerated collagen turnover described by neo-epitope biomarkers reflecting collagen formation and degradation separates patients with diffuse myocardial fibrosis from asymptomatic controls. Methods and results Seventy-one women with angina pectoris without significant coronary artery disease assessed by invasive coronary angiogram were included. Competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) measuring circulating protein fragments in serum assessed the formation and degradation of collagen type III (Pro-C3, C3M and C3C), IV (P4NP7S and C4M), V (Pro-C5 and C5M) and VI (Pro-C6 and C6M), and degradation of collagen type I (C1M). Serum samples from 32 age-matched asymptomatic women were included as controls. Symptomatic women presented significantly elevated levels of Pro-C6, C3C, C3M, C4M and C8-C ( p < 0.0001-0.0058) and significantly decreased levels of Pro-C3, C5M and C6M ( p < 0.0001-0.041), reflecting accelerated collagen turnover and an imbalanced collagen formation and degradation compared to controls. Cardiac magnetic resonance T1 mapping was performed to determine extracellular volume fraction and thus diffuse myocardial fibrosis. A significant association was identified between C5M and extracellular volume fraction by cardiac magnetic resonance ( p = 0.01). Conclusion Women with angina pectoris, but without significant obstructive coronary artery disease, showed an imbalanced collagen turnover compared to asymptomatic controls. The examined biomarkers are tools to monitor active collagen remodelling in patients with angina pectoris, in risk of developing myocardial fibrosis.

  10. Collagen: Biochemistry, biomechanics, biotechnology

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Nimni, M.E.

    1988-01-01

    This book is an up-to-date reference for new ideas, information, and concepts in collagen research. The first volume emphasizes the relationship between the molecular structure and function of collagen, including descriptions of collagen types which exist in tissues as well as how these molecules organize into fibrils and the nature of the chemical crosslinks which stabilize them. In Volume II the biomechanical behavior of various specialized tissues, abnormal accumulation of collagen in the form of scars of fibrous infiltration are examined/and wound healing, tissue regulation and repair are covered in detail. Volume III explores the increasing application of collagen technologymore » to the field of bioprosthesis, including the production of heart valve bioprosthesis, blood vessels, ligament substitutes, and bone substitutes.« less

  11. Haemorrhoids - a collagen disease?

    PubMed

    Willis, S; Junge, K; Ebrahimi, R; Prescher, A; Schumpelick, V

    2010-12-01

    The cause of haemorrhoidal disease is unknown, epidemiological data and histopathological findings support the hypothesis that reduced connective tissue stability is associated with the incidence of haemorrhoids. Therefore the aim of this study was to analyse the quantity and quality of collagen formation in the corpus cavernosum recti in patients with III°/IV° haemorrhoids in comparison with persons without haemorrhoids. Haemorrhoidectomy specimens of 31 patients with III°/IV° haemorrhoids were examined. The specimens of 20 persons who died a natural death and who had no haemorrhoidal disease served as the controls. The amount of collagen was estimated photometrically by calculating the collagen/protein ratio. The collagen I/III ratio served as parameter for the quality of collagen formation and was calculated using cross polarization spectroscopy. Patients with haemorrhoids had a significantly reduced collagen/protein ratio (42.2 ± 16.2μg/mg vs 72.5±31.0μg/mg; P= 0.02) and a significantly reduced collagen I/III ratio (2.0±0.1 vs 4.6±0.3; P<0.001) compared with persons without haemorrhoidal disease. There was no correlation with patients' age or gender.  There is a fundamental disorder of collagen metabolism in patients with haemorrhoidal disease. It remains unclear whether this is due to exogenous or endogenous influences. © 2010 The Authors. Colorectal Disease © 2010 The Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland.

  12. Collagen vascular disease

    MedlinePlus

    ... this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/article/001223.htm Collagen vascular disease To use the sharing features on ... were previously said to have "connective tissue" or "collagen vascular" disease. We now have names for many ...

  13. Collagens--structure, function, and biosynthesis.

    PubMed

    Gelse, K; Pöschl, E; Aigner, T

    2003-11-28

    The extracellular matrix represents a complex alloy of variable members of diverse protein families defining structural integrity and various physiological functions. The most abundant family is the collagens with more than 20 different collagen types identified so far. Collagens are centrally involved in the formation of fibrillar and microfibrillar networks of the extracellular matrix, basement membranes as well as other structures of the extracellular matrix. This review focuses on the distribution and function of various collagen types in different tissues. It introduces their basic structural subunits and points out major steps in the biosynthesis and supramolecular processing of fibrillar collagens as prototypical members of this protein family. A final outlook indicates the importance of different collagen types not only for the understanding of collagen-related diseases, but also as a basis for the therapeutical use of members of this protein family discussed in other chapters of this issue.

  14. Rheology of heterotypic collagen networks.

    PubMed

    Piechocka, Izabela K; van Oosten, Anne S G; Breuls, Roel G M; Koenderink, Gijsje H

    2011-07-11

    Collagen fibrils are the main structural element of connective tissues. In many tissues, these fibrils contain two fibrillar collagens (types I and V) in a ratio that changes during tissue development, regeneration, and various diseases. Here we investigate the influence of collagen composition on the structure and rheology of networks of purified collagen I and V, combining fluorescence and atomic force microscopy, turbidimetry, and rheometry. We demonstrate that the network stiffness strongly decreases with increasing collagen V content, even though the network structure does not substantially change. We compare the rheological data with theoretical models for rigid polymers and find that the elasticity is dominated by nonaffine deformations. There is no analytical theory describing this regime, hampering a quantitative interpretation of the influence of collagen V. Our findings are relevant for understanding molecular origins of tissue biomechanics and for guiding rational design of collagenous biomaterials for biomedical applications.

  15. Harnessing the Versatility of Bacterial Collagen to Improve the Chondrogenic Potential of Porous Collagen Scaffolds

    PubMed Central

    Parmar, Paresh A.; St-Pierre, Jean-Philippe; Chow, Lesley W.; Puetzer, Jennifer L.; Stoichevska, Violet; Peng, Yong Y.; Werkmeister, Jerome A.; Ramshaw, John A. M.; Stevens, Molly M.

    2017-01-01

    Collagen I foams are used in the clinic as scaffolds to promote articular cartilage repair as they provide a bioactive environment for cells with chondrogenic potential. However, collagen I as a base material does not allow for precise control over bioactivity. Alternatively, recombinant bacterial collagens can be used as “blank slate” collagen molecules to offer a versatile platform for incorporation of selected bioactive sequences and fabrication into 3D scaffolds. Here, we show the potential of Streptococcal collagen-like 2 (Scl2) protein foams modified with peptides designed to specifically and noncovalently bind hyaluronic acid and chondroitin sulfate to improve chondrogenesis of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) compared to collagen I foams. Specific compositions of functionalized Scl2 foams lead to improved chondrogenesis compared to both nonfunctionalized Scl2 and collagen I foams, as indicated by gene expression, extracellular matrix accumulation, and compression moduli. hMSCs cultured in functionalized Scl2 foams exhibit decreased collagens I and X gene and protein expression, suggesting an advantage over collagen I foams in promoting a chondrocytic phenotype. These highly modular foams can be further modified to improve specific aspects chondrogenesis. As such, these scaffolds also have the potential to be tailored for other regenerative medicine applications. PMID:27219220

  16. Molecular level detection and localization of mechanical damage in collagen enabled by collagen hybridizing peptides.

    PubMed

    Zitnay, Jared L; Li, Yang; Qin, Zhao; San, Boi Hoa; Depalle, Baptiste; Reese, Shawn P; Buehler, Markus J; Yu, S Michael; Weiss, Jeffrey A

    2017-03-22

    Mechanical injury to connective tissue causes changes in collagen structure and material behaviour, but the role and mechanisms of molecular damage have not been established. In the case of mechanical subfailure damage, no apparent macroscale damage can be detected, yet this damage initiates and potentiates in pathological processes. Here, we utilize collagen hybridizing peptide (CHP), which binds unfolded collagen by triple helix formation, to detect molecular level subfailure damage to collagen in mechanically stretched rat tail tendon fascicle. Our results directly reveal that collagen triple helix unfolding occurs during tensile loading of collagenous tissues and thus is an important damage mechanism. Steered molecular dynamics simulations suggest that a likely mechanism for triple helix unfolding is intermolecular shearing of collagen α-chains. Our results elucidate a probable molecular failure mechanism associated with subfailure injuries, and demonstrate the potential of CHP targeting for diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of tissue disease and injury.

  17. Effects of immobilization and whole-body vibration on rat serum Type I collagen turnover.

    PubMed

    Dönmez, Gürhan; Doral, Mahmut Nedim; Suljevic, Şenay; Sargon, Mustafa Fevzi; Bilgili, Hasan; Demirel, Haydar Ali

    2016-08-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of short-term, high-magnitude whole-body vibration (WBV) on serum type I collagen turnover in immobilized rats. Thirty Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into the following 5 groups: immobilization (IS), immobilization + remobilization (IR), immobilization + WBV (IV), control (C), and WBV control (CV). Immobilization was achieved by casting from the crista iliaca anterior superior to the lower part of the foot for 2 weeks. The applied WBV protocol involved a frequency of 45 Hz and amplitude of 3 mm for 7 days starting a day after the end of the immobilization period. Serum type I collagen turnover markers were measured by using ELISA kits. Serum NH2-terminal propeptide of type I collagen (PINP) levels were significantly lower in the immobilization groups (p < 0.02) compared with the control groups. Although WBV improved PINP levels in the control groups, there were no differences in PINP levels among the immobilization groups. Similarly, serum COOH-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX) levels were higher in the WBV controls than their own controls (p < 0,05). Immobilization led to deterioration of tendon tissue, as observed by histopathological analysis with a transmission electron microscope. Although 1 week of WBV had a positive effect on type I collagen turnover in controls, it is not an efficient method for repairing tissue damage in the early stage following immobilization. Copyright © 2016 Turkish Association of Orthopaedics and Traumatology. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Jararhagin disruption of endothelial cell anchorage is enhanced in collagen enriched matrices.

    PubMed

    Baldo, C; Lopes, D S; Faquim-Mauro, E L; Jacysyn, J F; Niland, S; Eble, J A; Clissa, P B; Moura-da-Silva, A M

    2015-12-15

    Hemorrhage is one of the most striking effects of bites by viper snakes resulting in fast bleeding and ischemia in affected tissues. Snake venom metalloproteinases (SVMPs) are responsible for hemorrhagic activity, but the mechanisms involved in SVMP-induced hemorrhage are not entirely understood and the study of such mechanisms greatly depends on in vivo experiments. In vivo, hemorrhagic SVMPs accumulate on basement membrane (BM) of venules and capillary vessels allowing the hydrolysis of collagen IV with consequent weakness and rupture of capillary walls. These effects are not reproducible in vitro with conventional endothelial cell cultures. In this study we used two-dimension (2D) or three-dimension (3D) cultures of HUVECs on matrigel and observed the same characteristics as in ex vivo experiments: only the hemorrhagic toxin was able to localize on surfaces or internalize endothelial cells in 2D cultures or in the surface of tubules formed on 3D cultures. The contribution of matrigel, fibronectin and collagen matrices in jararhagin-induced endothelial cell damage was then analyzed. Collagen and matrigel substrates enhanced the endothelial cell damage induced by jararhagin allowing toxin binding to focal adhesions, disruption of stress fibers, detachment and apoptosis. The higher affinity of jararhagin to collagen than to fibronectin explains the localization of the toxin within BM. Moreover, once located in BM, interactions of jararhagin with α2β1 integrin would favor its localization on focal adhesions, as observed in our study. The accumulation of toxin in focal adhesions, observed only in cells grown in collagen matrices, would explain the enhancement of cell damage in these matrices and reflects the actual interaction among toxin, endothelial cells and BM components that occurs in vivo and results in the hemorrhagic lesions induced by viper venoms. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Enhanced stabilization of collagen by furfural.

    PubMed

    Lakra, Rachita; Kiran, Manikantan Syamala; Usha, Ramamoorthy; Mohan, Ranganathan; Sundaresan, Raja; Korrapati, Purna Sai

    2014-04-01

    Furfural (2-furancarboxaldehyde), a product derived from plant pentosans, has been investigated for its interaction with collagen. Introduction of furfural during fibril formation enhanced the thermal and mechanical stability of collagen. Collagen films treated with furfural exhibited higher denaturation temperature (Td) (p<0.04) and showed a 3-fold increase in Young's modulus (p<0.04) at higher concentration. Furfural and furfural treated collagen films did not have any cytotoxic effect. Rheological characterization showed an increase in shear stress and shear viscosity with increasing shear rate for treated collagen. Circular dichroism (CD) studies indicated that the furfural did not have any impact on triple helical structure of collagen. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of furfural treated collagen exhibited small sized porous structure in comparison with untreated collagen. Thus this study provides an alternate ecologically safe crosslinking agent for improving the stability of collagen for biomedical and industrial applications. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Imaging denatured collagen strands in vivo and ex vivo via photo-triggered hybridization of caged collagen mimetic peptides.

    PubMed

    Li, Yang; Foss, Catherine A; Pomper, Martin G; Yu, S Michael

    2014-01-31

    Collagen is a major structural component of the extracellular matrix that supports tissue formation and maintenance. Although collagen remodeling is an integral part of normal tissue renewal, excessive amount of remodeling activity is involved in tumors, arthritis, and many other pathological conditions. During collagen remodeling, the triple helical structure of collagen molecules is disrupted by proteases in the extracellular environment. In addition, collagens present in many histological tissue samples are partially denatured by the fixation and preservation processes. Therefore, these denatured collagen strands can serve as effective targets for biological imaging. We previously developed a caged collagen mimetic peptide (CMP) that can be photo-triggered to hybridize with denatured collagen strands by forming triple helical structure, which is unique to collagens. The overall goals of this procedure are i) to image denatured collagen strands resulting from normal remodeling activities in vivo, and ii) to visualize collagens in ex vivo tissue sections using the photo-triggered caged CMPs. To achieve effective hybridization and successful in vivo and ex vivo imaging, fluorescently labeled caged CMPs are either photo-activated immediately before intravenous injection, or are directly activated on tissue sections. Normal skeletal collagen remolding in nude mice and collagens in prefixed mouse cornea tissue sections are imaged in this procedure. The imaging method based on the CMP-collagen hybridization technology presented here could lead to deeper understanding of the tissue remodeling process, as well as allow development of new diagnostics for diseases associated with high collagen remodeling activity.

  1. Clinical Usage of an Extracellular, Collagen-rich Matrix: A Case Series.

    PubMed

    AbouIssa, Abdelfatah; Mari, Walid; Simman, Richard

    2015-11-01

    OASIS Ultra (Smith and Nephew, St. Petersburg, FL) is an extracellular, collagen-rich matrix derived from submucosa of porcine intestine. It is composed of collagen type I, glycosaminoglycan, and proteoglycans. This extracellular matrix (ECM) differs from the single layer in thickness and offers ease of handling and application. It also stimulates cell migration and structural support, provides moisture environment, decreases inflammation, and induces cell proliferation and cellular attachments. In this case series, the authors present their experience with this product in various clinical scenarios. The authors used the product in a variety of wounds with different etiologies to test the clinical outcome of the ECM. This was an observational case series with prospective review of 6 different patients with different types of wounds who received treatment with the ECM during their treatment. The product was applied on the following types of wounds: chronic venous ulcer, nonhealing Achilles tendon vasculitic wound, Marjolin's ulcer, posttraumatic wound, stage IV sacral-coccygeal pressure wound, and complicated transmetatarsal amputation of gangrenous left forefoot diabetic wound. All of these wounds healed within the expected time periods and without complications. In general, healing was achieved in 4-16 weeks using 1-12 applications of the ECM. Wounds with different etiologies were successfully treated with an extracellular, collagen-rich matrix. By replacing the lost ECM to guide cellular growth and migration, this product did ultimately hasten the healing process.

  2. Nonlinear optical response of the collagen triple helix and second harmonic microscopy of collagen liquid crystals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Deniset-Besseau, A.; De Sa Peixoto, P.; Duboisset, J.; Loison, C.; Hache, F.; Benichou, E.; Brevet, P.-F.; Mosser, G.; Schanne-Klein, M.-C.

    2010-02-01

    Collagen is characterized by triple helical domains and plays a central role in the formation of fibrillar and microfibrillar networks, basement membranes, as well as other structures of the connective tissue. Remarkably, fibrillar collagen exhibits efficient Second Harmonic Generation (SHG) and SHG microscopy proved to be a sensitive tool to score fibrotic pathologies. However, the nonlinear optical response of fibrillar collagen is not fully characterized yet and quantitative data are required to further process SHG images. We therefore performed Hyper-Rayleigh Scattering (HRS) experiments and measured a second order hyperpolarisability of 1.25 10-27 esu for rat-tail type I collagen. This value is surprisingly large considering that collagen presents no strong harmonophore in its amino-acid sequence. In order to get insight into the physical origin of this nonlinear process, we performed HRS measurements after denaturation of the collagen triple helix and for a collagen-like short model peptide [(Pro-Pro-Gly)10]3. It showed that the collagen large nonlinear response originates in the tight alignment of a large number of weakly efficient harmonophores, presumably the peptide bonds, resulting in a coherent amplification of the nonlinear signal along the triple helix. To illustrate this mechanism, we successfully recorded SHG images in collagen liquid solutions by achieving liquid crystalline ordering of the collagen triple helices.

  3. Type XVII collagen (BP180) can function as a cell-matrix adhesion molecule via binding to laminin 332

    PubMed Central

    Van den Bergh, F.; Eliason, S.L.; Giudice, G.J.

    2010-01-01

    Collagen XVII (COL17) is a transmembrane glycoprotein that is expressed on the basal surface of basal epidermal keratinocytes. Previous observations have led to the hypothesis that an interaction between COL17 and laminin 332, an extracellular matrix protein, contributes to the attachment of the basal keratinocyte to the basement membrane. In order to isolate and manipulate COL17 interactions with ECM components, we induced COL17 expression in two cells lines, SK-MEL1 and K562, that exhibit little or no capacity to attach to our test substrates, including laminin 332, types I and IV collagen, and fibronectin. Cells expressing high levels of COL17 preferentially adhered to a laminin 332 matrix, and, to a lesser extent, type IV collagen, while showing little or no binding to type I collagen or fibronectin. A quantitative analysis of cell adhesive forces revealed that, compared with COL17-negative cells, COL17-positive cells required over 7-fold greater force to achieve 50% detachment from a laminin 332 substrate. When a cell preparation (either K562 or SK-MEL1) with heterogeneous COL17 expression levels was allowed to attach to a laminin 332 matrix, the COL17-positive and COL17-negative cells differentially sorted to the bound and unbound cell fractions, respectively. COL17-dependent attachment to laminin 332 could be reduced or abolished by siRNA-mediated knockdown of COL17 expression or by adding to the assay wells specific antibodies against COL17 or laminin 332. These findings provide strong support for the hypothesis that cell surface COL17 can interact with laminin 332 and, together, participate in the adherence of a cell to the extracellular matrix. PMID:21034821

  4. Live Imaging of Type I Collagen Assembly Dynamics in Osteoblasts Stably Expressing GFP and mCherry-Tagged Collagen Constructs.

    PubMed

    Lu, Yongbo; Kamel-El Sayed, Suzan A; Wang, Kun; Tiede-Lewis, LeAnn M; Grillo, Michael A; Veno, Patricia A; Dusevich, Vladimir; Phillips, Charlotte L; Bonewald, Lynda F; Dallas, Sarah L

    2018-06-01

    Type I collagen is the most abundant extracellular matrix protein in bone and other connective tissues and plays key roles in normal and pathological bone formation as well as in connective tissue disorders and fibrosis. Although much is known about the collagen biosynthetic pathway and its regulatory steps, the mechanisms by which it is assembled extracellularly are less clear. We have generated GFPtpz and mCherry-tagged collagen fusion constructs for live imaging of type I collagen assembly by replacing the α2(I)-procollagen N-terminal propeptide with GFPtpz or mCherry. These novel imaging probes were stably transfected into MLO-A5 osteoblast-like cells and fibronectin-null mouse embryonic fibroblasts (FN-null-MEFs) and used for imaging type I collagen assembly dynamics and its dependence on fibronectin. Both fusion proteins co-precipitated with α1(I)-collagen and remained intracellular without ascorbate but were assembled into α1(I) collagen-containing extracellular fibrils in the presence of ascorbate. Immunogold-EM confirmed their ultrastuctural localization in banded collagen fibrils. Live cell imaging in stably transfected MLO-A5 cells revealed the highly dynamic nature of collagen assembly and showed that during assembly the fibril networks are continually stretched and contracted due to the underlying cell motion. We also observed that cell-generated forces can physically reshape the collagen fibrils. Using co-cultures of mCherry- and GFPtpz-collagen expressing cells, we show that multiple cells contribute collagen to form collagen fiber bundles. Immuno-EM further showed that individual collagen fibrils can receive contributions of collagen from more than one cell. Live cell imaging in FN-null-MEFs expressing GFPtpz-collagen showed that collagen assembly was both dependent upon and dynamically integrated with fibronectin assembly. These GFP-collagen fusion constructs provide a powerful tool for imaging collagen in living cells and have revealed novel

  5. Molecular crowding of collagen: a pathway to produce highly-organized collagenous structures.

    PubMed

    Saeidi, Nima; Karmelek, Kathryn P; Paten, Jeffrey A; Zareian, Ramin; DiMasi, Elaine; Ruberti, Jeffrey W

    2012-10-01

    Collagen in vertebrate animals is often arranged in alternating lamellae or in bundles of aligned fibrils which are designed to withstand in vivo mechanical loads. The formation of these organized structures is thought to result from a complex, large-area integration of individual cell motion and locally-controlled synthesis of fibrillar arrays via cell-surface fibripositors (direct matrix printing). The difficulty of reproducing such a process in vitro has prevented tissue engineers from constructing clinically useful load-bearing connective tissue directly from collagen. However, we and others have taken the view that long-range organizational information is potentially encoded into the structure of the collagen molecule itself, allowing the control of fibril organization to extend far from cell (or bounding) surfaces. We here demonstrate a simple, fast, cell-free method capable of producing highly-organized, anistropic collagen fibrillar lamellae de novo which persist over relatively long-distances (tens to hundreds of microns). Our approach to nanoscale organizational control takes advantage of the intrinsic physiochemical properties of collagen molecules by inducing collagen association through molecular crowding and geometric confinement. To mimic biological tissues which comprise planar, aligned collagen lamellae (e.g. cornea, lamellar bone or annulus fibrosus), type I collagen was confined to a thin, planar geometry, concentrated through molecular crowding and polymerized. The resulting fibrillar lamellae show a striking resemblance to native load-bearing lamellae in that the fibrils are small, generally aligned in the plane of the confining space and change direction en masse throughout the thickness of the construct. The process of organizational control is consistent with embryonic development where the bounded planar cell sheets produced by fibroblasts suggest a similar confinement/concentration strategy. Such a simple approach to nanoscale

  6. Characterisations of collagen-silver-hydroxyapatite nanocomposites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ciobanu, C. S.; Popa, C. L.; Petre, C. C.; Jiga, G.; Trusca, R.; Predoi, D.

    2016-05-01

    The XRD analysis were performed to confirm the formation of hydroxyapatite structure in collagen-silver-hydroxyapatite nanocomposites. The molecular interaction in collagen-hydroxyapatite nanocomposites was highlighted by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. The SEM showed a nanostructure of collagen-silverhydroxyapatite nanocomposites composed of nano needle-like particles in a veil with collagen texture. The presence of vibrational groups characteristics to the hydroxyapatite structure in collagen-silver-hydroxyapatite (AgHApColl) nanocomposites was investigated by FTIR.

  7. Collagen extraction from mussel byssus: a new marine collagen source with physicochemical properties of industrial interest.

    PubMed

    Rodríguez, F; Morán, L; González, G; Troncoso, E; Zúñiga, R N

    2017-04-01

    Mussel byssus is a by-product of mussel production and is a potential source of collagen. The goal of this study was to extract collagen from the byssus of Chilean mussel using an enzymatic method and characterize it. A pepsin-aided extraction method was employed where first an enzymatic hydrolysis at two pepsin/substrate ratios (1:50 or 4:50) and times (4 or 24 h) was done. Extraction was conducted at 80 °C for 24 h, in a 0.5 N acetic acid solution. All samples were analyzed for collagen content, amino acid profile, turbidity, viscosity, solubility, denaturation temperature and surface tension. Hydrolysis time had significant effect on collagen content, hydroxyproline content and extraction yield. Hydrolysis with a pepsin/byssus ratio of 4:50 for 24 h gave the better extraction performance with values of 69 mg/g protein, 1.8 mg/g protein and 30%, for collagen content, hydroxyproline content and extraction yield, respectively. No differences were found for the viscosity and surface tension of collagen dispersions, suggesting that the enzymatic hydrolysis did not affect the integrity of the collagen molecule. Denaturation temperature of freeze-dried byssus collagen presented a high value (83-91 °C), making this kind of collagen a very interesting material for encapsulation of bioactive molecules and for biomedical applications.

  8. In vitro formation and thermal transition of novel hybrid fibrils from type I fish scale collagen and type I porcine collagen

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Song; Ikoma, Toshiyuki; Ogawa, Nobuhiro; Migita, Satoshi; Kobayashi, Hisatoshi; Hanagata, Nobutaka

    2010-06-01

    Novel type I collagen hybrid fibrils were fabricated by neutralizing a mixture of type I fish scale collagen solution and type I porcine collagen solution with a phosphate buffer saline at 28 °C. Their structure was discussed in terms of the volume ratio of fish/porcine collagen solution. Scanning electron and atomic force micrographs showed that the diameter of collagen fibrils derived from the collagen mixture was larger than those derived from each collagen, and all resultant fibrils exhibited a typical D-periodic unit of ~67 nm, irrespective of volume ratio of both collagens. Differential scanning calorimetry revealed only one endothermic peak for the fibrils derived from collagen mixture or from each collagen solution, indicating that the resultant collagen fibrils were hybrids of type I fish scale collagen and type I porcine collagen.

  9. Stromal matrix metalloproteinase 2 regulates collagen expression and promotes the outgrowth of experimental metastases.

    PubMed

    Bates, Andreia L; Pickup, Michael W; Hallett, Miranda A; Dozier, E Ashley; Thomas, Stacy; Fingleton, Barbara

    2015-04-01

    Breast cancer survival rates decrease from 99% for patients with local disease to 25% for those with distant metastases. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), including MMP2, are associated with metastatic progression. We found that loss of host MMP2 reduces the proliferation of experimental metastases in the lungs and identified fibroblasts in tumour-bearing lungs as the major source of MMP2. In vitro, spheroidal mammary tumour growth was increased by co-culture with control fibroblasts isolated from tumour-bearing lungs, but not when fibroblasts with stable Mmp2 knockdown were used. This result prompted us to assess whether MMP2 was responsible for a tumour-proliferative, activated fibroblast phenotype. To test this, we evaluated: (a) fibroblasts from wild-type tumour-bearing lungs, with or without shRNA-mediated MMP2 knockdown; and (b) normal, quiescent fibroblasts isolated from either WT or Mmp2(-/-) mice. Quantitative PCR revealed that Mmp2 knockdown attenuated expression of two markers of activation (α-smooth muscle actin and vimentin), but there was minimal expression in quiescent WT or Mmp2(-/-) fibroblasts, as expected. Placing quiescent fibroblasts under activating conditions led to increases in activation-associated transcripts in WT but not Mmp2(-/-) fibroblasts. Additionally, Mmp2 knockdown fibroblasts showed significantly decreased expression of the matrix transcripts collagen I, collagen IV and fibronectin. Addition of active TGFβ was sufficient to rescue the MMP2-dependent collagen I and IV expression, while MMP2-induced collagen expression was blocked by the addition of TGFβ1-neutralizing antibody. Gene expression data in stromal cells of human breast cancers reveal that MMP2 expression is also positively correlated with activation and matrix transcripts. Thus, we present a model whereby MMP2 production in tumour fibroblasts is important for TGFβ1 activity and subsequent activation of fibroblasts to a matrix-producing, proliferation

  10. Distinct characteristics of mandibular bone collagen relative to long bone collagen: relevance to clinical dentistry.

    PubMed

    Matsuura, Takashi; Tokutomi, Kentaro; Sasaki, Michiko; Katafuchi, Michitsuna; Mizumachi, Emiri; Sato, Hironobu

    2014-01-01

    Bone undergoes constant remodeling throughout life. The cellular and biochemical mechanisms of bone remodeling vary in a region-specific manner. There are a number of notable differences between the mandible and long bones, including developmental origin, osteogenic potential of mesenchymal stem cells, and the rate of bone turnover. Collagen, the most abundant matrix protein in bone, is responsible for determining the relative strength of particular bones. Posttranslational modifications of collagen, such as intermolecular crosslinking and lysine hydroxylation, are the most essential determinants of bone strength, although the amount of collagen is also important. In comparison to long bones, the mandible has greater collagen content, a lower amount of mature crosslinks, and a lower extent of lysine hydroxylation. The great abundance of immature crosslinks in mandibular collagen suggests that there is a lower rate of cross-link maturation. This means that mandibular collagen is relatively immature and thus more readily undergoes degradation and turnover. The greater rate of remodeling in mandibular collagen likely renders more flexibility to the bone and leaves it more suited to constant exercise. As reviewed here, it is important in clinical dentistry to understand the distinctive features of the bones of the jaw.

  11. Distinct Characteristics of Mandibular Bone Collagen Relative to Long Bone Collagen: Relevance to Clinical Dentistry

    PubMed Central

    Tokutomi, Kentaro; Sasaki, Michiko; Katafuchi, Michitsuna; Mizumachi, Emiri; Sato, Hironobu

    2014-01-01

    Bone undergoes constant remodeling throughout life. The cellular and biochemical mechanisms of bone remodeling vary in a region-specific manner. There are a number of notable differences between the mandible and long bones, including developmental origin, osteogenic potential of mesenchymal stem cells, and the rate of bone turnover. Collagen, the most abundant matrix protein in bone, is responsible for determining the relative strength of particular bones. Posttranslational modifications of collagen, such as intermolecular crosslinking and lysine hydroxylation, are the most essential determinants of bone strength, although the amount of collagen is also important. In comparison to long bones, the mandible has greater collagen content, a lower amount of mature crosslinks, and a lower extent of lysine hydroxylation. The great abundance of immature crosslinks in mandibular collagen suggests that there is a lower rate of cross-link maturation. This means that mandibular collagen is relatively immature and thus more readily undergoes degradation and turnover. The greater rate of remodeling in mandibular collagen likely renders more flexibility to the bone and leaves it more suited to constant exercise. As reviewed here, it is important in clinical dentistry to understand the distinctive features of the bones of the jaw. PMID:24818151

  12. Collagen-Based Biomaterials for Wound Healing

    PubMed Central

    Chattopadhyay, Sayani; Raines, Ronald T.

    2014-01-01

    With its wide distribution in soft and hard connective tissues, collagen is the most abundant of animal proteins. In vitro, natural collagen can be formed into highly organized, three-dimensional scaffolds that are intrinsically biocompatible, biodegradable, non-toxic upon exogenous application, and endowed with high tensile strength. These attributes make collagen the material of choice for wound healing and tissue engineering applications. In this article, we review the structure and molecular interactions of collagen in vivo; the recent use of natural collagen in sponges, injectables, films and membranes, dressings, and skin grafts; and the on-going development of synthetic collagen mimetic peptides as pylons to anchor cytoactive agents in wound beds. PMID:24633807

  13. Tooth agenesis in osteogenesis imperfecta related to mutations in the collagen type I genes.

    PubMed

    Malmgren, B; Andersson, K; Lindahl, K; Kindmark, A; Grigelioniene, G; Zachariadis, V; Dahllöf, G; Åström, E

    2017-01-01

    Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a heterogeneous group of disorders of connective tissue, mainly caused by mutations in the collagen type I genes (COL1A1 and COL1A2). Tooth agenesis is a common feature of OI. We investigated the association between tooth agenesis and collagen type I mutations in individuals with OI. In this cohort study, 128 unrelated individuals with OI were included. Panoramic radiographs were analyzed regarding dentinogenesis imperfecta (DGI) and congenitally missing teeth. The collagen I genes were sequenced in all individuals, and in 25, multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification was performed. Mutations in the COL1A1 and COL1A2 genes were found in 104 of 128 individuals. Tooth agenesis was diagnosed in 17% (hypodontia 11%, oligodontia 6%) and was more frequent in those with DGI (P = 0.016), and in those with OI type III, 47%, compared to those with OI types I, 12% (P = 0.003), and IV, 13% (P = 0.017). Seventy-five percent of the individuals with oligodontia (≥6 missing teeth) had qualitative mutations, but there was no association with OI type, gender, or presence of DGI. The prevalence of tooth agenesis is high (17%) in individuals with OI, and OI caused by a qualitative collagen I mutation is associated with oligodontia. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  14. Collagen Type IV and Laminin Expressions during Cartilage Repair and in Late Clinically Failed Repair Tissues from Human Subjects

    PubMed Central

    Foldager, Casper Bindzus; Toh, Wei Seong; Christensen, Bjørn Borsøe; Lind, Martin; Gomoll, Andreas H.; Spector, Myron

    2016-01-01

    Objective To identify the collagen type IV (Col4) isoform in articular cartilage and to evaluate the expressions of Col4 and laminin in the pericellular matrix (PCM) in damaged cartilage and during cartilage repair. Design The Col4 isoform was determined in chondrocytes isolated from 6 patients cultured up to 6 days and in 21% O2 or 1% O2, and the gene expression of Col4 α-chains was investigated. The distribution of Col4 and laminin in traumatically damaged cartilage (n = 7) and clinically failed cartilage repair (microfracture, TruFit, autologous chondrocyte implantation; n = 11) were investigated using immunohistochemistry. Normal human cartilage was used as control (n = 8). The distribution during clinical cartilage repair procedures was investigated in a minipig model with 6-month follow-up (untreated chondral, untreated osteochondral, microfracture, autologous chondrocyte implantation; n = 10). Results The Col4 isoform in articular cartilage was characterized as α1α1α2, which is an isoform containing antiangiogenic domains in the NC1-terminals (arresten and canstatin). In normal cartilage, laminin and Col4 was exclusively found in the PCM. High amounts (>50%) of Col4 in the PCM significantly decreased in damaged cartilage (P = 0.004) and clinically failed repair tissue (P < 0.001). Laminin was only found with high expression (>50%) in 4/8 of the normal samples, which was not statistically significantly different from damaged cartilage (P = 0.15) or failed cartilage repair (P = 0.054). Conclusions Col4 in cartilage contain antiangiogenic domains and may play a role in the hypoxic environment in articular cartilage. Col4 and laminin was not found in the PCM of damaged and clinically failed repair. PMID:26958317

  15. Disorganized care: the findings of an iterative, in-depth analysis of surgical morbidity and mortality.

    PubMed

    Anderson, Cheryl I; Nelson, Catherine S; Graham, Corey F; Mosher, Benjamin D; Gohil, Kartik N; Morrison, Chet A; Schneider, Paul D; Kepros, John P

    2012-09-01

    Performance improvement driven by the review of surgical morbidity and mortality is often limited to critiques of individual cases with a focus on individual errors. Little attention has been given to an analysis of why a decision seemed right at the time or to lower-level root causes. The application of scientific performance improvement has the potential to bring to light deeper levels of understanding of surgical decision-making, care processes, and physician psychology. A comprehensive retrospective chart review of previously discussed morbidity and mortality cases was performed with an attempt to identify areas where we could better understand or influence behavior or systems. We avoided focusing on traditional sources of human error such as lapses of vigilance or memory. An iterative process was used to refine the practical areas for possible intervention. Definitions were then created for the major categories and subcategories. Of a sample of 152 presented cases, the root cause for 96 (63%) patient-related events was identified as uni-factorial in origin, with 51 (34%) cases strictly related to patient disease with no other contributing causes. Fifty-six cases (37%) had multiple causes. The remaining 101 cases (66%) were categorized into two areas where the ability to influence outcomes appeared possible. Technical issues were found in 27 (18%) of these cases and 74 (74%) were related to disorganized care problems. Of the 74 cases identified with disorganized care, 42 (42%) were related to failures in critical thinking, 18 (18%) to undisciplined treatment strategies, 8 (8%) to structural failures, and 6 (6%) were related to failures in situational awareness. On a comprehensive review of cases presented at the morbidity and mortality conference, disorganized care played a large role in the cases presented and may have implications for future curriculum changes. The failure to think critically, to deliver disciplined treatment strategies, to recognize

  16. Comparison of thermal properties of fish collagen and bovine collagen in the temperature range 298-670K.

    PubMed

    Gauza-Włodarczyk, Marlena; Kubisz, Leszek; Mielcarek, Sławomir; Włodarczyk, Dariusz

    2017-11-01

    The increased interest in fish collagen is a consequence of the risk of exposure to Creutzfeld-Jacob disease (CJD) and the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), whose occurrence is associated with prions carried by bovine collagen. Collagen is the main biopolymer in living organisms and the main component of the skin and bones. Until the discovery of the BSE, bovine collagen had been widely used. The BSE epidemic increased the interest in new sources of collagen such as fish skin collagen (FSC) and its properties. Although the thermal properties of collagen originating from mammals have been well described, less attention has been paid to the thermal properties of FSC. Denaturation temperature is a particularly important parameter, depending on the collagen origin and hydration level. In the reported experiment, the free water and bound water release processes along with thermal denaturation process were studied by means of the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Measurements were carried out using a DSC 7 instrument (Elmer-Perkin), in the temperature range 298-670K. The study material was FSC derived by acidic hydration method. The bovine Achilles tendon (BAT) collagen type I was used as the control material. The thermograms recorded revealed both, exothermic and endothermic peaks. For both materials, the peaks in the temperature range of 330-360K were assigned to the release of free water and bound water. The denaturation temperatures of FSC and BAT collagen were determined as 420K and 493K, respectively. Thermal decomposition process was observed at about 500K for FSC and at about 510K for BAT collagen. These results show that FSC is less resistant to high temperature than BAT collagen. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Mechanical Behavior of Collagen-Fibrin Co-Gels Reflects Transition From Series to Parallel Interactions With Increasing Collagen Content

    PubMed Central

    Lai, Victor K.; Lake, Spencer P.; Frey, Christina R.; Tranquillo, Robert T.; Barocas, Victor H.

    2012-01-01

    Fibrin and collagen, biopolymers occurring naturally in the body, are biomaterials commonly-used as scaffolds for tissue engineering. How collagen and fibrin interact to confer macroscopic mechanical properties in collagen-fibrin composite systems remains poorly understood. In this study, we formulated collagen-fibrin co-gels at different collagen-tofibrin ratios to observe changes in the overall mechanical behavior and microstructure. A modeling framework of a two-network system was developed by modifying our micro-scale model, considering two forms of interaction between the networks: (a) two interpenetrating but noninteracting networks (“parallel”), and (b) a single network consisting of randomly alternating collagen and fibrin fibrils (“series”). Mechanical testing of our gels show that collagen-fibrin co-gels exhibit intermediate properties (UTS, strain at failure, tangent modulus) compared to those of pure collagen and fibrin. The comparison with model predictions show that the parallel and series model cases provide upper and lower bounds, respectively, for the experimental data, suggesting that a combination of such interactions exists between the collagen and fibrin in co-gels. A transition from the series model to the parallel model occurs with increasing collagen content, with the series model best describing predominantly fibrin co-gels, and the parallel model best describing predominantly collagen co-gels. PMID:22482659

  18. Bone sialoprotein-collagen interaction promotes hydroxyapatite nucleation.

    PubMed

    Baht, Gurpreet S; Hunter, Graeme K; Goldberg, Harvey A

    2008-09-01

    In bone, hydroxyapatite (HA) crystals are deposited onto the type I collagen scaffold by a mechanism that has yet to be elucidated. Bone sialoprotein (BSP) is an acidic phosphoprotein that is expressed at high levels in mineralized tissues, capable of binding type I collagen, and nucleating HA. Both bone-extracted and recombinant BSP (rBSP) bind with equal affinity to collagen. The nature of the BSP-collagen interaction and its role in HA nucleation are not known. We have used a solid-phase binding assay and affinity chromatography to characterize the BSP-collagen interaction. rBSP-binding affinities of triple-helical and fibrillar type I collagen were similar (K(D) approximately 13 nM), while that of heat-denatured type I collagen was lower (K(D) approximately 44 nM), indicating the importance of triple-helical structure in binding BSP. Pepsin treatment of collagen had no effect on rBSP binding, demonstrating that the telopeptides of collagen are not involved. The majority of collagen-bound rBSP was eluted by acetonitrile, indicating that hydrophobic interactions are principally responsible for binding. Using an HA-nucleation assay, it was shown that rBSP is ten-fold more potent in reconstituted fibrillar collagen gels than in agarose gels. Nucleating potency of a non-collagen-binding, HA-nucleating peptide [rBSP(134-206)] showed no difference in the two gel systems. The work here shows that optimal binding of rBSP requires collagen to be in a native, triple-helical structure, does not require the telopeptides, and is stabilized by hydrophobic interactions. Upon binding to collagen, rBSP displays an increase in nucleation potency, implying a co-operative effect of BSP and collagen in mineral formation.

  19. Nonlinear microscopy of collagen fibers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Strupler, M.; Pena, A.-M.; Hernest, M.; Tharaux, P.-L.; Fabre, A.; Marchal-Somme, J.; Crestani, B.; Débarre, D.; Martin, J.-L.; Beaurepaire, E.; Schanne-Klein, M.-C.

    2007-02-01

    We used intrinsic Second Harmonic Generation (SHG) by fibrillar collagen to visualize the three-dimensional architecture of collagen fibrosis at the micrometer scale using laser scanning nonlinear microscopy. We showed that SHG signals are highly specific to fibrillar collagen and provide a sensitive probe of the micrometer-scale structural organization of collagen in tissues. Moreover, recording simultaneously other nonlinear optical signals in a multimodal setup, we visualized the tissue morphology using Two-Photon Excited Fluorescence (2PEF) signals from endogenous chromophores such as NADH or elastin. We then compared different methods to determine accurate indexes of collagen fibrosis using nonlinear microscopy, given that most collagen fibrils are smaller than the microscope resolution and that second harmonic generation is a coherent process. In order to define a robust method to process our three-dimensional images, we either calculated the fraction of the images occupied by a significant SHG signal, or averaged SHG signal intensities. We showed that these scores provide an estimation of the extension of renal and pulmonary fibrosis in murine models, and that they clearly sort out the fibrotic mice.

  20. ISOCT study of collagen crosslinking of collagen in cancer models (Conference Presentation)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Spicer, Graham; Young, Scott T.; Yi, Ji; Shea, Lonnie D.; Backman, Vadim

    2016-03-01

    The role of extracellular matrix modification and signaling in cancer progression is an increasingly recognized avenue for the progression of the disease. Previous study of field effect carcinogenesis with Inverse Spectroscopic Optical Coherence Tomography (ISOCT) has revealed pronounced changes in the nanoscale-sensitive mass fractal dimension D measured from field effect tissue when compared to healthy tissue. However, the origin of this difference in tissue ultrastructure in field effect carcinogenesis has remained poorly understood. Here, we present findings supporting the idea that enzymatic crosslinking of the extracellular matrix is an effect that presents at the earliest stages of carcinogenesis. We use a model of collagen gel with crosslinking induced by lysyl oxidase (LOXL4) to recapitulate the difference in D previously reported from healthy and cancerous tissue biopsies. Furthermore, STORM imaging of this collagen gel model verifies the morphologic effects of enzymatic crosslinking at length scales as small as 40 nm, close to the previously reported lower length scale sensitivity threshold of 35 nm for ISOCT. Analysis of the autocorrelation function from STORM images of collagen gels and subsequent fitting to the Whittle-Matérn correlation function shows a similar effect of LOXL4 on D from collagen measured with ISOCT and STORM. We extend this to mass spectrometric study of tissue to directly measure concentrations of collagen crosslink residues. The validation of ISOCT as a viable tool for non-invasive rapid quantification of collagen ultrastructure lends it to study other physiological phenomena involving ECM restructuring such as atherosclerotic plaque screening or cervical ripening during pregnancy.

  1. Nanolayered Features of Collagen-like Peptides

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Valluzzi, Regina; Bini, Elisabetta; Haas, Terry; Cebe, Peggy; Kaplan, David L.

    2003-01-01

    We have been investigating collagen-like model oligopeptides as molecular bases for complex ordered biomimetic materials. The collagen-like molecules incorporate aspects of native collagen sequence and secondary structure. Designed modifications to native primary and secondary structure have been incorporated to control the nanostructure and microstructure of the collagen-like materials produced. We find that the collagen-like molecules form a number of lyotropic rod liquid crystalline phases, which because of their strong temperature dependence in the liquid state can also be viewed as solvent intercalated thermotropic liquid crystals. The liquid crystalline phases formed by the molecules can be captured in the solid state by drying off solvent, resulting in solid nanopatterned (chemically and physically) thermally stable (to greater than 100 C) materials. Designed sequences which stabilize smectic phases have allowed a variety of nanoscale multilayered biopolymeric materials to be developed. Preliminary investigations suggest that chemical patterns running perpendicular to the smectic layer plane can be functionalized and used to localize a variety of organic, inorganic, and organometallic moieties in very simple multilayered nanocomposites. The phase behavior of collagen-like oligopeptide materials is described, emphasizing the correlation between mesophase, molecular orientation, and chemical patterning at the microscale and nanoscale. In many cases, the textures observed for smectic and hexatic phase collagens are remarkably similar to the complex (and not fully understood) helicoids observed in biological collagen-based tissues. Comparisons between biological morphologies and collagen model liquid crystalline (and solidified materials) textures may help us understand the molecular features which impart order and function to the extracellular matrix and to collagen-based mineralized tissues. Initial studies have utilized synthetic collagen-like peptides while

  2. The Collagen Binding Protein Cnm Contributes to Oral Colonization and Cariogenicity of Streptococcus mutans OMZ175

    PubMed Central

    Miller, James H.; Avilés-Reyes, Alejandro; Scott-Anne, Kathy; Gregoire, Stacy; Watson, Gene E.; Sampson, Edith; Progulske-Fox, Ann; Koo, Hyun; Bowen, William H.; Lemos, José A.

    2015-01-01

    Streptococcus mutans is the etiological agent of dental caries and one of the many bacterial species implicated in infective endocarditis. The expression of the collagen-binding protein Cnm by S. mutans has been associated with extraoral infections, but its relevance for dental caries has only been theorized to date. Due to the collagenous composition of dentinal and root tissues, we hypothesized that Cnm may facilitate the colonization of these surfaces, thereby enhancing the pathogenic potential of S. mutans in advancing carious lesions. As shown for extraoral endothelial cell lines, Cnm mediates the invasion of oral keratinocytes and fibroblasts by S. mutans. In this study, we show that in the Cnm+ native strain, OMZ175, Cnm mediates stringent adhesion to dentinal and root tissues as well as collagen-coated surfaces and promotes both cariogenicity and carriage in vivo. In vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo experiments revealed that while Cnm is not universally required for S. mutans cariogenicity, it contributes to (i) the invasion of the oral epithelium, (ii) enhanced binding on collagenous surfaces, (iii) implantation of oral biofilms, and (IV) the severity of caries due to a native Cnm+ isolate. Taken together, our findings reveal that Cnm is a colonization factor that contributes to the pathogenicity of certain S. mutans strains in their native habitat, the oral cavity. PMID:25733523

  3. Crystal and Molecular Structure of a Collagen-Like Peptide at 1.9 overset{circ}{A} Resolution

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bella, Jordi; Eaton, Mark; Brodsky, Barbara; Berman, Helen M.

    1994-10-01

    The structure of a protein triple helix has been determined at 1.9 angstrom resolution by x-ray crystallographic studies of a collagen-like peptide containing a single substitution of the consensus sequence. This peptide adopts a triple-helical structure that confirms the basic features determined from fiber diffraction studies on collagen: supercoiling of polyproline II helices and interchain hydrogen bonding that follows the model II of Rich and Crick. In addition, the structure provides new information concerning the nature of this protein fold. Each triple helix is surrounded by a cylinder of hydration, with an extensive hydrogen bonding network between water molecules and peptide acceptor groups. Hydroxyproline residues have a critical role in this water network. The interaxial spacing of triple helices in the crystal is similar to that in collagen fibrils, and the water networks linking adjacent triple helices in the crystal structure are likely to be present in connective tissues. The breaking of the repeating (X-Y-Gly)_n pattern by a Gly-->Ala substitution results in a subtle alteration of the conformation, with a local untwisting of the triple helix. At the substitution site, direct interchain hydrogen bonds are replaced with interstitial water bridges between the peptide groups. Similar conformational changes may occur in Gly-->X mutated collagens responsible for the diseases osteogenesis imperfecta, chondrodysplasias, and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome IV.

  4. Genetic and orthopedic aspects of collagen disorders.

    PubMed

    Carter, Erin M; Raggio, Cathleen L

    2009-02-01

    'Collagens' are a family of structurally related proteins that play a wide variety of roles in the extracellular matrix. To date, there are at least 29 known types of collagen. Accordingly, abnormality in the various collagens produces a large category of diseases with heterogeneous symptoms. This review presents genetic and orthopedic aspects of type II, IX, and XI collagen disorders. Although a diverse group of conditions, mutation of collagens affecting the articular cartilage typically produces an epiphyseal skeletal dysplasia phenotype. Often, the ocular or auditory systems or both are also involved. Treatment of these collagenopathies is symptomatic and individualized. Study of tissue from animal models allows examination of mutation effects on the abnormal protein structure and function. The collagen superfamily comprises an important structural protein in mammalian connective tissue. Mutation of collagens produces a wide variety of genetic disorders, and those mutations affecting types II, IX, and XI collagens produce an overlapping spectrum of skeletal dysplasias. Findings range from lethal to mild, depending on the mutation of the collagen gene and its subsequent effect on the structure and/or metabolism of the resultant procollagen and/or collagen protein and its function in the body.

  5. Imaging Prostate Cancer Microenvironment by Collagen Hybridization

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-10-01

    affinity to denatured collagens and collagens undergoing remodeling which simulate the microenvironment of metastatic tumors. We will focus on previously...specifically target digested collagens with unfolded and partially denatured collagen triple helices. 2. Demonstration of ex vivo and in vivo targeting...invasive prostate cancer due to the absence of non-specific affinity and high propensity to hybridize with denatured collagen strand (Aim 1). We

  6. A Laminin G-EGF-Laminin G module in Neurexin IV is essential for the apico-lateral localization of Contactin and organization of septate junctions.

    PubMed

    Banerjee, Swati; Paik, Raehum; Mino, Rosa E; Blauth, Kevin; Fisher, Elizabeth S; Madden, Victoria J; Fanning, Alan S; Bhat, Manzoor A

    2011-01-01

    Septate junctions (SJs) display a unique ultrastructural morphology with ladder-like electron densities that are conserved through evolution. Genetic and molecular analyses have identified a highly conserved core complex of SJ proteins consisting of three cell adhesion molecules Neurexin IV, Contactin, and Neuroglian, which interact with the cytoskeletal FERM domain protein Coracle. How these individual proteins interact to form the septal arrays that create the paracellular barrier is poorly understood. Here, we show that point mutations that map to specific domains of neurexin IV lead to formation of fewer septae and disorganization of SJs. Consistent with these observations, our in vivo domain deletion analyses identified the first Laminin G-EGF-Laminin G module in the extracellular region of Neurexin IV as necessary for the localization of and association with Contactin. Neurexin IV protein that is devoid of its cytoplasmic region is able to create septae, but fails to form a full complement of SJs. These data provide the first in vivo evidence that specific domains in Neurexin IV are required for protein-protein interactions and organization of SJs. Given the molecular conservation of SJ proteins across species, our studies may provide insights into how vertebrate axo-glial SJs are organized in myelinated axons.

  7. A Laminin G-EGF-Laminin G Module in Neurexin IV Is Essential for the Apico-Lateral Localization of Contactin and Organization of Septate Junctions

    PubMed Central

    Banerjee, Swati; Paik, Raehum; Mino, Rosa E.; Blauth, Kevin; Fisher, Elizabeth S.; Madden, Victoria J.; Fanning, Alan S.; Bhat, Manzoor A.

    2011-01-01

    Septate junctions (SJs) display a unique ultrastructural morphology with ladder-like electron densities that are conserved through evolution. Genetic and molecular analyses have identified a highly conserved core complex of SJ proteins consisting of three cell adhesion molecules Neurexin IV, Contactin, and Neuroglian, which interact with the cytoskeletal FERM domain protein Coracle. How these individual proteins interact to form the septal arrays that create the paracellular barrier is poorly understood. Here, we show that point mutations that map to specific domains of neurexin IV lead to formation of fewer septae and disorganization of SJs. Consistent with these observations, our in vivo domain deletion analyses identified the first Laminin G-EGF-Laminin G module in the extracellular region of Neurexin IV as necessary for the localization of and association with Contactin. Neurexin IV protein that is devoid of its cytoplasmic region is able to create septae, but fails to form a full complement of SJs. These data provide the first in vivo evidence that specific domains in Neurexin IV are required for protein-protein interactions and organization of SJs. Given the molecular conservation of SJ proteins across species, our studies may provide insights into how vertebrate axo-glial SJs are organized in myelinated axons. PMID:22022470

  8. Tuning three-dimensional collagen matrix stiffness independently of collagen concentration modulates endothelial cell behavior.

    PubMed

    Mason, Brooke N; Starchenko, Alina; Williams, Rebecca M; Bonassar, Lawrence J; Reinhart-King, Cynthia A

    2013-01-01

    Numerous studies have described the effects of matrix stiffening on cell behavior using two-dimensional synthetic surfaces; however, less is known about the effects of matrix stiffening on cells embedded in three-dimensional in vivo-like matrices. A primary limitation in investigating the effects of matrix stiffness in three dimensions is the lack of materials that can be tuned to control stiffness independently of matrix density. Here, we use collagen-based scaffolds where the mechanical properties are tuned using non-enzymatic glycation of the collagen in solution, prior to polymerization. Collagen solutions glycated prior to polymerization result in collagen gels with a threefold increase in compressive modulus without significant changes to the collagen architecture. Using these scaffolds, we show that endothelial cell spreading increases with matrix stiffness, as does the number and length of angiogenic sprouts and the overall spheroid outgrowth. Differences in sprout length are maintained even when the receptor for advanced glycation end products is inhibited. Our results demonstrate the ability to de-couple matrix stiffness from matrix density and structure in collagen gels, and that increased matrix stiffness results in increased sprouting and outgrowth. Copyright © 2012 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Childhood neglect predicts disorganization in schizophrenia through grey matter decrease in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.

    PubMed

    Cancel, A; Comte, M; Truillet, R; Boukezzi, S; Rousseau, P-F; Zendjidjian, X Y; Sage, T; Lazerges, P-E; Guedj, E; Khalfa, S; Azorin, J-M; Blin, O; Fakra, E

    2015-10-01

    Psychosocial trauma during childhood is associated with schizophrenia vulnerability. The pattern of grey matter decrease is similar to brain alterations seen in schizophrenia. Our objective was to explore the links between childhood trauma, brain morphology and schizophrenia symptoms. Twenty-one patients with schizophrenia stabilized with atypical antipsychotic monotherapy and 30 healthy control subjects completed the study. Anatomical MRI images were analysed using optimized voxel-based morphometry (VBM). Childhood trauma was assessed with the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, and symptoms were rated on the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS) and Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms (SAPS) (disorganization, positive and negative symptoms). In the schizophrenia group, we used structural equation modelling in a path analysis. Total grey matter volume was negatively associated with emotional neglect (EN) in patients with schizophrenia. Whole-brain VBM analyses of grey matter in the schizophrenia group revealed a specific inversed association between EN and the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Path analyses identified a well-fitted model in which EN predicted grey matter density in DLPFC, which in turn predicted the disorganization score. Our findings suggest that EN during childhood could have an impact on psychopathology in schizophrenia, which would be mediated by developmental effects on brain regions such as the DLPFC. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  10. Disordered Semantic Activation in Disorganized Discourse in Schizophrenia: A New Pragma-Linguistic Tool for Structure and Meaning Reconstruction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hella, Pertti; Niemi, Jussi; Hintikka, Jukka; Otsa, Lidia; Tirkkonen, Jani-Matti; Koponen, Hannu

    2013-01-01

    Background: Disorganized speech, manifested as derailment, tangentiality, incoherence and loss of goal, occurs commonly in schizophrenia. Studies of language processing have demonstrated that semantic activation in schizophrenia is often disordered and, moreover, the ability to use contextual cues is impaired. Aims: To reconstruct the origins and…

  11. From disorganized capitalism to transnational fine tuning? Recent trends in wage development, industrial relations, and 'work' as a sociological category.

    PubMed

    Hasse, Raimund; Leiulfsrud, Håkon

    2002-03-01

    The disorganization thesis concentrates upon globalization and market dynamics, which are believed to trigger the breakdown of any kind of institutional structures. The diversity of capitalism approach, by contrast, places much emphasis on the persistence of distinct paths of national economies. Referring to comparative data from the OECD and other sources it is shown that some variables indicate a robustness of national styles of capitalism. Others hint at resemblance: e.g. there is a striking synchronization of the overall and sectoral wage development, there is a significant decrease in industrial disputes, and the class composition tends to become more similar. A move beyond the disorganization thesis and diversity of capitalism approach is suggested. Special attention should be paid to the profound impacts of transnational institutions and knowledge carriers in the form of experts and guidelines.

  12. Non-linearity of the collagen triple helix in solution and implications for collagen function.

    PubMed

    Walker, Kenneth T; Nan, Ruodan; Wright, David W; Gor, Jayesh; Bishop, Anthony C; Makhatadze, George I; Brodsky, Barbara; Perkins, Stephen J

    2017-06-16

    Collagen adopts a characteristic supercoiled triple helical conformation which requires a repeating (Xaa-Yaa-Gly) n sequence. Despite the abundance of collagen, a combined experimental and atomistic modelling approach has not so far quantitated the degree of flexibility seen experimentally in the solution structures of collagen triple helices. To address this question, we report an experimental study on the flexibility of varying lengths of collagen triple helical peptides, composed of six, eight, ten and twelve repeats of the most stable Pro-Hyp-Gly (POG) units. In addition, one unblocked peptide, (POG) 10unblocked , was compared with the blocked (POG) 10 as a control for the significance of end effects. Complementary analytical ultracentrifugation and synchrotron small angle X-ray scattering data showed that the conformations of the longer triple helical peptides were not well explained by a linear structure derived from crystallography. To interpret these data, molecular dynamics simulations were used to generate 50 000 physically realistic collagen structures for each of the helices. These structures were fitted against their respective scattering data to reveal the best fitting structures from this large ensemble of possible helix structures. This curve fitting confirmed a small degree of non-linearity to exist in these best fit triple helices, with the degree of bending approximated as 4-17° from linearity. Our results open the way for further studies of other collagen triple helices with different sequences and stabilities in order to clarify the role of molecular rigidity and flexibility in collagen extracellular and immune function and disease. © 2017 The Author(s).

  13. The pathobiology of collagens in glioma

    PubMed Central

    Payne, Leo S.; Huang, Paul H.

    2013-01-01

    Malignant gliomas are characterised by diffuse infiltration into the surrounding brain parenchyma. Infiltrating glioma cells exist in close proximity with components of the tumour microenvironment, including the extracellular matrix (ECM). While levels of collagens in the normal adult brain are low, in glioma, collagen levels are elevated and play an important role in driving the tumor progression. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the nature of collagens found in gliomas and offer insights into the mechanisms by which cancer cells interact with this ECM via receptors including the integrins, discoidin domain receptors and Endo180. We further describe the major remodelling pathways of brain tumour collagen mediated by the matrix metalloproteinases and highlight the reciprocal relationship between these enzymes and the collagen receptors. Finally, we conclude by offering a perspective on how the biophysical properties of the collagen ECM, in particular, mechanical stiffness and compliance may influence malignant outcome. Understanding the complex interactions between glioma cells and the collagen ECM may provide new avenues to combat the rampant tumor progression and chemoresistance in brain cancer patients. PMID:23861322

  14. Live imaging of collagen deposition during skin development and repair in a collagen I - GFP fusion transgenic zebrafish line.

    PubMed

    Morris, Josephine L; Cross, Stephen J; Lu, Yinhui; Kadler, Karl E; Lu, Yongbo; Dallas, Sarah L; Martin, Paul

    2018-06-06

    Fibrillar collagen is a major component of many tissues but has been difficult to image in vivo using transgenic approaches because of problems associated with establishing cells and organisms that generate GFP-fusion collagens that can polymerise into functional fibrils. Here we have developed and characterised GFP and mCherry collagen-I fusion zebrafish lines with basal epidermal-specific expression. We use these lines to reveal the dynamic nature of collagen-I fibril deposition beneath the developing embryonic epidermis, as well as the repair of this collagen meshwork following wounding. Transmission electron microscope studies show that these transgenic lines faithfully reproduce the collagen ultrastructure present in wild type larval skin. During skin development we show that collagen I is deposited by basal epidermal cells initially in fine filaments that are largely randomly orientated but are subsequently aligned into a cross-hatch, orthogonal sub-epithelial network by embryonic day 4. Following skin wounding, we see that sub-epidermal collagen is re-established in the denuded domain, initially as randomly orientated wisps that subsequently become bonded to the undamaged collagen and aligned in a way that recapitulates developmental deposition of sub-epidermal collagen. Crossing our GFP-collagen line against one with tdTomato marking basal epidermal cell membranes reveals how much more rapidly wound re-epithelialisation occurs compared to the re-deposition of collagen beneath the healed epidermis. By use of other tissue specific drivers it will be possible to establish zebrafish lines to enable live imaging of collagen deposition and its remodelling in various other organs in health and disease. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Type IV Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome: A Surgical Emergency? A Case of Massive Retroperitoneal Hemorrhage

    PubMed Central

    Chun, Stephen G; Pedro, Patrick; Yu, Mihae; Takanishi, Danny M

    2011-01-01

    Retroperitoneal hemorrhagic bleeding is a known manifestation of Type-IV Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome that is caused by loss-of-function mutations of the pro-alpha-1 chains of type III pro-collagen (COL3A1) resulting in vascular fragility. A number of previous reports describe futile surgical intervention for retroperitoneal bleeding in Type-IV Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome with high post-operative mortality, although the rarity of retroperitoneal bleeding associated with Type-IV Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome precludes an evidence-based approach to clinical management. We report a 23-year-old male with history of Type-IV Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome who presented with severe abdominal pain and tachycardia following an episode of vomiting. Further work-up of his abdominal pain revealed massive retroperitoneal bleeding by CT-scan of the abdomen. Given numerous cases of catastrophic injury caused by surgical intervention in Type-IV Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, the patient was treated non-operatively, and the patient made a full recovery. This case suggests that even in cases of large retroperitoneal hemorrhages associated with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, it may not truly represent a surgical emergency. PMID:21966332

  16. Nanomechanical Contribution of Collagen and von Willebrand Factor A in Marine Underwater Adhesion and Its Implication for Collagen Manipulation.

    PubMed

    Yoo, Hee Young; Huang, Jun; Li, Lin; Foo, Mathias; Zeng, Hongbo; Hwang, Dong Soo

    2016-03-14

    Recent works on mussel adhesion have identified a load bearing matrix protein (PTMP1) containing von Willebrand factor (vWF) with collagen binding capability that contributes to the mussel holdfast by manipulating mussel collagens. Using a surface forces apparatus, we investigate for the first time, the nanomechanical properties of vWF-collagen interaction using homologous proteins of mussel byssus, PTMP1 and preCollagens (preCols), as collagen. Mimicking conditions similar to mussel byssus secretion (pH < 5.0) and seawater condition (pH 8.0), PTMP1 and preCol interact weakly in the "positioning" phase based on vWF-collagen binding and strengthen in "locked" phase due to the combined effects of electrostatic attraction, metal binding, and mechanical shearing. The progressive enhancement of binding between PTMP1 with porcine collagen under the aforementioned conditions is also observed. The binding mechanisms of PTMP1-preCols provide insights into the molecular interaction of the mammalian collagen system and the development of an artificial extracellular matrix based on collagens.

  17. Effect of Fish Collagen Hydrolysates on Type I Collagen mRNA Levels of Human Dermal Fibroblast Culture

    PubMed Central

    Sanchez, Ana; Blanco, Maria; Correa, Begoña

    2018-01-01

    Fish discards and subproducts may represent an important source of raw material, not only for the food industry, but for other different kind of industries, such as the nutraceutical and cosmetic industries. Collagen, which is mainly obtained from animal skins, is an important structural protein in the animal kingdom having many different applications. It is well known that fish skins constitute a significant subproduct in the fishery industry, especially in the case of some species, where fish skins may represent up to 20% of the total body weight of fish. Peptides from collagen hydrolysates have been described to be useful for preventing skin aging and osteoarthritis, however, the mechanism for these biological activities is not well known. Fibroblasts are the main cell types involved in the collagen synthesis, and in the present work, human dermal fibroblasts have been exposed to the treatment of collagen peptides of two different molecular weight ranges. Results show that higher molecular weight collagen peptides produce higher synthesis of collagen type I mRNA and, therefore, it may suggest that prior molecular weight selection may be an important step to maximize the effect of collagen hydrolysates on collagen type I synthesis by dermal fibroblasts. PMID:29701725

  18. A new Chinese specimen indicates that 'protofeathers' in the Early Cretaceous theropod dinosaur Sinosauropteryx are degraded collagen fibres.

    PubMed

    Lingham-Soliar, Theagarten; Feduccia, Alan; Wang, Xiaolin

    2007-08-07

    Alleged primitive feathers or protofeathers in the theropod dinosaur Sinosauropteryx have potentially profound implications concerning feather morphogenesis, evolution offlight, dinosaur physiology and perhaps even the origin of birds, yet their existence has never been adequately documented. We report on a new specimen of Sinosauropteryx which shows that the integumental structures proposed as protofeathers are the remains of structural fibres that provide toughness. The preservation in the proximal tail area reveals an architecture of closely associated bands offibres parallel to the tail's long axis, which originate from the skin. In adjacent more exposed areas, the fibres are short, fragmented and disorganized. Fibres preserved dorsal to the neck and back and in the distal part of the tail are the remains of a stiffening system of a frill, peripheral to the body and extending from the head to the tip of the tail. These findings are confirmed in the holotype Sinosauropteryx and NIGP 127587. The fibres show a striking similarity to the structure and levels of organization of dermal collagen. The proposal that these fibres are protofeathers is dismissed.

  19. The solubilization of bone and dentin collagens by pepsin. Effect of cross-linkages and non-collagen components.

    PubMed

    Carmichael, D J; Dodd, C M; Veis, A

    1977-03-28

    Bone and dentin collagen are less susceptible to solubilization by pepsin digestion then is skin collagen. Digestion at 4 degrees C for 72 h solubilized only 35.3% of bovine cortical bone and 5.6% of bovine dentin compared with nearly 100% dissolution of bovine skin. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-acrylamide gel electrophoresis and molecular sieve chromatography showed that, for bone and dentin, intact alpha chains and cross-linked aggregates of beta, gamma and higher weight remained intact after pepsin solubilization but lower molecular weight fragments also were prevalent indicating chain scission in helical regions. Electron microscopic examination of segment long spacing precipitates of the soluble collagens confirmed the presence of solubilized polymerized collagen. The principal reducible cross-link in both bone and dentin was the precursor of dihydroxylsinonorleucine and this cross-link was also present in the solubilized collagens. Small amounts of non-collagenous proteins and glycosaminoglycans of different compositions in dentin and bone resisted extraction before pepsin digestion. However, the differences in solubilization of the collagens have been related to differences in cross-linkage placement.

  20. Exploiting oleuropein for inhibiting collagen fibril formation.

    PubMed

    Bharathy, H; Fathima, N Nishad

    2017-08-01

    Collagen fibrils accumulate in excessive amounts and impair the normal functioning of the organ; therefore it stimulates the interest for identifying the compounds that could prevent the formation of fibrils. Herein, inhibition of self-assembly of collagen using oleuropein has been studied. The changes in the physico-chemical characteristics of collagen on interaction with increasing concentration of oleuropein has been studied using techniques like viscosity, UV-vis, CD and FT-IR. The inhibitory effect of oleuropein on fibril formation of collagen was proved using SEM. Circular dichroism and FT-IR spectra elucidates the alterations in the secondary structure of collagen suggesting non-covalent interactions between oleuropein and collagen. The decreased rate of collagen fibril formation also confirms the inhibition in the self-assembly of collagen. Hence, our study suggests that inhibition of the self-assembly process using oleuropein may unfold new avenues to treat fibrotic diseases. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. The Roles of Perceived Neighborhood Disorganization, Social Cohesion, and Social Control in Urban Thai Adolescents' Substance Use and Delinquency

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Byrnes, Hilary F.; Miller, Brenda A.; Chamratrithirong, Aphichat; Rhucharoenpornpanich, Orratai; Cupp, Pamela K.; Atwood, Katharine A.; Fongkaew, Warunee; Rosati, Michael J.; Chookhare, Warunee

    2013-01-01

    Substance use and delinquency in Thai adolescents are growing public health concerns. Research has linked neighborhood characteristics to these outcomes, with explanations focused on neighborhood disorganization, social cohesion, and social control. This study examines the independent associations of these neighborhood constructs with Thai…

  2. The Roles of Perceived Neighborhood Disorganization, Social Cohesion, and Social Control in Urban Thai Adolescents' Substance Use and Delinquency.

    PubMed

    Byrnes, Hilary F; Miller, Brenda A; Chamratrithirong, Aphichat; Rhucharoenpornpanich, Orratai; Cupp, Pamela K; Atwood, Katharine A; Fongkaew, Warunee; Rosati, Michael J; Chookhare, Warunee

    2013-08-06

    Substance use and delinquency in Thai adolescents are growing public health concerns. Research has linked neighborhood characteristics to these outcomes, with explanations focused on neighborhood disorganization, social cohesion, and social control. This study examines the independent associations of these neighborhood constructs with Thai adolescents' substance use and delinquency, through peer deviance, to determine which neighborhood aspects are particularly important. Families (N=420) with adolescents aged 13-14 were randomly selected from 7 districts in Bangkok, Thailand. Structural equation modeling showed that adolescents', but not parents', perceptions of greater disorganization were related to increased rates of both minor and serious delinquency. Surprisingly, greater neighborhood cohesion was related to greater minor delinquency. Peer deviance was unrelated to neighborhood variables. Findings can inform prevention strategies for Thai adolescents, as results suggest that neighborhoods are important for adolescent behaviors regardless of culture. Further work should help communities make use of social cohesion to benefit residents.

  3. Biomimetic soluble collagen purified from bones.

    PubMed

    Ferreira, Ana Marina; Gentile, Piergiorgio; Sartori, Susanna; Pagliano, Cristina; Cabrele, Chiara; Chiono, Valeria; Ciardelli, Gianluca

    2012-11-01

    Type I collagen has been extensively exploited as a biomaterial for biomedical applications and drug delivery; however, small molecular alterations occurring during the isolation procedure and its interaction with residual bone extracellular matrix molecules or proteins might affect the overall material biocompatibility and performance. The aim of the current work is to study the potential alterations in collagen properties and organization associated with the absence of proteoglycans, which mimic pathological conditions associated with age-related diseases. A new approach for evaluating the effect of proteoglycans on the properties of isolated type I collagen from the bone matrix is described. Additional treatment with guanidine hydrochloride was introduced to remove residual proteoglycans from the collagen matrix. The properties of the isolated collagen with/without guanidine hydrochloride treatment were investigated and compared with a commercial rabbit collagen as control. We demonstrate that the absence of proteoglycans in the isolated type I collagen affects its thermal properties, the extraction into its native structure, and its ability to hydrate and self-assemble into fibers. The fine control and tuning of all these features, linked to the absence of non-collagenous proteins as proteoglycans, offer the possibility of designing new strategies and biomaterials with advanced biomimetic properties aimed at regenerating bone tissue in the case of fragility and/or defects. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  4. Mass transfer of large molecules through collagen and collagen-silica hybrid membranes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jofre-Lora, Pedro

    Diabetes is a growing concern in the United States and around the world that must be addressed through new treatment options. Current standard treatment options of diabetes are limiting and have tremendous impacts on patient's lives. Emerging therapies, such as the implantation of encapsulated islets, are promising treatment options, but have not yet materialized due to unsolved problems with material properties. Hybrid silica-collagen membranes address some of these unsolved problems and are a promising material for cell encapsulation. However, the mass transfer properties of large molecules, such as insulin, TNF-alpha, IL1beta, and other important proteins in the etiology of diabetes, through these hybrid membranes are poorly characterized. In order to begin characterizing these properties, a device was constructed to accurately and efficiently measure the mass transfer of other similar large molecules, fluorescein isothiocyanate dextrans (FITC-dextran), through collagen-silica hybrid membranes. The device was used to measure diffusion coefficients of 4, 20, 40, and 150 kDa FITC-dextrans through non-silicified and silicified samples of 200 and 1000 Pa porcine skin collagen. Diffusion coefficients were found to be in the 10-7-10-6 cm2s -1 range, which is in agreement with previously published data for similar molecules through similar hydrogels. The effects of collagen stiffness, FITC-dextran molecular weight, and silicification treatment on diffusion were investigated. It was found that collagen stiffness and FITC-dextran molecular weight had a negative correlation with diffusion, whereas silicification treatment had no global impact on diffusion. The device created, and the results of this preliminary investigation, can be used to develop collagen-silica hybrid membranes as an alternative material for cell encapsulation in a forward-design manner.

  5. Preparation and characterization of collagen/PLA, chitosan/PLA, and collagen/chitosan/PLA hybrid scaffolds for cartilage tissue engineering.

    PubMed

    Haaparanta, Anne-Marie; Järvinen, Elina; Cengiz, Ibrahim Fatih; Ellä, Ville; Kokkonen, Harri T; Kiviranta, Ilkka; Kellomäki, Minna

    2014-04-01

    In this study, three-dimensional (3D) porous scaffolds were developed for the repair of articular cartilage defects. Novel collagen/polylactide (PLA), chitosan/PLA, and collagen/chitosan/PLA hybrid scaffolds were fabricated by combining freeze-dried natural components and synthetic PLA mesh, where the 3D PLA mesh gives mechanical strength, and the natural polymers, collagen and/or chitosan, mimic the natural cartilage tissue environment of chondrocytes. In total, eight scaffold types were studied: four hybrid structures containing collagen and/or chitosan with PLA, and four parallel plain scaffolds with only collagen and/or chitosan. The potential of these types of scaffolds for cartilage tissue engineering applications were determined by the analysis of the microstructure, water uptake, mechanical strength, and the viability and attachment of adult bovine chondrocytes to the scaffolds. The manufacturing method used was found to be applicable for the manufacturing of hybrid scaffolds with highly porous 3D structures. All the hybrid scaffolds showed a highly porous structure with open pores throughout the scaffold. Collagen was found to bind water inside the structure in all collagen-containing scaffolds better than the chitosan-containing scaffolds, and the plain collagen scaffolds had the highest water absorption. The stiffness of the scaffold was improved by the hybrid structure compared to plain scaffolds. The cell viability and attachment was good in all scaffolds, however, the collagen hybrid scaffolds showed the best penetration of cells into the scaffold. Our results show that from the studied scaffolds the collagen/PLA hybrids are the most promising scaffolds from this group for cartilage tissue engineering.

  6. Transient expression of collagen type II at epitheliomesenchymal interfaces during morphogenesis of the cartilaginous neurocranium.

    PubMed

    Thorogood, P; Bee, J; von der Mark, K

    1986-08-01

    In the avian embryo a matrix-mediated tissue interaction between retinal pigmented epithelium and neural crest-derived periocular mesenchyme leads to the differentiation of (scleral) cartilage. The composition of the extracellular matrix at the interface between these two tissues has been examined immunohistochemically, both during and after the interaction has taken place. Of the matrix components studied (fibronectin, laminin, and collagen types I, II, IV, and V) only collagen type II displayed a dramatic change in distribution between the two stages. During the interaction, at stage 15, type II was present in the extracellular compartment basal to the epithelium. After completion of the interaction, collagen type II was no longer detectable at the interface even though it was readily detectable in the vitreous humor, cornea, and perinotochordal sheath, and subsequently will be expressed by the chondrogenic tissue itself as overt differentiation commences. These results suggest that collagen type II might be causally involved in this particular epitheliomesenchymal interaction. Examination of the spatial and temporal patterns of collagen type II expression elsewhere in the developing craniofacial complex revealed a hitherto unreported pattern of distribution. In addition to its predictable locations (i.e., cornea, vitreous, and perinotochordal sheath) it was found to be present at certain other sites, for example, at the basal surfaces of some neuroepithelia. These additional locations are all known to be sites of chondrogenesis-promoting tissue interactions which result in the formation of the elements of the cartilaginous neurocranium (e.g., otic vesicle). Furthermore this spatial distribution exhibits a changing temporal pattern in that it is detectable at the time that the interactions are known to be taking place, but subsequently is no longer detectable by the immunohistochemical means employed. This definable pattern of transient collagen type II

  7. Modern collagen wound dressings: function and purpose.

    PubMed

    Fleck, Cynthia Ann; Simman, Richard

    2010-09-01

    Collagen, which is produced by fibroblasts, is the most abundant protein in the human body. A natural structural protein, collagen is involved in all 3 phases of the wound-healing cascade. It stimulates cellular migration and contributes to new tissue development. Because of their chemotactic properties on wound fibroblasts, collagen dressings encourage the deposition and organization of newly formed collagen, creating an environment that fosters healing. Collagen-based biomaterials stimulate and recruit specific cells, such as macrophages and fibroblasts, along the healing cascade to enhance and influence wound healing. These biomaterials can provide moisture or absorption, depending on the delivery system. Collagen dressings are easy to apply and remove and are conformable. Collagen dressings are usually formulated with bovine, avian, or porcine collagen. Oxidized regenerated cellulose, a plant-based material, has been combined with collagen to produce a dressing capable of binding to and protecting growth factors by binding and inactivating matrix metalloproteinases in the wound environment. The increased understanding of the biochemical processes involved in chronic wound healing allows the design of wound care products aimed at correcting imbalances in the wound microenvironment. Traditional advanced wound care products tend to address the wound's macroenvironment, including moist wound environment control, fluid management, and controlled transpiration of wound fluids. The newer class of biomaterials and wound-healing agents, such as collagen and growth factors, targets specific defects in the chronic wound environment. In vitro laboratory data point to the possibility that these agents benefit the wound healing process at a biochemical level. Considerable evidence has indicated that collagen-based dressings may be capable of stimulating healing by manipulating wound biochemistry.

  8. Distribution of collagenous colitis: utility of flexible sigmoidoscopy.

    PubMed Central

    Tanaka, M; Mazzoleni, G; Riddell, R H

    1992-01-01

    We investigated the distribution of the collagen band in 33 patients with collagenous colitis to estimate the likelihood of the disease being diagnosed in biopsy specimens from the left side of the colon, such as those obtained using flexible sigmoidoscopy. To be included in this study patients had a subepithelial collagen band greater than or equal to 10 microns, an increase in chronic inflammatory cells in the same specimen, and diarrhoea for which there was no other apparent cause. In 17 patients undergoing full colonoscopy with a thickened collagen band, collagenous colitis was frequently patchy, even though overall the thickened collagen band was almost equally distributed throughout the colon. Rectal biopsy specimens showed a normal collagen band in 73% of patients, while a thickened collagen band was found in 82% of patients in at least one specimen from the left side of the colon. Three patients had a thickened collagen band only in the caecum. In three of eight rectal biopsy specimens with a normal collagen band there was no mucosal inflammation to raise the possibility of proximal disease, although all but one specimen with a normal collagen band from the sigmoid and descending colon were inflamed. Rectal biopsy alone is therefore a relatively poor method of making the diagnosis. Flexible sigmoidoscopy with multiple biopsy specimens from several sites is a reasonable initial investigation but not sufficient to exclude collagenous colitis when based on the presence of a thickened collagen band alone. Should left sided biopsy specimens show a normal collagen band but an inflamed mucosa, total colonoscopy with multiple specimens including the caecum may be required to establish the diagnosis. Images Figure 1 Figure 2 PMID:1740280

  9. A new Chinese specimen indicates that ‘protofeathers’ in the Early Cretaceous theropod dinosaur Sinosauropteryx are degraded collagen fibres

    PubMed Central

    Lingham-Soliar, Theagarten; Feduccia, Alan; Wang, Xiaolin

    2007-01-01

    Alleged primitive feathers or protofeathers in the theropod dinosaur Sinosauropteryx have potentially profound implications concerning feather morphogenesis, evolution of flight, dinosaur physiology and perhaps even the origin of birds, yet their existence has never been adequately documented. We report on a new specimen of Sinosauropteryx which shows that the integumental structures proposed as protofeathers are the remains of structural fibres that provide toughness. The preservation in the proximal tail area reveals an architecture of closely associated bands of fibres parallel to the tail's long axis, which originate from the skin. In adjacent more exposed areas, the fibres are short, fragmented and disorganized. Fibres preserved dorsal to the neck and back and in the distal part of the tail are the remains of a stiffening system of a frill, peripheral to the body and extending from the head to the tip of the tail. These findings are confirmed in the holotype Sinosauropteryx and NIGP 127587. The fibres show a striking similarity to the structure and levels of organization of dermal collagen. The proposal that these fibres are protofeathers is dismissed. PMID:17521978

  10. The Mineral–Collagen Interface in Bone

    PubMed Central

    2015-01-01

    The interface between collagen and the mineral reinforcement phase, carbonated hydroxyapatite (cAp), is essential for bone’s remarkable functionality as a biological composite material. The very small dimensions of the cAp phase and the disparate natures of the reinforcement and matrix are essential to the material’s performance but also complicate study of this interface. This article summarizes what is known about the cAp-collagen interface in bone and begins with descriptions of the matrix and reinforcement roles in composites, of the phases bounding the interface, of growth of cAp growing within the collagen matrix, and of the effect of intra- and extrafibrilar mineral on determinations of interfacial properties. Different observed interfacial interactions with cAp (collagen, water, non-collagenous proteins) are reviewed; experimental results on interface interactions during loading are reported as are their influence on macroscopic mechanical properties; conclusions of numerical modeling of interfacial interactions are also presented. The data suggest interfacial interlocking (bending of collagen molecules around cAp nanoplatelets) and water-mediated bonding between collagen and cAp are essential to load transfer. The review concludes with descriptions of areas where new research is needed to improve understanding of how the interface functions. PMID:25824581

  11. Age Increases Monocyte Adhesion on Collagen

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Khalaji, Samira; Zondler, Lisa; Kleinjan, Fenneke; Nolte, Ulla; Mulaw, Medhanie A.; Danzer, Karin M.; Weishaupt, Jochen H.; Gottschalk, Kay-E.

    2017-05-01

    Adhesion of monocytes to micro-injuries on arterial walls is an important early step in the occurrence and development of degenerative atherosclerotic lesions. At these injuries, collagen is exposed to the blood stream. We are interested whether age influences monocyte adhesion to collagen under flow, and hence influences the susceptibility to arteriosclerotic lesions. Therefore, we studied adhesion and rolling of human peripheral blood monocytes from old and young individuals on collagen type I coated surface under shear flow. We find that firm adhesion of monocytes to collagen type I is elevated in old individuals. Pre-stimulation by lipopolysaccharide increases the firm adhesion of monocytes homogeneously in older individuals, but heterogeneously in young individuals. Blocking integrin αx showed that adhesion of monocytes to collagen type I is specific to the main collagen binding integrin αxβ2. Surprisingly, we find no significant age-dependent difference in gene expression of integrin αx or integrin β2. However, if all integrins are activated from the outside, no differences exist between the age groups. Altered integrin activation therefore causes the increased adhesion. Our results show that the basal increase in integrin activation in monocytes from old individuals increases monocyte adhesion to collagen and therefore the risk for arteriosclerotic plaques.

  12. Distinct activities of Bartonella henselae type IV secretion effector proteins modulate capillary-like sprout formation.

    PubMed

    Scheidegger, F; Ellner, Y; Guye, P; Rhomberg, T A; Weber, H; Augustin, H G; Dehio, C

    2009-07-01

    The zoonotic pathogen Bartonella henselae (Bh) can lead to vasoproliferative tumour lesions in the skin and inner organs known as bacillary angiomatosis and bacillary peliosis. The knowledge on the molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in this pathogen-triggered angiogenic process is confined by the lack of a suitable animal model and a physiologically relevant cell culture model of angiogenesis. Here we employed a three-dimensional in vitro angiogenesis assay of collagen gel-embedded endothelial cell (EC) spheroids to study the angiogenic properties of Bh. Spheroids generated from Bh-infected ECs displayed a high capacity to form sprouts, which represent capillary-like projections into the collagen gel. The VirB/VirD4 type IV secretion system and a subset of its translocated Bartonella effector proteins (Beps) were found to profoundly modulate this Bh-induced sprouting activity. BepA, known to protect ECs from apoptosis, strongly promoted sprout formation. In contrast, BepG, triggering cytoskeletal rearrangements, potently inhibited sprouting. Hence, the here established in vitro model of Bartonella- induced angiogenesis revealed distinct and opposing activities of type IV secretion system effector proteins, which together with a VirB/VirD4-independent effect may control the angiogenic activity of Bh during chronic infection of the vasculature.

  13. Immunostimulatory effects of collagen from jellyfish in vivo.

    PubMed

    Morishige, Hitoshi; Sugahara, Takuya; Nishimoto, Sogo; Muranaka, Ayako; Ohno, Fumi; Shiraishi, Ryusuke; Doi, Mikiharu

    2011-10-01

    We focused on the biological activity of the collagen extracts obtained from the giant edible jellyfish, Nemopilema nomurai. Jellyfish collagen extracts stimulates the production of immunoglobulins (Igs) and cytokines by human hybridoma cells and human peripheral blood lymphocytes. Therefore, we examined the immunoregulatory function of jellyfish collagen extracts in mice. Intake of jellyfish collagen extracts facilitated the Ig production activity of lymphocytes from spleen and Peyer's patch. Furthermore, the levels of Igs in the serum clearly increased after the administration of jellyfish collagen extracts. Intake of bovine collagen from Achilles' tendon also activated lymphocytes activity in mice. The activity of total and antigen-specific Ig production in splenocytes from OVA-challenged mice was also enhanced by collagen intake. However, the total and OVA-specific IgE levels in the serum were not affected by the collagen intake. These results suggested that jellyfish collagen extracts stimulates an immune response in vivo, without inducing allergic complications.

  14. The Roles of Perceived Neighborhood Disorganization, Social Cohesion, and Social Control in Urban Thai Adolescents’ Substance Use and Delinquency

    PubMed Central

    Byrnes, Hilary F.; Miller, Brenda A.; Chamratrithirong, Aphichat; Rhucharoenpornpanich, Orratai; Cupp, Pamela K.; Atwood, Katharine A.; Fongkaew, Warunee; Rosati, Michael J.; Chookhare, Warunee

    2011-01-01

    Substance use and delinquency in Thai adolescents are growing public health concerns. Research has linked neighborhood characteristics to these outcomes, with explanations focused on neighborhood disorganization, social cohesion, and social control. This study examines the independent associations of these neighborhood constructs with Thai adolescents’ substance use and delinquency, through peer deviance, to determine which neighborhood aspects are particularly important. Families (N=420) with adolescents aged 13–14 were randomly selected from 7 districts in Bangkok, Thailand. Structural equation modeling showed that adolescents’, but not parents’, perceptions of greater disorganization were related to increased rates of both minor and serious delinquency. Surprisingly, greater neighborhood cohesion was related to greater minor delinquency. Peer deviance was unrelated to neighborhood variables. Findings can inform prevention strategies for Thai adolescents, as results suggest that neighborhoods are important for adolescent behaviors regardless of culture. Further work should help communities make use of social cohesion to benefit residents. PMID:24465060

  15. In vitro 3D full thickness skin equivalent tissue model using silk and collagen biomaterials

    PubMed Central

    Bellas, Evangelia; Seiberg, Miri; Garlick, Jonathan; Kaplan, David L.

    2013-01-01

    Current approaches to develop skin equivalents often only include the epidermal and dermal components. Yet, full thickness skin includes the hypodermis, a layer below the dermis of adipose tissue containing vasculature, nerves and fibroblasts, necessary to support the epidermis and dermis. In the present study, we developed a full thickness skin equivalent including an epidermis, dermis and hypodermis that could serve as an in vitro model for studying skin development, disease or as a platform for consumer product testing as a means to avoid animal testing. The full thickness skin equivalent was easy to handle and was maintained in culture for greater than 14 days while expressing physiologically relevant morphologies of both the epidermis and dermis, as seen by keratin 10, collagen I and collagen IV expression. The skin equivalent produced glycerol and leptin, markers of adipose tissue metabolism. This work serves as a foundation for our understanding of some of the necessary factors needed to develop a stable, functional model of full-thickness skin. PMID:23161763

  16. Collagen as potential cell scaffolds for tissue engineering.

    PubMed

    Annuar, N; Spier, R E

    2004-05-01

    Selections of collagen available commercially were tested for their biocompatibility as scaffold to promote cell growth in vitro via simple collagen fast test and cultivation of mammalian cells on the selected type of collagen. It was found that collagen type C9791 promotes the highest degree of aggregation as well as cells growth. This preliminary study also indicated potential use of collagen as scaffold in engineered tissue.

  17. Popcorn calcification in osteogenesis imperfecta: incidence, progression, and molecular correlation.

    PubMed

    Obafemi, Abimbola A; Bulas, Dorothy I; Troendle, James; Marini, Joan C

    2008-11-01

    Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a heritable disorder characterized by osteoporosis and increased susceptibility to fracture. All children with severe OI have extreme short stature and some have "popcorn" calcifications, areas of disorganized hyperdense lines in the metaphysis and epiphysis around the growth plate on lower limb radiographs. Popcorn calcifications were noted on radiographs of two children with non-lethal type VIII OI, a recessive form caused by P3H1 deficiency. To determine the incidence, progression, and molecular correlations of popcorn calcifications, we retrospectively examined serial lower limb radiographs of 45 children with type III or IV OI and known dominant mutations in type I collagen. Popcorn calcifications were present in 13 of 25 type III (52%), but only 2 of 20 type IV (10%), OI children. The mean age of onset was 7.0 years, with a range of 4-14 years. All children with popcorn calcifications had this finding in their distal femora, and most also had calcifications in proximal tibiae. While unilateral popcorn calcification contributes to femoral growth deficiency and leg length discrepancy, severe linear growth deficiency, and metaphyseal flare do not differ significantly between type III OI patients with and without popcorn calcifications. The type I collagen mutations associated with popcorn calcifications occur equally in both COL1A1 and COL1A2, and have no preferential location along the chains. These data demonstrate that popcorn calcifications are a frequent feature of severe OI, but do not distinguish cases with defects in collagen structure (primarily dominant type III OI) or modification (recessive type VIII OI). Copyright 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  18. Induction and quantification of collagen fiber alignment in a three-dimensional hydroxyapatite-collagen composite scaffold.

    PubMed

    Banglmaier, Richard F; Sander, Edward A; VandeVord, Pamela J

    2015-04-01

    Hydroxyapatite-collagen composite scaffolds are designed to serve as a regenerative load bearing replacement that mimics bone. However, the material properties of these scaffolds are at least an order of magnitude less than that of bone and subject to fail under physiological loading conditions. These scaffolds compositionally resemble bone but they do not possess important structural attributes such as an ordered arrangement of collagen fibers, which is a correlate to the mechanical properties in bone. Furthermore, it is unclear how much ordering of structure is satisfactory to mimic bone. Therefore, quantitative methods are needed to characterize collagen fiber alignment in these scaffolds for better correlation between the scaffold structure and the mechanical properties. A combination of extrusion and compaction was used to induce collagen fiber alignment in composite scaffolds. Collagen fiber alignment, due to extrusion and compaction, was quantified from polarized light microscopy images with a Fourier transform image processing algorithm. The Fourier transform method was capable of resolving the degree of collagen alignment from polarized light images. Anisotropy indices of the image planes ranged from 0.08 to 0.45. Increases in the degree of fiber alignment induced solely by extrusion (0.08-0.25) or compaction (0.25-0.44) were not as great as those by the combination of extrusion and compaction (0.35-0.45). Additional measures of randomness and fiber direction corroborate these anisotropy findings. This increased degree of collagen fiber alignment was induced in a preferred direction that is consistent with the extrusion direction and parallel with the compacted plane. Copyright © 2015 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Icaritin Inhibits Collagen Degradation-Related Factors and Facilitates Collagen Accumulation in Atherosclerotic Lesions: A Potential Action for Plaque Stabilization

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Zong-Kang; Li, Jie; Yan, De-Xin; Leung, Wing-Nang; Zhang, Bao-Ting

    2016-01-01

    Most acute coronary syndromes result from rupture of vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques. The collagen content of plaques may critically affect plaque stability. This study tested whether Icaritin (ICT), an intestinal metabolite of Epimedium-derived flavonoids, could alter the collagen synthesis/degradation balance in atherosclerotic lesions. Rabbits were fed with an atherogenic diet for four months. Oral administration of ICT (10 mg·kg−1·day−1) was started after two months of an atherogenic diet and lasted for two months. The collagen degradation-related parameters, including macrophages accumulation, content and activity of interstitial collagenase-1 (MMP-1), and the collagen synthesis-related parameters, including amount and distribution of smooth muscle cells (SMC) and collagen mRNA/protein levels, were evaluated in the aorta. ICT reduced plasma lipid levels, inhibited macrophage accumulation, lowered MMP-1 mRNA and protein expression, and suppressed proteolytic activity of pro-MMP-1 and MMP-1 in the aorta. ICT changed the distribution of the SMCs towards the fibrous cap of lesions without increasing the amount of SMCs. Higher collagen protein content in lesions and aorta homogenates was observed with ICT treatment compared with the atherogenic diet only, without altered collagen mRNA level. These results suggest that ICT could inhibit the collagen degradation-related factors and facilitate collagen accumulation in atherosclerotic lesions, indicating a new potential of ICT in atherosclerotic plaques. PMID:26828485

  20. [The genetics of collagen diseases].

    PubMed

    Kaplan, J; Maroteaux, P; Frezal, J

    1986-01-01

    Heritable disorders of collagen include Ehler-Danlos syndromes (11 types are actually known), Larsen syndrome and osteogenesis imperfecta. Their clinical, genetic and biochemical features are reviewed. Marfan syndrome is closely related to heritable disorders of collagen.

  1. Imaging Prostate Cancer Microenvironment by Collagen Hybridization

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-10-01

    expected to exhibit selective affinity to metastatic PCa tumors known to contain processed and denatured collagens. The motivating hypothesis is that the...CMP’s ability to bind to collagen/ denatured collagen can be used to image PCa in vivo as well as to determine the level of PCa malignancy. 15...targeted by antibodies (monoclonal antibody raised against denatured collagen); however antibodies have poor pharmacokinetics for in vivo imaging2. Recently

  2. Selecting the correct cellular model for assessing of the biological response of collagen-based biomaterials.

    PubMed

    Davidenko, Natalia; Hamaia, Samir; Bax, Daniel V; Malcor, Jean-Daniel; Schuster, Carlos F; Gullberg, Donald; Farndale, Richard W; Best, Serena M; Cameron, Ruth E

    2018-01-01

    Accurate evaluation of the biological performance of biomaterials requires the correct assessment of their native-like cell ligation properties. However, cell attachment studies often overlook the details of the substrate-cell binding mechanisms, be they integrin-mediated or non-specific, and ignore the class- and species-specificities of the cell adhesion receptor involved. In this work we have used different collagen (Col) substrates (fibrillar collagens I, II and III and network-forming Col IV), containing different affinity cell-recognition motifs, to establish the influence of the receptor identity and species-specificity on collagen-cell interactive properties. Receptor expression was varied by using cells of different origin, or transfecting collagen-binding integrins into integrin-null cells. These include mouse C2C12 myoblasts transfected with human α1, α2, α10 or α11; human fibrosarcoma HT1080 cells which constitutively express only human α2β1, and rat glioma Rugli cells, with only rat α1β1. Using these lines, the nature of integrin binding sites was studied in order to delineate the bioactivity of different collagen substrates. Integrin ligation was studied on collagen coatings alongside synthetic (GFOGER/GLOGEN) and Toolkit (Col II-28/Col III-7) triple-helical peptides to evaluate (1) their affinity towards different integrins and (2) to confirm the activity of the inserted integrin in the transfected cells. Thin films of dermal and tendon Col I were used to evaluate the influence of the carbodiimide (EDC)-based treatment on the cellular response on Col of different origin. The results showed that the binding properties of transfected C2C12 cells to collagens depend on the identity of inserted integrin. Similar ligation characteristics were observed using α1+ and α10+ cells, but these were distinct from the similar binding features of α2+ and α11+ cells. Recombinant human and rat-α1 I domain binding to collagens and peptides correlated with

  3. LOXL4 knockdown enhances tumor growth and lung metastasis through collagen-dependent extracellular matrix changes in triple-negative breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Choi, Sul Ki; Kim, Hoe Suk; Jin, Tiefeng; Moon, Woo Kyung

    2017-02-14

    Lysyl oxidase (LOX) family genes catalyze collagen cross-link formation. To determine the effects of lysyl oxidase-like 4 (LOXL4) expression on breast tumor formation and metastasis, we evaluated primary tumor growth and lung metastasis in mice injected with LOXL4-knockdown MDA-MB-231 triple-negative human breast cancer cells. In addition, we analyzed overall survival in breast cancer patients based on LOXL4 expression using a public online database. In the mouse xenograft model, LOXL4 knockdown increased primary tumor growth and lung colonization as well as collagen I and IV, lysine hydroxylase 1 and 2, and prolyl 4-hydroxylase subunit alpha 1 and 2 levels. Second harmonic generation imaging revealed that LOXL4 knockdown resulted in the thickening of collagen bundles within tumors. In addition, weak LOXL4 expression was associated with poor overall survival in breast cancer patients from the BreastMark dataset, and this association was strongest in triple-negative breast cancer patients. These results demonstrate that weak LOXL4 expression leads to remodeling of the extracellular matrix through induction of collagen synthesis, deposition, and structural changes. These alterations in turn promote tumor growth and metastasis and are associated with poor clinical outcomes in triple-negative breast cancer.

  4. Techniques for Type I Collagen Organization

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Anderson-Jackson, LaTecia Diamond

    Tissue Engineering is a process in which cells, engineering, and material methods are used in amalgamation to improve biological functions. The purpose of tissue engineering is to develop alternative solutions to treat or cure tissues and organs that have been severely altered or damaged by diseases, congenital defects, trauma, or cancer. One of the most common and most promising biological materials for tissue engineering to develop scaffolds is Type I collagen. A major challenge in biomedical research is aligning Type I collagen to mimic biological structures, such as ligaments, tendons, bones, and other hierarchal aligned structures within the human body. The intent of this research is to examine possible techniques for organizing Type I collagen and to assess which of the techniques is effective for potential biological applications. The techniques used in this research to organize collagen are soft lithography with solution-assisted sonication embossing, directional freezing, and direct poling. The final concentration used for both soft lithography with solution-assisted sonication embossing and direct poling was 1 mg/ml, whereas for directional freezing the final concentration varied between 4mg/ml, 2mg/ml, and 1 mg/ml. These techniques were characterized using the Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) and Helium Ion Microscope (HIM). In this study, we have found that out of the three techniques, the soft lithography and directional freezing techniques have been successful in organizing collagen in a particular pattern, but not alignment. We concluded alignment may be dependent on the pH of collagen and the amount of acetic acid used in collagen solution. However, experiments are still being conducted to optimize all three techniques to align collagen in a unidirectional arrangement.

  5. Morphological properties of collagen fibers in porcine lamina propria

    PubMed Central

    Johanes, Iecun; Mihelc, Elaine; Sivasankar, Mahalakshmi; Ivanisevic, Albena

    2009-01-01

    Objectives Collagen influences the biomechanical properties of vocal folds. Altered collagen morphology has been implicated in dysphonia associated with aging and scarring. Documenting the morphological properties of native collagen in healthy vocal folds is essential to understand the structural and functional alterations to collagen with aging and disease. Our primary objective was to quantify the morphological properties of collagen in the vocal fold lamina propria. Our secondary exploratory objective was to investigate the effects of pepsin exposure on the morphological properties of collagen in the lamina propria. Design Experimental, in vitro study with porcine model. Methods Lamina propria was dissected from 26 vocal folds and imaged with Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). Morphological data on d-periodicity, diameter, and roughness of collagen fibers were obtained. To investigate the effects of pepsin exposure on collagen morphology, vocal fold surface was exposed to pepsin or sham challenge prior to lamina propria dissection and AFM imaging. Results The d-periodicity, diameter, and roughness values for native vocal fold collagen are consistent with literature reports for collagen fibers in other body tissue. Pepsin exposure on vocal fold surface did not appear to change the morphological properties of collagen fibers in the lamina propria. Conclusions Quantitative data on collagen morphology were obtained at nanoscale resolution. Documenting collagen morphology in healthy vocal folds is critical for understanding the physiological changes to collagen with aging and scarring, and for designing biomaterials that match the native topography of lamina propria. PMID:20171830

  6. The bcl-2 knockout mouse exhibits marked changes in osteoblast phenotype and collagen deposition in bone as well as a mild growth plate phenotype

    PubMed Central

    BOOT-HANDFORD, R. P.; MICHAELIDIS, T. M.; HILLARBY, M. C.; ZAMBELLI, A.; DENTON, J.; HOYLAND, J. A.; FREEMONT, A. J.; GRANT, M. E.; WALLIS, G. A.

    1998-01-01

    Histological examination of long bones from 1-day-old bcl-2 knockout and age-matched control mice revealed no obvious differences in length of bone, growth plate architecture or stage of endochondral ossification. In 35-day-old bcl-2 knockout mice that are growth retarded or ‘dwarfed’, the proliferative zone of the growth plate appeared slightly thinner and the secondary centres of ossification less well developed than their age-matched wild-type controls. The most marked histological effects of bcl-2 ablation were on osteoblasts and bone. 35-day-old knockout mouse bones exhibited far greater numbers of osteoblasts than controls and the osteoblasts had a cuboidal phenotype in comparison with the normal flattened cell appearance. In addition, the collagen deposited by the osteoblasts in the bcl-2 knockout mouse bone was disorganized in comparison with control tissue and had a pseudo-woven appearance. The results suggest an important role for Bcl-2 in controlling osteoblast phenotype and bone deposition in vivo. PMID:10193316

  7. Loss of Matrix Metalloproteinase-2 Amplifies Murine Toxin-Induced Liver Fibrosis by Upregulating Collagen I Expression

    PubMed Central

    Radbill, Brian D.; Gupta, Ritu; Ramirez, Maria Celeste M.; DiFeo, Analisa; Martignetti, John A.; Alvarez, Carlos E.; Friedman, Scott L.; Narla, Goutham; Vrabie, Raluca; Bowles, Robert; Saiman, Yedidya

    2010-01-01

    Background and Aims Matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), a type IV collagenase secreted by activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), is upregulated in chronic liver disease and is considered a profibrotic mediator due to its proliferative effect on cultured HSCs and ability to degrade normal liver matrix. Although associative studies and cell culture findings suggest that MMP-2 promotes hepatic fibrogenesis, no in vivo model has definitively established a pathologic role for MMP-2 in the development and progression of liver fibrosis. We therefore examined the impact of MMP-2 deficiency on liver fibrosis development during chronic CCl4 liver injury and explored the effect of MMP-2 deficiency and overexpression on collagen I expression. Methods Following chronic CCl4 administration, liver fibrosis was analyzed using Sirius Red staining with quantitative morphometry and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in MMP-2−/− mice and age-matched MMP-2+/+ controls. These studies were complemented by analyses of cultured human stellate cells. Results MMP-2−/− mice demonstrated an almost twofold increase in fibrosis which was not secondary to significant differences in hepatocellular injury, HSC activation or type I collagenase activity; however, type I collagen messenger RNA (mRNA) expression was increased threefold in the MMP-2−/− group by real-time PCR. Furthermore, targeted reduction of MMP-2 in cultured HSCs using RNA interference significantly increased collagen I mRNA and protein, while overexpression of MMP-2 resulted in decreased collagen I mRNA. Conclusions These findings suggest that increased MMP-2 during the progression of liver fibrosis may be an important mechanism for inhibiting type I collagen synthesis by activated HSCs, thereby providing a protective rather than pathologic role. PMID:20563750

  8. UV-Induced Triggering of a Biomechanical Initiation Switch Within Collagen Promotes Development of a Melanoma-Permissive Microenvironment in the Skin

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-09-01

    addition, our new data suggest that pre-treating mice with anti-HU177 antibody inhibited UVB -induced accumulation of mast cells in the skin. Moreover, pre...work is provided below. Our previous studies have indicated that UVA and UVB irradiation can dose dependently trigger conformational changes in both...vitro following UV-irradiation was unlikely do to thermal denaturation. Interestingly, macrophage adhesion to UVB irradiated collagen type-IV but not

  9. Demonstration of antibodies to collagen and of collagen-anticollagen immune complexes in rheumatoid arthritis synovial fluids

    PubMed Central

    Menzel, J.; Steffen, C.; Kolarz, G.; Eberl, R.; Frank, O.; Thumb, N.

    1976-01-01

    Menzel, J., Steffen, C., Kolarz, G., Eberl, R., Frank, O., and Thumb, N. (1976).Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, 35, 446-450. Demonstration of antibodies to collagen and of collagen-anticollagen immune complexes in rheumatoid arthritis synovial fluids. Twenty-nine synovial fluids from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 10 synovial fluids from patients with other joint diseases were investigated with regard to the presence of antibodies to denatured human collagen and of collagen-anticollagen immune complexes. 12 of the 29 RA synovial fluids showed anticollagen titres from 1: 16 to 1: 512 in passive haemagglutination. Only one patient in the group with no arthritis had a significant anticollagen titre of 1: 32. Digestion of the synovial fluids with bacterial collagenase resulted in an anticollagen titre increase from two to four dilution steps in 9 of the RA fluids, while 6 previously negative RA synovial fluids showed anticollagen titres from 1: 32 to 1: 128 after digestion with collagenase. These results indicate the existence of collagen-anticollagen immune complexes in 15 of the 29 RA synovial fluids investigated. PMID:185972

  10. Bacterial collagen-like proteins that form triple-helical structures

    PubMed Central

    Yu, Zhuoxin; An, Bo; Ramshaw, John A.M.; Brodsky, Barbara

    2014-01-01

    A large number of collagen-like proteins have been identified in bacteria during the past ten years, principally from analysis of genome databases. These bacterial collagens share the distinctive Gly-Xaa-Yaa repeating amino acid sequence of animal collagens which underlies their unique triple-helical structure. A number of the bacterial collagens have been expressed in E. coli, and they all adopt a triple-helix conformation. Unlike animal collagens, these bacterial proteins do not contain the post-translationally modified amino acid, hydroxyproline, which is known to stabilize the triple-helix structure and may promote self-assembly. Despite the absence of collagen hydroxylation, the triple-helix structures of the bacterial collagens studied exhibit a high thermal stability of 35–39 °C, close to that seen for mammalian collagens. These bacterial collagens are readily produced in large quantities by recombinant methods, either in the original amino acid sequence or in genetically manipulated sequences. This new family of recombinant, easy to modify collagens could provide a novel system for investigating structural and functional motifs in animal collagens and could also form the basis of new biomedical materials with designed structural properties and functions. PMID:24434612

  11. Jellyfish collagen scaffolds for cartilage tissue engineering.

    PubMed

    Hoyer, Birgit; Bernhardt, Anne; Lode, Anja; Heinemann, Sascha; Sewing, Judith; Klinger, Matthias; Notbohm, Holger; Gelinsky, Michael

    2014-02-01

    Porous scaffolds were engineered from refibrillized collagen of the jellyfish Rhopilema esculentum for potential application in cartilage regeneration. The influence of collagen concentration, salinity and temperature on fibril formation was evaluated by turbidity measurements and quantification of fibrillized collagen. The formation of collagen fibrils with a typical banding pattern was confirmed by atomic force microscopy and transmission electron microscopy analysis. Porous scaffolds from jellyfish collagen, refibrillized under optimized conditions, were fabricated by freeze-drying and subsequent chemical cross-linking. Scaffolds possessed an open porosity of 98.2%. The samples were stable under cyclic compression and displayed an elastic behavior. Cytotoxicity tests with human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) did not reveal any cytotoxic effects of the material. Chondrogenic markers SOX9, collagen II and aggrecan were upregulated in direct cultures of hMSCs upon chondrogenic stimulation. The formation of typical extracellular matrix components was further confirmed by quantification of sulfated glycosaminoglycans. Copyright © 2013 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Uniform spatial distribution of collagen fibril radii within tendon implies local activation of pC-collagen at individual fibrils

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rutenberg, Andrew D.; Brown, Aidan I.; Kreplak, Laurent

    2016-08-01

    Collagen fibril cross-sectional radii show no systematic variation between the interior and the periphery of fibril bundles, indicating an effectively constant rate of collagen incorporation into fibrils throughout the bundle. Such spatially homogeneous incorporation constrains the extracellular diffusion of collagen precursors from sources at the bundle boundary to sinks at the growing fibrils. With a coarse-grained diffusion equation we determine stringent bounds, using parameters extracted from published experimental measurements of tendon development. From the lack of new fibril formation after birth, we further require that the concentration of diffusing precursors stays below the critical concentration for fibril nucleation. We find that the combination of the diffusive bound, which requires larger concentrations to ensure homogeneous fibril radii, and lack of nucleation, which requires lower concentrations, is only marginally consistent with fully processed collagen using conservative bounds. More realistic bounds may leave no consistent concentrations. Therefore, we propose that unprocessed pC-collagen diffuses from the bundle periphery followed by local C-proteinase activity and subsequent collagen incorporation at each fibril. We suggest that C-proteinase is localized within bundles, at fibril surfaces, during radial fibrillar growth. The much greater critical concentration of pC-collagen, as compared to fully processed collagen, then provides broad consistency between homogeneous fibril radii and the lack of fibril nucleation during fibril growth.

  13. [Three-dimensional parallel collagen scaffold promotes tendon extracellular matrix formation].

    PubMed

    Zheng, Zefeng; Shen, Weiliang; Le, Huihui; Dai, Xuesong; Ouyang, Hongwei; Chen, Weishan

    2016-03-01

    To investigate the effects of three-dimensional parallel collagen scaffold on the cell shape, arrangement and extracellular matrix formation of tendon stem cells. Parallel collagen scaffold was fabricated by unidirectional freezing technique, while random collagen scaffold was fabricated by freeze-drying technique. The effects of two scaffolds on cell shape and extracellular matrix formation were investigated in vitro by seeding tendon stem/progenitor cells and in vivo by ectopic implantation. Parallel and random collagen scaffolds were produced successfully. Parallel collagen scaffold was more akin to tendon than random collagen scaffold. Tendon stem/progenitor cells were spindle-shaped and unified orientated in parallel collagen scaffold, while cells on random collagen scaffold had disorder orientation. Two weeks after ectopic implantation, cells had nearly the same orientation with the collagen substance. In parallel collagen scaffold, cells had parallel arrangement, and more spindly cells were observed. By contrast, cells in random collagen scaffold were disorder. Parallel collagen scaffold can induce cells to be in spindly and parallel arrangement, and promote parallel extracellular matrix formation; while random collagen scaffold can induce cells in random arrangement. The results indicate that parallel collagen scaffold is an ideal structure to promote tendon repairing.

  14. Collagen remodeling by phagocytosis is determined by collagen substrate topology and calcium-dependent interactions of gelsolin with nonmuscle myosin IIA in cell adhesions

    PubMed Central

    Arora, P. D.; Wang, Y.; Bresnick, A.; Dawson, J.; Janmey, P. A.; McCulloch, C. A.

    2013-01-01

    We examine how collagen substrate topography, free intracellular calcium ion concentration ([Ca2+]i, and the association of gelsolin with nonmuscle myosin IIA (NMMIIA) at collagen adhesions are regulated to enable collagen phagocytosis. Fibroblasts plated on planar, collagen-coated substrates show minimal increase of [Ca2+]i, minimal colocalization of gelsolin and NMMIIA in focal adhesions, and minimal intracellular collagen degradation. In fibroblasts plated on collagen-coated latex beads there are large increases of [Ca2+]i, time- and Ca2+-dependent enrichment of NMMIIA and gelsolin at collagen adhesions, and abundant intracellular collagen degradation. NMMIIA knockdown retards gelsolin recruitment to adhesions and blocks collagen phagocytosis. Gelsolin exhibits tight, Ca2+-dependent binding to full-length NMMIIA. Gelsolin domains G4–G6 selectively require Ca2+ to interact with NMMIIA, which is restricted to residues 1339–1899 of NMMIIA. We conclude that cell adhesion to collagen presented on beads activates Ca2+ entry and promotes the formation of phagosomes enriched with NMMIIA and gelsolin. The Ca2+ -dependent interaction of gelsolin and NMMIIA in turn enables actin remodeling and enhances collagen degradation by phagocytosis. PMID:23325791

  15. Collagenous gastroduodenitis coexisting repeated Dieulafoy ulcer: A case report and review of collagenous gastritis and gastroduodenitis without colonic involvement.

    PubMed

    Soeda, Atsuko; Mamiya, Takashi; Hiroshima, Yoshinori; Sugiyama, Hiroaki; Shidara, Sayoko; Dai, Yuichi; Nakahara, Akira; Ikezawa, Kazuto

    2014-10-01

    Collagenous gastritis (CG) is a rare disorder characterized by the thick collagenous subepithelial bands associated with mucosal inflammation. There have been approximately fifty reports in the literature since it was first described in 1989. According to previous reports, CG is heterogeneous and classified into two groups-(1) cases limited to the gastric mucosa in children or young adults, and (2) CG associated with collagenous colitis in elderly adults presenting with chronic watery diarrhea. In Japan, only nine previous cases were reported, and all of them were young adults. We report a case of CG with collagenous duodenitis in a 22-year-old female. She had repeated upper gastrointestinal bleeding from a Dieulafoy lesion of the fornix, but had no symptoms of malabsorption or diarrhea. Endoscopic findings revealed striking nodularity with a smooth islet-shaped normal area in the antrum and the body. The pathological findings of nodular mucosa showed the deposition of collagen bands just under the mucoepithelial lesion. In addition, she had collagenous duodenitis in part of the bulbs, and a colonoscopy showed no abnormalities. We provide a literature review of CG and collagenous gastroduodenitis without colonic involvement.

  16. Matrix metalloproteinase interactions with collagen and elastin.

    PubMed

    Van Doren, Steven R

    2015-01-01

    Most abundant in the extracellular matrix are collagens, joined by elastin that confers elastic recoil to the lung, aorta, and skin. These fibrils are highly resistant to proteolysis but can succumb to a minority of the matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). Considerable inroads to understanding how such MMPs move to the susceptible sites in collagen and then unwind the triple helix of collagen monomers have been gained. The essential role in unwinding of the hemopexin-like domain of interstitial collagenases or the collagen binding domain of gelatinases is highlighted. Elastolysis is also facilitated by the collagen binding domain in the cases of MMP-2 and MMP-9, and remote exosites of the catalytic domain in the case of MMP-12. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  17. Interaction study of collagen and sericin in blending solution.

    PubMed

    Duan, Lian; Yuan, Jingjie; Yang, Xiao; Cheng, Xinjian; Li, Jiao

    2016-12-01

    The interactions of collagen and sericin were studied by fluorescence spectra, ultraviolet spectra, FTIR spectra and dynamic light scattering. The fluorescence quenching in emission spectra and red-shift (283-330nm) in synchronous fluorescence spectra suggested the Tyr of collagen and sericin overlapped with a distance of 3Å, generating excimer. The overlapped Tyr of collagen and sericin decreased the hydrophobicity of collagen, which resulted in the red-shifts (233-240nm) in ultraviolet spectra. Moreover, the red-shifts of amide bands of collagen in FTIR spectra indicated the hydrogen bonds of collagen were weaken and it could also be explained by the overlapped Tyr. The results of 2D-FTIR spectra demonstrated the backbone of collagen molecule was varied and the most susceptible structure of collagen was the triple helix with the presence of sericin. Based on dynamic light scattering, we conjectured large pure collagen aggregates were replaced by hybrid aggregates of collagen and sericin particles after the addition of sericin. With ascending sericin ratio, the diameters of the hybrid aggregates increased and attained maximum with 60% ratio of sericin, which were on account of the increasing excimer number. The results of DSC demonstrated the presence of sericin enhanced the thermal stability of collagen. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. [Diagnostic values of serum type III procollagen N-terminal peptide in type IV gastric cancer].

    PubMed

    Akazawa, S; Fujiki, T; Kanda, Y; Kumai, R; Yoshida, S

    1985-04-01

    Since increased synthesis of collagen has been demonstrated in tissue of type IV gastric cancer, we attempted to distinguish type IV gastric cancer from other cancers by measuring serum levels of type III procollagen N-terminal peptide (type III-N-peptide). Mean serum levels in type IV gastric cancer patients without metastasis were found to be elevated above normal values and developed a tendency to be higher than those in types I, II and III gastric cancer patients without metastasis. Highly positive ratios were found in patients with liver diseases including hepatoma and colon cancer, biliary tract cancer, and esophageal cancer patients with liver, lung or bone metastasis, but only 2 out of 14 of these cancer patients without such metastasis showed positive serum levels of type III-N-peptide. Positive cases in patients with type IV gastric cancer were obtained not only in the group with clinical stage IV but also in the groups with clinical stages II and III. In addition, high serum levels of type III-N-peptide in patients with type IV gastric cancer were seen not only in the cases with liver, lung or bone metastasis but also in cases with disseminated peritoneal metastasis alone. These results suggest that if the serum level of type III-N-peptide is elevated above normal values, type IV gastric cancer should be suspected after ruling out liver diseases, myelofibrosis and liver, lung or bone metastasis.

  19. Transdermal Delivery of Functional Collagen Via Polyvinylpyrrolidone Microneedles

    PubMed Central

    Sun, Wenchao; Inayathullah, Mohammed; Manoukian, Martin A. C.; Malkovskiy, Andrey V.; Manickam, Sathish; Marinkovich, M. Peter; Lane, Alfred T.; Tayebi, Lobat; Seifalian, Alexander M.; Rajadas, Jayakumar

    2017-01-01

    Collagen makes up a large proportion of the human body, particularly the skin. As the body ages, collagen content decreases, resulting in wrinkled skin and decreased wound healing capabilities. This paper presents a method of delivering type I collagen into porcine and human skin utilizing a polyvinylpyrrolidone microneedle delivery system. The microneedle patches were made with concentrations of 1, 2, 4, and 8% type I collagen (w/w). Microneedle structures and the distribution of collagen were characterized using scanning electron microscopy and confocal microscopy. Patches were then applied on the porcine and human skin, and their effectiveness was examined using fluorescence microscopy. The results illustrate that this microneedle delivery system is effective in delivering collagen I into the epidermis and dermis of porcine and human skin. Since the technique presented in this paper is quick, safe, effective and easy, it can be considered as a new collagen delivery method for cosmetic and therapeutic applications. PMID:26066056

  20. Periodontal regeneration with stem cells-seeded collagen-hydroxyapatite scaffold.

    PubMed

    Liu, Zeping; Yin, Xing; Ye, Qingsong; He, Wulin; Ge, Mengke; Zhou, Xiaofu; Hu, Jing; Zou, Shujuan

    2016-07-01

    Re-establishing compromised periodontium to its original structure, properties and function is demanding, but also challenging, for successful orthodontic treatment. In this study, the periodontal regeneration capability of collagen-hydroxyapatite scaffolds, seeded with bone marrow stem cells, was investigated in a canine labial alveolar bone defect model. Bone marrow stem cells were isolated, expanded and characterized. Porous collagen-hydroxyapatite scaffold and cross-linked collagen-hydroxyapatite scaffold were prepared. Attachment, migration, proliferation and morphology of bone marrow stem cells, co-cultured with porous collagen-hydroxyapatite or cross-linked collagen-hydroxyapatite, were evaluated in vitro. The periodontal regeneration capability of collagen-hydroxyapatite scaffold with or without bone marrow stem cells was tested in six beagle dogs, with each dog carrying one sham-operated site as healthy control, and three labial alveolar bone defects untreated to allow natural healing, treated with bone marrow stem cells - collagen-hydroxyapatite scaffold implant or collagen-hydroxyapatite scaffold implant, respectively. Animals were euthanized at 3 and 6 months (3 animals per group) after implantation and the resected maxillary and mandibular segments were examined using micro-computed tomography scan, H&E staining, Masson's staining and histometric evaluation. Bone marrow stem cells were successfully isolated and demonstrated self-renewal and multi-potency in vitro. The porous collagen-hydroxyapatite and cross-linked collagen-hydroxyapatite had average pore sizes of 415 ± 20 µm and 203 ± 18 µm and porosity of 69 ± 0.5% and 50 ± 0.2%, respectively. The attachment, proliferation and migration of bone marrow stem cells were satisfactory on both porous collagen-hydroxyapatite and cross-linked collagen-hydroxyapatite scaffolds. Implantation of bone marrow stem cells - collagen-hydroxyapatite or collagen-hydroxyapatite scaffold in

  1. Social disorganization and the profile of child welfare: Explaining child welfare activity by the community-level factors.

    PubMed

    Harrikari, Timo

    2014-10-01

    This article addresses the question of the structure of local child welfare activities in light of community-level factors. It poses the following research questions: how are different community-level factors related to child welfare client structures in communities and what is the extent to which these factors explain structural differences? The applied theoretical framework is based on social disorganization and strain theories as well as human developmental approach. The data has been collected from two Finnish national databases and it consists of variables containing 257 Finnish municipalities. The method of analysis is multinomial logistic regression. The results suggest that the local child welfare structures are tied to social disorganization, policing and culture as well as to the intensity of control in the communities. In general, the more fragile the communal structures, the more last-resort child welfare there is in the community. Combining fragile communal structures with weak dependency ratio and high proportion of social workers, the more intense the level of child welfare statistics indicated. The results indicate that the theoretical framework for the application of child welfare activity analysis is justified, but they also suggest that it requires further development through both context-bound reflection and application. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Collagen structure of tendon relates to function.

    PubMed

    Franchi, Marco; Trirè, Alessandra; Quaranta, Marilisa; Orsini, Ester; Ottani, Victoria

    2007-03-30

    A tendon is a tough band of fibrous connective tissue that connects muscle to bone, designed to transmit forces and withstand tension during muscle contraction. Tendon may be surrounded by different structures: 1) fibrous sheaths or retinaculae; 2) reflection pulleys; 3) synovial sheaths; 4) peritendon sheaths; 5) tendon bursae. Tendons contain a) few cells, mostly represented by tenoblasts along with endothelial cells and some chondrocytes; b) proteoglycans (PGs), mainly decorin and hyaluronan, and c) collagen, mostly type I. Tendon is a good example of a high ordered extracellular matrix in which collagen molecules assemble into filamentous collagen fibrils (formed by microfibrils) which aggregate to form collagen fibers, the main structural components. It represents a multihierarchical structure as it contains collagen molecules arranged in fibrils then grouped in fibril bundles, fascicles and fiber bundles that are almost parallel to the long axis of the tendon, named as primary, secondary and tertiary bundles. Collagen fibrils in tendons show prevalently large diameter, a D-period of about 67 nm and appear built of collagen molecules lying at a slight angle (< 5 degrees). Under polarized light microscopy the collagen fiber bundles appear crimped with alternative dark and light transverse bands. In recent studies tendon crimps observed via SEM and TEM show that the single collagen fibrils suddenly changing their direction contain knots. These knots of collagen fibrils inside each tendon crimp have been termed "fibrillar crimps", and even if they show different aspects they all may fulfil the same functional role. As integral component of musculoskeletal system, the tendon acts to transmit muscle forces to the skeletal system. There is no complete understanding of the mechanisms in transmitting/absorbing tensional forces within the tendon; however it seems likely that a flattening of tendon crimps may occur at a first stage of tendon stretching. Increasing

  3. Proline puckering parameters for collagen structure simulations

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Wu, Di, E-mail: diwu@fudan.edu.cn

    Collagen is made of triple helices rich in proline residues, and hence is influenced by the conformational motions of prolines. Because the backbone motions of prolines are restricted by the helical structures, the only side chain motion—proline puckering—becomes an influential factor that may affect the stability of collagen structures. In molecular simulations, a proper proline puckering population is desired so to yield valid results of the collagen properties. Here we design the proline puckering parameters in order to yield suitable proline puckering populations as demonstrated in the experimental results. We test these parameters in collagen and the proline dipeptide simulations.more » Compared with the results of the PDB and the quantum calculations, we propose the proline puckering parameters for the selected collagen model simulations.« less

  4. Viscoelastic properties of model segments of collagen molecules.

    PubMed

    Gautieri, Alfonso; Vesentini, Simone; Redaelli, Alberto; Buehler, Markus J

    2012-03-01

    Collagen is the prime construction material in vertebrate biology, determining the mechanical behavior of connective tissues such as tendon, bone and skin. Despite extensive efforts in the investigation of the origin of collagen unique mechanical properties, a deep understanding of the relationship between molecular structure and mechanical properties remains elusive, hindered by the complex hierarchical structure of collagen-based tissues. In particular, although extensive studies of viscoelastic properties have been pursued at the macroscopic (fiber/tissue) level, fewer investigations have been performed at the smaller scales, including in particular collagen molecules and fibrils. These scales are, however, important for a complete understanding of the role of collagen as an important constituent in the extracellular matrix. Here, using an atomistic modeling approach, we perform in silico creep tests of a collagen-like peptide, monitoring the strain-time response for different values of applied external load. The results show that individual collagen molecules exhibit a nonlinear viscoelastic behavior, with a Young's modulus increasing from 6 to 16GPa (for strains up to 20%), a viscosity of 3.84.±0.38Pa·s, and a relaxation time in the range of 0.24-0.64ns. The single molecule viscosity, for the first time reported here, is several orders of magnitude lower than the viscosity found for larger-scale single collagen fibrils, suggesting that the viscous behavior of collagen fibrils and fibers involves additional mechanisms, such as molecular sliding between collagen molecules within the fibril or the effect of relaxation of larger volumes of solvent. Based on our molecular modeling results we propose a simple structural model that describes collagen tissue as a hierarchical structure, providing a bottom-up description of elastic and viscous properties form the properties of the tissue basic building blocks. Copyright © 2011 International Society of Matrix Biology

  5. Physicochemical properties of collagen solutions cross-linked by glutaraldehyde.

    PubMed

    Tian, Zhenhua; Li, Conghu; Duan, Lian; Li, Guoying

    2014-06-01

    The physicochemical properties of collagen solutions (5 mg/ml) cross-linked by various amounts of glutaraldehyde (GTA) [GTA/collagen (w/w) = 0-0.5] under acidic condition (pH 4.00) were examined. Based on the results of the determination of residual amino group content, sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, dynamic rheological measurements, differential scanning calorimetry and atomic force microscopy (AFM), it was proved that the collagen solutions possessed strikingly different physicochemical properties depending on the amount of GTA. At low GTA amounts [GTA/collagen (w/w) ≤ 0.1], the residual amino group contents of the cross-linked collagens decreased largely from 100% to 32.76%, accompanied by an increase in the molecular weight. Additionally, increases of the fiber diameter and the values of G', G″ and η* were measured, while the thermal denaturation temperature (Td) did not change visibly and the fluidity of collagen samples was still retained with increasing the GTA amount. When the ratio of GTA to collagen exceeded 0.1, although the residual amino group content only decreased by ~8.2%, the cross-linked collagen solution [GTA/collagen (w/w) = 0.3] displayed a clear loss of flow and a sudden rise (~2.0 °C) of the Td value compared to the uncross-linked collagen solution, probably illustrating that the collagen solution was converted into a gel with mature network structure-containing nuclei observed in AFM image. It was conjectured that the physicochemical properties of the collagen solutions might be in connection with the cross-linking between collagen molecules from the same aggregate or different aggregates.

  6. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: increased solubility of skin collagen

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ono, S.; Yamauchi, M.

    1992-01-01

    We studied the solubility of skin collagen from six patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and six controls. The amount of collagen extracted with neutral salt solution was significantly greater in patients with ALS than in controls. In addition, there was a statistically significant increase in the proportion of collagen extracted from ALS patients with increased duration of illness. The collagen solubilized by pepsin and cyanogen bromide treatments was significantly higher in ALS patients than in controls, and its proportion was positively and significantly associated with duration of illness in ALS patients. These results indicate that the metabolism of skin collagen may be affected in the disease process of ALS, causing an increase in immature soluble collagen in the tissue, which is the opposite to that which occurs in the normal aging process.

  7. Local delivery of a collagen-binding FGF-1 chimera to smooth muscle cells in collagen scaffolds for vascular tissue engineering.

    PubMed

    Pang, Yonggang; Wang, Xiaoli; Ucuzian, Areck A; Brey, Eric M; Burgess, Wilson H; Jones, Kathryn J; Alexander, Thomas D; Greisler, Howard P

    2010-02-01

    We investigated the delivery of R136K-CBD (a collagen-binding mutant chimera of fibroblast growth factor-1) with a type I collagen scaffold as the delivery vehicle to smooth muscle cells (SMCs) for vascular tissue engineering. The binding affinity of R136K-CBD to 3-D collagen scaffolds was investigated both in the presence and absence of cells and/or salts. 2-D and 3-D visualization of delivery of R136K-CBD into SMCs were accomplished by combined fluorescent and reflection confocal microscopy. The mitogenic effect of collagen-immobilized R136K-CBD on SMCs in 3-D collagen was studied by Cyquant assay at different time intervals. In the group devoid of salt and cells, no detectable release of R136K-CBD into overlying culture media was found, compared with burst-and-continuous release of R136K and FGF-1 over a 14-day period in all other groups. The release rate of R136K-CBD was 1.7 and 1.6-fold less than R-136K and FGF-1 when media was supplemented with 2m salt (P<0.0001), and 2.6 and 2.5-fold less in cell-populated collagen hydrogels (P<0.0001), respectively. R136K-CBD showed essentially uniform binding to collagen and its distribution was dependent on that of the collagen scaffold. Internalization of R136K-CBD into SMCs was documented by confocal microscopy. 3-D local delivery of collagen-immobilized R136K-CBD increased the proliferation of SMCs in the collagen matrix to significantly greater levels and for a significantly greater duration than R136K or FGF-1, with 2.0 and 2.1-fold more mitogenicity than R136K and FGF-1 respectively (P<0.0001) at day 7. The results suggest that our collagen-binding fusion protein is an effective strategy for growth factor delivery for vascular tissue engineering.

  8. Aspartic Acid Racemization and Collagen Degradation Markers Reveal an Accumulation of Damage in Tendon Collagen That Is Enhanced with Aging*

    PubMed Central

    Thorpe, Chavaunne T.; Streeter, Ian; Pinchbeck, Gina L.; Goodship, Allen E.; Clegg, Peter D.; Birch, Helen L.

    2010-01-01

    Little is known about the rate at which protein turnover occurs in living tendon and whether the rate differs between tendons with different physiological roles. In this study, we have quantified the racemization of aspartic acid to calculate the age of the collagenous and non-collagenous components of the high strain injury-prone superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) and low strain rarely injured common digital extensor tendon (CDET) in a group of horses with a wide age range. In addition, the turnover of collagen was assessed indirectly by measuring the levels of collagen degradation markers (collagenase-generated neoepitope and cross-linked telopeptide of type I collagen). The fractional increase in d-Asp was similar (p = 0.7) in the SDFT (5.87 × 10−4/year) and CDET (5.82 × 10−4/year) tissue, and d/l-Asp ratios showed a good correlation with pentosidine levels. We calculated a mean (±S.E.) collagen half-life of 197.53 (±18.23) years for the SDFT, which increased significantly with horse age (p = 0.03) and was significantly (p < 0.001) higher than that for the CDET (34.03 (±3.39) years). Using similar calculations, the half-life of non-collagenous protein was 2.18 (±0.41) years in the SDFT and was significantly (p = 0.04) lower than the value of 3.51 (±0.51) years for the CDET. Collagen degradation markers were higher in the CDET and suggested an accumulation of partially degraded collagen within the matrix with aging in the SDFT. We propose that increased susceptibility to injury in older individuals results from an inability to remove partially degraded collagen from the matrix leading to reduced mechanical competence. PMID:20308077

  9. The synthesis and coupling of photoreactive collagen-based peptides to restore integrin reactivity to an inert substrate, chemically-crosslinked collagen

    PubMed Central

    Malcor, Jean-Daniel; Bax, Daniel; Hamaia, Samir W.; Davidenko, Natalia; Best, Serena M.; Cameron, Ruth E.; Farndale, Richard W.; Bihan, Dominique

    2016-01-01

    Collagen is frequently advocated as a scaffold for use in regenerative medicine. Increasing the mechanical stability of a collagen scaffold is widely achieved by cross-linking using 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide (EDC) and N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS). However, this treatment consumes the carboxylate-containing amino acid sidechains that are crucial for recognition by the cell-surface integrins, abolishing cell adhesion. Here, we restore cell reactivity to a cross-linked type I collagen film by covalently linking synthetic triple-helical peptides (THPs), mimicking the structure of collagen. These THPs are ligands containing an active cell-recognition motif, GFOGER, a high-affinity binding site for the collagen-binding integrins. We end-stapled peptide strands containing GFOGER by coupling a short diglutamate-containing peptide to their N-terminus, improving the thermal stability of the resulting THP. A photoreactive Diazirine group was grafted onto the end-stapled THP to allow covalent linkage to the collagen film upon UV activation. Such GFOGER-derivatized collagen films showed restored affinity for the ligand-binding I domain of integrin α2β1, and increased integrin-dependent cell attachment and spreading of HT1080 and Rugli cell lines, expressing integrins α2β1 and α1β1, respectively. The method we describe has wide application, beyond collagen films or scaffolds, since the photoreactive diazirine will react with many organic carbon skeletons. PMID:26854392

  10. Multifactorial causal model of brain (dis)organization and therapeutic intervention: Application to Alzheimer's disease.

    PubMed

    Iturria-Medina, Yasser; Carbonell, Félix M; Sotero, Roberto C; Chouinard-Decorte, Francois; Evans, Alan C

    2017-05-15

    Generative models focused on multifactorial causal mechanisms in brain disorders are scarce and generally based on limited data. Despite the biological importance of the multiple interacting processes, their effects remain poorly characterized from an integrative analytic perspective. Here, we propose a spatiotemporal multifactorial causal model (MCM) of brain (dis)organization and therapeutic intervention that accounts for local causal interactions, effects propagation via physical brain networks, cognitive alterations, and identification of optimum therapeutic interventions. In this article, we focus on describing the model and applying it at the population-based level for studying late onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD). By interrelating six different neuroimaging modalities and cognitive measurements, this model accurately predicts spatiotemporal alterations in brain amyloid-β (Aβ) burden, glucose metabolism, vascular flow, resting state functional activity, structural properties, and cognitive integrity. The results suggest that a vascular dysregulation may be the most-likely initial pathologic event leading to LOAD. Nevertheless, they also suggest that LOAD it is not caused by a unique dominant biological factor (e.g. vascular or Aβ) but by the complex interplay among multiple relevant direct interactions. Furthermore, using theoretical control analysis of the identified population-based multifactorial causal network, we show the crucial advantage of using combinatorial over single-target treatments, explain why one-target Aβ based therapies might fail to improve clinical outcomes, and propose an efficiency ranking of possible LOAD interventions. Although still requiring further validation at the individual level, this work presents the first analytic framework for dynamic multifactorial brain (dis)organization that may explain both the pathologic evolution of progressive neurological disorders and operationalize the influence of multiple interventional

  11. Mechanisms of lamellar collagen formation in connective tissues.

    PubMed

    Ghazanfari, Samaneh; Khademhosseini, Ali; Smit, Theodoor H

    2016-08-01

    The objective of tissue engineering is to regenerate functional tissues. Engineering functional tissues requires an understanding of the mechanisms that guide the formation and evolution of structure in the extracellular matrix (ECM). In particular, the three-dimensional (3D) collagen fiber arrangement is important as it is the key structural determinant that provides mechanical integrity and biological function. In this review, we survey the current knowledge on collagen organization mechanisms that can be applied to create well-structured functional lamellar tissues and in particular intervertebral disc and cornea. Thus far, the mechanisms behind the formation of cross-aligned collagen fibers in the lamellar structures is not fully understood. We start with cell-induced collagen alignment and strain-stabilization behavior mechanisms which can explain a single anisotropically aligned collagen fiber layer. These mechanisms may explain why there is anisotropy in a single layer in the first place. However, they cannot explain why a consecutive collagen layer is laid down with an alternating alignment. Therefore, we explored another mechanism, called liquid crystal phasing. While dense concentrations of collagen show such behavior, there is little evidence that the conditions for liquid crystal phasing are actually met in vivo. Instead, lysyl aldehyde-derived collagen cross-links have been found essential for correct lamellar matrix deposition. Furthermore, we suggest that supra-cellular (tissue-level) shear stress may be instrumental in the alignment of collagen fibers. Understanding the potential mechanisms behind the lamellar collagen structure in connective tissues will lead to further improvement of the regeneration strategies of functional complex lamellar tissues. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Collagen-Gold Nanoparticle Conjugates for Versatile Biosensing

    PubMed Central

    Unser, Sarah; Holcomb, Samuel; Cary, ReJeana; Sagle, Laura

    2017-01-01

    Integration of noble metal nanoparticles with proteins offers promising potential to create a wide variety of biosensors that possess both improved selectivity and versatility. The multitude of functionalities that proteins offer coupled with the unique optical properties of noble metal nanoparticles can allow for the realization of simple, colorimetric sensors for a significantly larger range of targets. Herein, we integrate the structural protein collagen with 10 nm gold nanoparticles to develop a protein-nanoparticle conjugate which possess the functionality of the protein with the desired colorimetric properties of the nanoparticles. Applying the many interactions that collagen undergoes in the extracellular matrix, we are able to selectively detect both glucose and heparin with the same collagen-nanoparticle conjugate. Glucose is directly detected through the cross-linking of the collagen fibrils, which brings the attached nanoparticles into closer proximity, leading to a red-shift in the LSPR frequency. Conversely, heparin is detected through a competition assay in which heparin-gold nanoparticles are added to solution and compete with heparin in the solution for the binding sites on the collagen fibrils. The collagen-nanoparticle conjugates are shown to detect both glucose and heparin in the physiological range. Lastly, glucose is selectively detected in 50% mouse serum with the collagen-nanoparticle devices possessing a linear range of 3–25 mM, which is also within the physiologically relevant range. PMID:28212282

  13. Comparative proteomic analysis of normal and collagen IX null mouse cartilage reveals altered extracellular matrix composition and novel components of the collagen IX interactome.

    PubMed

    Brachvogel, Bent; Zaucke, Frank; Dave, Keyur; Norris, Emma L; Stermann, Jacek; Dayakli, Münire; Koch, Manuel; Gorman, Jeffrey J; Bateman, John F; Wilson, Richard

    2013-05-10

    Collagen IX is an integral cartilage extracellular matrix component important in skeletal development and joint function. Proteomic analysis and validation studies revealed novel alterations in collagen IX null cartilage. Matrilin-4, collagen XII, thrombospondin-4, fibronectin, βig-h3, and epiphycan are components of the in vivo collagen IX interactome. We applied a proteomics approach to advance our understanding of collagen IX ablation in cartilage. The cartilage extracellular matrix is essential for endochondral bone development and joint function. In addition to the major aggrecan/collagen II framework, the interacting complex of collagen IX, matrilin-3, and cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) is essential for cartilage matrix stability, as mutations in Col9a1, Col9a2, Col9a3, Comp, and Matn3 genes cause multiple epiphyseal dysplasia, in which patients develop early onset osteoarthritis. In mice, collagen IX ablation results in severely disturbed growth plate organization, hypocellular regions, and abnormal chondrocyte shape. This abnormal differentiation is likely to involve altered cell-matrix interactions but the mechanism is not known. To investigate the molecular basis of the collagen IX null phenotype we analyzed global differences in protein abundance between wild-type and knock-out femoral head cartilage by capillary HPLC tandem mass spectrometry. We identified 297 proteins in 3-day cartilage and 397 proteins in 21-day cartilage. Components that were differentially abundant between wild-type and collagen IX-deficient cartilage included 15 extracellular matrix proteins. Collagen IX ablation was associated with dramatically reduced COMP and matrilin-3, consistent with known interactions. Matrilin-1, matrilin-4, epiphycan, and thrombospondin-4 levels were reduced in collagen IX null cartilage, providing the first in vivo evidence for these proteins belonging to the collagen IX interactome. Thrombospondin-4 expression was reduced at the mRNA level

  14. Effects of collagen and collagen hydrolysate from jellyfish umbrella on histological and immunity changes of mice photoaging.

    PubMed

    Fan, Jian; Zhuang, Yongliang; Li, Bafang

    2013-01-17

    Jellyfish collagen (JC) was extracted from jellyfish umbrella and hydrolyzed to prepare jellyfish collagen hydrolysate (JCH). The effects of JC and JCH on UV-induced skin damage of mice were evaluated by the skin moisture, microscopic analyses of skin and immunity indexes. The skin moisture analyses showed that moisture retention ability of UV-induced mice skin was increased by JC and JCH. Further histological analysis showed that JC and JCH could repair the endogenous collagen and elastin protein fibers, and could maintain the natural ratio of type I to type III collagen. The immunity indexes showed that JC and JCH play a role in enhancing immunity of photoaging mice in vivo. JCH showed much higher protective ability than JC. These results suggest that JCH as a potential novel antiphotoaging agent from natural resources.

  15. Effects of Collagen and Collagen Hydrolysate from Jellyfish Umbrella on Histological and Immunity Changes of Mice Photoaging

    PubMed Central

    Fan, Jian; Zhuang, Yongliang; Li, Bafang

    2013-01-01

    Jellyfish collagen (JC) was extracted from jellyfish umbrella and hydrolyzed to prepare jellyfish collagen hydrolysate (JCH). The effects of JC and JCH on UV-induced skin damage of mice were evaluated by the skin moisture, microscopic analyses of skin and immunity indexes. The skin moisture analyses showed that moisture retention ability of UV-induced mice skin was increased by JC and JCH. Further histological analysis showed that JC and JCH could repair the endogenous collagen and elastin protein fibers, and could maintain the natural ratio of type I to type III collagen. The immunity indexes showed that JC and JCH play a role in enhancing immunity of photoaging mice in vivo. JCH showed much higher protective ability than JC. These results suggest that JCH as a potential novel antiphotoaging agent from natural resources. PMID:23344251

  16. Fibrinogen inhibits fibroblast-mediated contraction of collagen

    PubMed Central

    Nien, Yih-Dar; Han, Yuan-Ping; Tawil, Bill; Chan, Linda S.; Tuan, Tai-Lan; Garner, Warren L.

    2008-01-01

    Extracellular matrix changes in composition and organization as it transitions from the provisional matrix of the fibrin/platelet plug to collagen scar in healed wounds. The manner in which individual matrix proteins affect these activities is not well established. In this article we describe the interactions of two important extracellular matrix components, fibrin and collagen, using an in vitro model of wound contraction, the fibroblast-populated collagen lattice. We utilized different fibrinogen sources and measured tissue reorganization in floating and tensioned collagen lattices. Our results showed that both fibrin and fibrinogen decreased the contraction of fibroblast populated collagen lattices in a dose-dependent manner. Polymerization of fibrinogen to fibrin using thrombin had no effect on this inhibition. Further, there was no effect due to changes in protein concentration, alternate components of the fibrin sealant, or the enzymatic action of thrombin. These results suggest that the initial stability of the fibrin provisional matrix is due to the fibrin, because this protein appears to inhibit contraction of the matrix. This may be important in the early phases of wound healing when clot stability is vital for hemostasis. Later, as fibrin is replaced by collagen, wound contraction can occur. PMID:12950643

  17. New recommendations for measuring collagen solubility.

    PubMed

    Latorre, María E; Lifschitz, Adrian L; Purslow, Peter P

    2016-08-01

    The heat-solubility of intramuscular collagen is usually conducted in 1/4 Ringer's solution at pH7.4, despite this ionic strength and pH being inappropriate for post-rigor meat. The current work studied the percentage of soluble collagen and hydrothermal isometric tension characteristics of perimysial strips on bovine semitendinosus muscles in either 1/4 Ringer's solution, distilled water, PBS, or a solution of the same salt concentration as 1/4 Ringer's but at pH5.6. Values of % soluble collagen were lower at pH7.4 than 5.6. Increasing ionic strength reduced % soluble collagen. The maximum perimysial isometric tension was independent of the bathing medium, but the percent relaxation was higher at pH7.4 than at pH5.6, and increased with ionic strength of the media. It is recommended that future measurements of collagen solubility and tests on connective tissue components of post-rigor meat should be carried out in a solution of concentrations NaCl and KCl equivalent to those in 1/4 Ringer's, but at pH5.6, a pH relevant to post-rigor meat. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Dopaminergic, Serotonergic, and Oxytonergic Candidate Genes Associated with Infant Attachment Security and Disorganization? In Search of Main and Interaction Effects

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Luijk, Maartje P. C. M.; Roisman, Glenn I.; Haltigan, John D.; Tiemeier, Henning; Booth-LaForce, Cathryn; van IJzendoorn, Marinus H.; Belsky, Jay; Uitterlinden, Andre G.; Jaddoe, Vincent W. V.; Hofman, Albert; Verhulst, Frank C.; Tharner, Anne; Bakermans-Kranenburg, Marian J.

    2011-01-01

    Background and methods: In two birth cohort studies with genetic, sensitive parenting, and attachment data of more than 1,000 infants in total, we tested main and interaction effects of candidate genes involved in the dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin systems ("DRD4", "DRD2", "COMT", "5-HTT", "OXTR") on attachment security and disorganization.…

  19. Chondrogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells on fish scale collagen.

    PubMed

    Hsu, Han-Hsiu; Uemura, Toshimasa; Yamaguchi, Isamu; Ikoma, Toshiyuki; Tanaka, Junzo

    2016-08-01

    Fish collagen has recently been reported to be a novel biomaterial for cell and tissue culture as an alternative to conventional mammalian collagens such as bovine and porcine collagens. Fish collagen could overcome the risk of zoonosis, such as from bovine spongiform encephalopathy. Among fish collagens, tilapia collagen, the denaturing temperature of which is near 37°C, is appropriate for cell and tissue culture. In this study, we investigated chondrogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) cultured on tilapia scale collagen fibrils compared with porcine collagen and non-coated dishes. The collagen fibrils were observed using a scanning electronic microscope. Safranin O staining, glycosaminoglycans (GAG) expression, and real-time PCR were examined to evaluate chondrogenesis of hMSCs on each type of collagen fibril. The results showed that hMSCs cultured on tilapia scale collagen showed stronger Safranin O staining and higher GAG expression at day 6. Results of real-time PCR indicated that hMSCs cultured on tilapia collagen showed earlier SOX9 expression on day 4 and higher AGGRECAN and COLLAGEN II expression on day 6 compared with on porcine collagen and non-coated dishes. Furthermore, low mRNA levels of bone gamma-carboxyglutamate, a specific marker of osteogenesis, showed that tilapia collagen fibrils specifically enhanced chondrogenic differentiation of hMSCs in chondrogenic medium, as well as porcine collagen. Accordingly, tilapia scale collagen may provide an appropriate collagen source for hMSC chondrogenesis in vitro. Copyright © 2016 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Mechanical response of collagen molecule under hydrostatic compression.

    PubMed

    Saini, Karanvir; Kumar, Navin

    2015-04-01

    Proteins like collagen are the basic building blocks of various body tissues (soft and hard). Collagen molecules find their presence in the skeletal system of the body where they bear mechanical loads from different directions, either individually or along with hydroxy-apatite crystals. Therefore, it is very important to understand the mechanical behavior of the collagen molecule which is subjected to multi-axial state of loading. The estimation of strains of collagen molecule along different directions resulting from the changes in hydrostatic pressure magnitude, can provide us new insights into its mechanical behavior. In the present work, full atomistic simulations have been used to study global (volumetric) as well as local (along different directions) mechanical properties of the hydrated collagen molecule which is subjected to different hydrostatic pressure magnitudes. To estimate the local mechanical properties, the strains of collagen molecule along its longitudinal and transverse directions have been acquired at different hydrostatic pressure magnitudes. In spite of non-homogeneous distribution of atoms within the collagen molecule, the calculated values of local mechanical properties have been found to carry the same order of magnitude along the longitudinal and transverse directions. It has been demonstrated that the values of global mechanical properties like compressibility, bulk modulus, etc. as well as local mechanical properties like linear compressibility, linear elastic modulus, etc. are functions of magnitudes of applied hydrostatic pressures. The mechanical characteristics of collagen molecule based on the atomistic model have also been compared with that of the continuum model in the present work. The comparison showed up orthotropic material behavior for the collagen molecule. The information on collagen molecule provided in the present study can be very helpful in designing the future bio-materials. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights

  1. Collagen XVII: A Shared Antigen in Neurodermatological Interactions?

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Collagen XVII is a nonfibril-forming transmembrane collagen, which functions as both a matrix protein and a cell-surface receptor. It is particularly copious in the skin, where it is known to be a structural component of hemidesmosomes. In addition, collagen XVII has been found to be present in the central nervous system, thus offering an explanation for the statistical association between bullous pemphigoid, in which autoimmunity is directed against dermal collagen XVII, and neurological diseases. In support of the hypothesis that collagen XVII serves as a shared antigen mediating an immune response between skin and brain, research on animal and human tissue, as well as numerous epidemiological and case studies, is presented. PMID:23878581

  2. Effect of carboxymethylcellulose on fibril formation of collagen in vitro.

    PubMed

    Ding, Cuicui; Shi, Ronghui; Zheng, Zhigong; Zhang, Min

    2018-01-01

    The effect of carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) on the fibril formation of collagen in vitro was studied by turbidity measurements and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The kinetics curves of fibril formation indicated that the rate of collagen fibrillogenesis was decreased with the addition of CMC, meanwhile the final turbidity was obviously increased as the CMC/collagen ratio reached 30%. The AFM images of collagen-CMC solutions showed that the number of nucleation sites of collagen fibrillogenesis was significantly increased with the presence of CMC, while the diameter of immature collagen fibrils was obviously decreased. Moreover, the thermal stability of collagen fibril hydrogels was obviously improved with the presence of CMC. In addition, the morphologies of collagen fibrils observed by AFM revealed that the adjacent fibril segments or fibrils were intertwisted and even tightly merged, probably due to the hydrogen bonding and molecular entanglement interactions between CMC and collagen molecules.

  3. Electrophoretic mobility patterns of collagen following laser welding

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bass, Lawrence S.; Moazami, Nader; Pocsidio, Joanne O.; Oz, Mehmet C.; LoGerfo, Paul; Treat, Michael R.

    1991-06-01

    Clinical application of laser vascular anastomosis in inhibited by a lack of understanding of its mechanism. Whether tissue fusion results from covalent or non-covalent bonding of collagen and other structural proteins is unknown. We compared electrophoretic mobility of collagen in laser treated and untreated specimens of rat tail tendon (>90% type I collagen) and rabbit aorta. Welding was performed, using tissue shrinkage as the clinical endpoint, using the 808 nm diode laser (power density 14 watts/cm2) and topical indocyanine green dye (max absorption 805 nm). Collagen was extracted with 8 M urea (denaturing), 0.5 M acetic acid (non-denaturing) and acetic acid/pepsin (cleaves non- helical protein). Mobility patterns on gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) after urea or acetic acid extraction were identical in the lasered and control tendon and vessel (confirmed by optical densitometry), revealing no evidence of formation of novel covalent bonds. Alpha and beta band intensity was diminished in pepsin incubated lasered specimens compared with controls (optical density ratio 0.00 +/- 9 tendon, 0.65 +/- 0.12 aorta), indicating the presence of denatured collagen. With the laser parameters used, collagen is denatured without formation of covalent bonds, suggesting that non-covalent interaction between denatured collagen molecules may be responsible for the weld. Based on this mechanism, welding parameters can be chosen which produce collagen denaturation without cell death.

  4. Effects of increased collagen-matrix density on the mechanical properties and in vivo absorbability of hydroxyapatite-collagen composites as artificial bone materials.

    PubMed

    Yunoki, Shunji; Sugiura, Hiroaki; Ikoma, Toshiyuki; Kondo, Eiji; Yasuda, Kazunori; Tanaka, Junzo

    2011-02-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of increased collagen-matrix density on the mechanical properties and in vivo absorbability of porous hydroxyapatite (HAp)-collagen composites as artificial bone materials. Seven types of porous HAp-collagen composites were prepared from HAp nanocrystals and dense collagen fibrils. Their densities and HAp/collagen weight ratios ranged from 122 to 331 mg cm⁻³ and from 20/80 to 80/20, respectively. The flexural modulus and strength increased with an increase in density, reaching 2.46 ± 0.48 and 0.651 ± 0.103 MPa, respectively. The porous composites with a higher collagen-matrix density exhibited much higher mechanical properties at the same densities, suggesting that increasing the collagen-matrix density is an effective way of improving the mechanical properties. It was also suggested that other structural factors in addition to collagen-matrix density are required to achieve bone-like mechanical properties. The in vivo absorbability of the composites was investigated in bone defects of rabbit femurs, demonstrating that the absorption rate decreased with increases in the composite density. An exhaustive increase in density is probably limited by decreases in absorbability as artificial bones.

  5. Collagen type I as a ligand for receptor-mediated signaling

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Boraschi-Diaz, Iris; Wang, Jennifer; Mort, John S.; Komarova, Svetlana V.

    2017-05-01

    Collagens form the fibrous component of the extracellular matrix in all multi-cellular animals. Collagen type I is the most abundant collagen present in skin, tendons, vasculature, as well as the organic portion of the calcified tissue of bone and teeth. This review focuses on numerous receptors for which collagen acts as a ligand, including integrins, discoidin domain receptors DDR1 and 2, OSCAR, GPVI, G6b-B and Lair-1 of the leukocyte receptor complex and mannose family receptor uPARAP/Endo 180. We explore the process of collagen production and self-assembly, as well as its degradation by collagenases and gelatinases in order to predict potential temporal and spatial sites of action of different collagen receptors. While the interactions of the mature collagen matrix with integrins and DDR are well-appreciated, potential signals from immature matrix as well as collagen degradation products are possible but not yet described. The role of multiple collagen receptors in physiological processes and their contribution to pathophysiology of diseases affecting collagen homeostasis require further studies.

  6. Measurement of the quadratic hyperpolarizability of the collagen triple helix and application to second harmonic imaging of natural and biomimetic collagenous tissues

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Deniset-Besseau, A.; Strupler, M.; Duboisset, J.; De Sa Peixoto, P.; Benichou, E.; Fligny, C.; Tharaux, P.-L.; Mosser, G.; Brevet, P.-F.; Schanne-Klein, M.-C.

    2009-09-01

    Collagen is a major protein of the extracellular matrix that is characterized by triple helical domains. It plays a central role in the formation of fibrillar and microfibrillar networks, basement membranes, as well as other structures of the connective tissue. Remarkably, fibrillar collagen exhibits efficient Second Harmonic Generation (SHG) so that SHG microscopy proved to be a sensitive tool to probe the three-dimensional architecture of fibrillar collagen and to assess the progression of fibrotic pathologies. We obtained sensitive and reproducible measurements of the fibrosis extent, but we needed quantitative data at the molecular level to further process SHG images. We therefore performed Hyper- Rayleigh Scattering (HRS) experiments and measured a second order hyperpolarisability of 1.25 10-27 esu for rat-tail type I collagen. This value is surprisingly large considering that collagen presents no strong harmonophore in its aminoacid sequence. In order to get insight into the physical origin of this nonlinear process, we performed HRS measurements after denaturation of the collagen triple helix and for a collagen-like short model peptide [(Pro-Pro- Gly)10]3. It showed that the collagen large nonlinear response originates in the tight alignment of a large number of weakly efficient harmonophores, presumably the peptide bonds, resulting in a coherent amplification of the nonlinear signal along the triple helix. To illustrate this mechanism, we successfully recorded SHG images in collagenous biomimetic matrices.

  7. Relative orientation of collagen molecules within a fibril: a homology model for homo sapiens type I collagen.

    PubMed

    Collier, Thomas A; Nash, Anthony; Birch, Helen L; de Leeuw, Nora H

    2018-02-15

    Type I collagen is an essential extracellular protein that plays an important structural role in tissues that require high tensile strength. However, owing to the molecule's size, to date no experimental structural data are available for the Homo sapiens species. Therefore, there is a real need to develop a reliable homology model and a method to study the packing of the collagen molecules within the fibril. Through the use of the homology model and implementation of a novel simulation technique, we have ascertained the orientations of the collagen molecules within a fibril, which is currently below the resolution limit of experimental techniques. The longitudinal orientation of collagen molecules within a fibril has a significant effect on the mechanical and biological properties of the fibril, owing to the different amino acid side chains available at the interface between the molecules.

  8. Immunolocalization of type X collagen in normal fetal and adult osteoarthritic cartilage with monoclonal antibodies.

    PubMed

    Girkontaite, I; Frischholz, S; Lammi, P; Wagner, K; Swoboda, B; Aigner, T; Von der Mark, K

    1996-09-01

    For studies on processing and tissue distribution of type X collagen, monoclonal antibodies were prepared against human recombinant collagen type X (hrCol X) and tested by ELISA, immunoblotting and immunohistology. Forty-two clones were obtained which were grouped into four different subsets based on their reactivity against native and denatured hrCol X, pepsin-treated hrCol X, and the C-terminal NC-1 domain. Here we present results obtained with four monoclonal antibodies: Clone X 53, a representative of group I, binds with high affinity to both native and pepsin-digested hrCol X but with low affinity to the NC-1 dimer; monoclonal antibodies of group II and III recognized native and denatured hrCol X but not NC-1; antibodies of group II, but not III, reacted to some extent with pepsin treated hrCol X; one antibody (X 34) was obtained that reacted strongly with the isolated NC-1 dimer and native hrCol X but not with the NC-1 monomer or pepsin-digested hrCol X (group IV). Antibodies of all groups stained specifically the hypertrophic zone of fetal human epiphyseal cartilage. Mab X 53 stained the peri- and extracellular matrix of hypertrophic chondrocytes in the lower hypertrophic zone and in the calcified cartilage core in endochondral bone trabecules, while clone X 34 stained intracellularly and the pericellular matrix. All other tissues or cells of the epiphysis were negative. Antibody X 53 reacted also with canine, murine and guinea pig hypertrophic cartilage in tissue sections, but not with bovine or porcine type X collagen. In sections of osteoarthritic cartilage, clusters of hypertrophic chondrocytes in the deep zone were stained, confirming previous observations on enhanced chondrocyte hypertrophy and type X collagen expression in osteoarthritic articular cartilage.

  9. Prostaglandin E1 inhibits collagen expression in anti-thymocyte antibody-induced glomerulonephritis: possible role of TGF beta.

    PubMed

    Schneider, A; Thaiss, F; Rau, H P; Wolf, G; Zahner, G; Jocks, T; Helmchen, U; Stahl, R A

    1996-07-01

    To test whether or not prostaglandins mediate extracellular matrix formation in immune-mediated glomerular disease, rats with anti-thymocyte antibody-induced glomerulonephritis were treated with prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) (250 micrograms/twice daily/s.c.). Glomerular expression of collagen types III and IV was assessed by Northern blotting, immunohistology and Western blotting. Proliferation of glomerular cells was evaluated by staining for the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and consecutive cell counting. At day five after induction of the disease, glomerular mRNA levels of collagen types III and IV were three- to fivefold higher compared with non-nephritic controls. Similarly glomerular deposition of these collagens was markedly increased when assessed by immunohistology. The treatment of nephritic rats with PGE1 reduced the increased glomerular mRNA levels as well as the protein concentration and the deposition of extracellular collagens. The number of PCNA positive cells which was significantly higher in nephritic rats when compared with control animals (24 hr, nephritis 2.53 +/- 0.33 and Control 0.26 +/- 0.06, P = 0.011; 5 days, nephritis 5.10 +/- 1.13 and Control 0.75 +/- 0.08, cells per glomerular cross section, P = 0.03) was reduced by PGE1 (24 hr, nephritis+PGE1 0.44 +/- 0.30, P = 0.0001; 5 days, nephritis +/- PGE1 1.91 +/- 1.84 cells per glomerular cross section, P = 0.001). Prostaglandin E1 also ameliorated the glomerular infiltration of monocytes at 24 hours (nephritis 4.36 +/- 2.82, nephritis + PGE1 2.20 +/- 1.82, cells per glomerular cross section) and five days (nephritis 1.51 +/- 0.58, nephritis+PGE1 1.12 +/- 0.61, cells per glomerular cross section). To further characterize possible mechanisms by which PGE1 reduces extracellular matrix deposition, the glomerular expression of transforming growth factor (TGF-beta), and interleukin 1 beta (IL-1 beta) was assessed by Northern blotting. Nephritic glomeruli showed increased mRNA levels of TGF

  10. Collagen scaffolds derived from a marine source and their biocompatibility.

    PubMed

    Song, Eun; Yeon Kim, So; Chun, Taehoon; Byun, Hyun-Jung; Lee, Young Moo

    2006-05-01

    The primary sources of industrial collagens are calf skin and bone. However, these carry a high risk of bovine spongiform encephalopathy or transmissible spongiform encephalopathy. In this study, a novel form of acid-soluble collagen was extracted from jellyfish in an effort to obtain an alternative and safer collagen. Porous scaffolds composed of jellyfish collagen were prepared by freeze-drying and cross-linking with 1-ethyl-(3-3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide hydrochloride/N-hydroxysuccinimide to be used in tissue engineering applications. Enzymatic degradation kinetics of jellyfish collagen scaffolds were controlled by EDC/NHS-cross-linking density. Results from an MTT assay indicated that jellyfish collagen exhibited higher cell viability than other naturally derived biomaterials, including bovine collagen, gelatin, hyaluronic acid, and glucan. Jellyfish collagen scaffolds also had a highly porous and interconnected pore structure, which is useful for an high-density cell seeding, an efficient nutrient and an oxygen supply to the cells cultured in the three-dimensional matrices. To determine whether jellyfish collagen evokes any specific inflammatory response compared to that induced by bovine collagen or gelatin, we measured the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and antibody secretions and monitored the population changes of immune cells after in vivo implantation. Jellyfish collagen was found to induce an immune response at least comparable to those caused by bovine collagen and gelatin.

  11. How electrostatic networks modulate specificity and stability of collagen.

    PubMed

    Zheng, Hongning; Lu, Cheng; Lan, Jun; Fan, Shilong; Nanda, Vikas; Xu, Fei

    2018-06-12

    One-quarter of the 28 types of natural collagen exist as heterotrimers. The oligomerization state of collagen affects the structure and mechanics of the extracellular matrix, providing essential cues to modulate biological and pathological processes. A lack of high-resolution structural information limits our mechanistic understanding of collagen heterospecific self-assembly. Here, the 1.77-Å resolution structure of a synthetic heterotrimer demonstrates the balance of intermolecular electrostatics and hydrogen bonding that affects collagen stability and heterospecificity of assembly. Atomistic simulations and mutagenesis based on the solved structure are used to explore the contributions of specific interactions to energetics. A predictive model of collagen stability and specificity is developed for engineering novel collagen structures.

  12. [Study on hydrothermal stability of the collagen].

    PubMed

    Wang, Yajuan; Chen, Hui; Shan, Zhihua

    2009-02-01

    The low hydrothermal stability of the raw collagen restricts its usage. To improve the hydrothermal stability of collagen, two kinds of materials with weak astringency were used by experts. The research proved that the synergistic effect was formed during the process. In this study, by using UV, FT-IR, 13CNMR spectra and elemental analysis on the salicylic acid and metal-salicylic complexes, we could get the structural formula of every compound. And then, the hide powder was treated with the compounds. At last, the treated hide powder was tested by DSC. It could be presumed that the Rigid Matrix formed between the collagen doses can increase the hydrothermal stability of raw collagen, The result indicated that salicylic-chrome with large stable constant was better than others in improving the heat resistance of raw collagen, and the denaturalization temperature of hide powder treated with salicylic-chrome was 146.7 degrees C. Salicylic-aluminum was in the second place, the relevant temperature being 145.7 degrees C.

  13. Investigating the relationship between changes in collagen fiber orientation during skin aging and collagen/water interactions by polarized-FTIR microimaging.

    PubMed

    Eklouh-Molinier, Christophe; Happillon, Teddy; Bouland, Nicole; Fichel, Caroline; Diébold, Marie-Danièle; Angiboust, Jean-François; Manfait, Michel; Brassart-Pasco, Sylvie; Piot, Olivier

    2015-09-21

    Upon chronological aging, human skin undergoes structural and molecular modifications, especially at the level of type I collagen. This macromolecule is one of the main dermal structural proteins and presents several age-related alterations. It exhibits a triple helical structure and assembles itself to form fibrils and fibers. In addition, water plays an important role in stabilizing the collagen triple helix by forming hydrogen-bonds between collagen residues. However, the influence of water on changes of dermal collagen fiber orientation with age has not been yet understood. Polarized-Fourier Transform Infrared (P-FTIR) imaging is an interesting biophotonic approach to determine in situ the orientation of type I collagen fibers, as we have recently shown by comparing skin samples of different ages. In this work, P-FTIR spectral imaging was performed on skin samples from two age groups (35- and 38-year-old on the one hand, 60- and 66-year-old on the other hand), and our analyses were focused on the effect of H2O/D2O substitution. Spectral data were processed with fuzzy C-means (FCM) clustering in order to distinguish different orientations of collagen fibers. We demonstrated that the orientation was altered with aging, and that D2O treatment, affecting primarily highly bound water molecules, is more marked for the youngest skin samples. Collagen-bound water-related spectral markers were also highlighted. Our results suggest a weakening of water/collagen interactions with age. This non-destructive and label-free methodology allows us to understand better the importance of bound water in collagen fiber orientation alterations occurring with skin aging. Obtaining such structural information could find benefits in dermatology as well as in cosmetics.

  14. Inhibition of Glycoprotein VI Clustering by Collagen as a Mechanism of Inhibiting Collagen-Induced Platelet Responses: The Example of Losartan

    PubMed Central

    Jiang, Peng; Loyau, Stéphane; Tchitchinadze, Maria; Ropers, Jacques; Jondeau, Guillaume; Jandrot-Perrus, Martine

    2015-01-01

    Exposure of platelets to collagen triggers the formation of a platelet clot. Pharmacological agents capable of inhibiting platelet activation by collagen are thus of potential therapeutic interest. Thrombus formation is initiated by the interaction of the GPIb-V-IX complex with collagen-bound vWF, while GPVI interaction with collagen triggers platelet activation that is reinforced by ADP and thromboxane A2. Losartan is an angiotensin II (Ang II) type I receptor (AT1R) antagonist proposed to have an antiplatelet activity via the inhibition of both the thromboxane A2 (TXA2) receptor (TP) and the glycoprotein VI (GPVI). Here, we characterized in vitro the effects of losartan at different doses on platelet responses: losartan inhibited platelet aggregation and secretion induced by 1 μg.mL-1 and 10 μg.mL-1 of collagen with an IC50 of ~ 6 μM. Losartan inhibited platelet responses induced by the GPVI specific collagen related peptide but not by the α2β1 specific peptide. However, losartan did not inhibit the binding of recombinant GPVI to collagen, which is not in favor of a simple competition. Indeed, the clustering of GPVI observed in flow cytometry and using the Duolink methodology, was inhibited by losartan. The impact of a therapeutic dose of losartan (100 mg/day) on platelet responses was analyzed ex vivo in a double blind study. No statistically significant differences were observed between losartan-treated (n=25) and non-treated (n=30) patients in terms of collagen and U46619-induced platelet activation. These data indicate that in treated patients, losartan does not achieve a measurable antiplatelet effect but provide the proof of concept that inhibiting collagen-induced GPVI clustering is of pharmacological interest to obtain an antithrombotic efficacy. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00763893 PMID:26052700

  15. Changes in type I collagen following laser welding.

    PubMed

    Bass, L S; Moazami, N; Pocsidio, J; Oz, M C; LoGerfo, P; Treat, M R

    1992-01-01

    Selection of ideal laser parameters for tissue welding is inhibited by poor understanding of the mechanism. We investigated structural changes in collagen molecules extracted from rat tail tendon (> 90% type I collagen) after tissue welding using an 808 nm diode laser and indocyanine green dye applied to the weld site. Mobility patterns on SDS-PAGE were identical in the lasered and untreated tendon extracts with urea or acetic acid. Pepsin incubation after acetic acid extraction revealed a reduction of collagen alpha and beta bands in lasered compared with untreated specimens. Circular dichroism studies of rat tail tendon showed absence of helical structure in collagen from lasered tendon. No evidence for covalent bonding was present in laser-treated tissues. Collagen molecules are denatured by the laser wavelength and parameters used in this study. No significant amount of helical structure is regenerated on cooling. We conclude that non-covalent interactions between denatured collagen molecules may be responsible for the creation of tissue welding.

  16. Optimum conditions for extracting collagen from the tunica albuginea of immunologically castrated pig testes and the functional properties of the isolated collagen.

    PubMed

    Simões, Gislaine Silveira; Silveira, Expedito Tadeu Facco; de Oliveira, Simone Raymundo; Poleze, Evandro; Allison, Jim R D; Ida, Elza Iouko; Shimokomaki, Massami

    2014-04-01

    This study evaluated alternative methods for extracting collagen from the tunica albuginea of pig testes and characterized the functional properties of the isolated collagen. Using the statistical tools of factorial design (2⁴⁻¹) and a central composite rotatable design (2³), it was concluded that the best conditions were 0.83 mol L⁻¹ acetic acid, 0.24% pepsin and 28 h of hydrolysis to isolate 82.54 g of collagen per 100g of sample. This purified collagen had improved functional properties in relation to bovine skin collagen, including water solubility, water-holding capacity, emulsifying capacity and emulsion stability. These results suggest that isolated collagen from the tunica albuginea can be used in pharmaceutical and food products. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Micromechanical testing of individual collagen fibrils.

    PubMed

    van der Rijt, Joost A J; van der Werf, Kees O; Bennink, Martin L; Dijkstra, Pieter J; Feijen, Jan

    2006-09-15

    A novel method based on AFM was used to attach individual collagen fibrils between a glass surface and the AFM tip, to allow force spectroscopy studies of these. The fibrils were deposited on glass substrates that are partly coated with Teflon AF. A modified AFM tip was used to accurately deposit epoxy glue droplets on either end of the collagen fibril that cross the glass-Teflon AF interface, as to such attach it with one end to the glass and the other end to the AFM tip. Single collagen fibrils have been mechanically tested in ambient conditions and were found to behave reversibly up to stresses of 90 MPa. Within this regime a Young's modulus of 2-7 GPa was obtained. In aqueous media, the collagen fibrils could be tested reversibly up to about 15 MPa, revealing Young's moduli ranging from 0.2 to at most 0.8 GPa.

  18. Suppression of collagen induced arthritis by idiotype coupled lymphoid cells

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Nagler-Anderson, C.; Gurish, M.F.; Robinson, M.E.

    1986-03-01

    Studies were initiated to evaluate the regulatory influence of idiotype (Id) networks in an experimental auto-immune disease. Collagen induced arthritis is an animal model of polyarthritis induced in susceptible mice by immunization with collagen II (CII). A humoral immune response to CII appears to be critical for the development of diseases. If subpopulations of the anti-CII abs, important for the induction of arthritis, could be identified and manipulated through the presence of a major Id, it should be possible to decrease arthritis incidence by suppressing the production of these Ids. Specifically purified anti-CII abs from arthritic DBA/1 mice were coupledmore » to syngeneic spleen cells and administered IV prior to intradermal immunization with CII. By day 34 after 1/sup 0/ immunization, 100% of control mice and 50% of treated mice had developed arthritis. Suppression of the Id population administered to the treated group was confirmed by RIA. Sera from individual mice were tested as inhibitors of binding of /sup 125/I-labelled polyclonal DBA/1 anti-CII to a rabbit anti-Id directed against polyclonal anti-CII isolated from the sera of arthritic mice. Mean percentage of inhibition of binding of /sup 125/I-Id to rabbit anti-Id by sera from non-arthritic treated mice was found to be significantly lower than that observed in the arthritic control group (p = .045), but did not correlate with total anti-CII ab titers.« less

  19. Marine Origin Collagens and Its Potential Applications

    PubMed Central

    Silva, Tiago H.; Moreira-Silva, Joana; Marques, Ana L. P.; Domingues, Alberta; Bayon, Yves; Reis, Rui L.

    2014-01-01

    Collagens are the most abundant high molecular weight proteins in both invertebrate and vertebrate organisms, including mammals, and possess mainly a structural role, existing different types according with their specific organization in distinct tissues. From this, they have been elected as one of the key biological materials in tissue regeneration approaches. Also, industry is constantly searching for new natural sources of collagen and upgraded methodologies for their production. The most common sources are from bovine and porcine origin, but other ways are making their route, such as recombinant production, but also extraction from marine organisms like fish. Different organisms have been proposed and explored for collagen extraction, allowing the sustainable production of different types of collagens, with properties depending on the kind of organism (and their natural environment) and extraction methodology. Such variety of collagen properties has been further investigated in different ways to render a wide range of applications. The present review aims to shed some light on the contribution of marine collagens for the scientific and technological development of this sector, stressing the opportunities and challenges that they are and most probably will be facing to assume a role as an alternative source for industrial exploitation. PMID:25490254

  20. A collagen-based nerve guide conduit for peripheral nerve repair: an electrophysiological study of nerve regeneration in rodents and nonhuman primates.

    PubMed

    Archibald, S J; Krarup, C; Shefner, J; Li, S T; Madison, R D

    1991-04-22

    When a peripheral nerve is severed and left untreated, the most likely result is the formation of an endbulb neuroma; this tangled mass of disorganized nerve fibers blocks functional recovery following nerve injury. Although there are several different approaches for promoting nerve repair, which have been greatly refined over recent years, the clinical results of peripheral nerve repair remain very disappointing. In this paper we compare the results of a collagen nerve guide conduit to the more standard clinical procedure of nerve autografting to promote repair of transected peripheral nerves in rats and nonhuman primates. In rats, we tested recovery from sciatic nerve transection and repair by 1) direct microsurgical suture, 2) 4 mm autograft, or 3) entubulation repair with collagen-based nerve guide conduits. Evoked muscle action potentials (MAP) were recorded from the gastrocnemius muscle at 4 and 12 weeks following sciatic nerve transection. At 4 weeks the repair group of direct suture demonstrated a significantly greater MAP, compared to the other surgical repair groups. However, at 12 weeks all four surgical repair groups displayed similar levels of recovery of the motor response. In six adult male Macaca fascicularis monkeys the median nerve was transected 2 cm above the wrist and repaired by either a 4 mm nerve autograft or a collagen-based nerve guide conduit leaving a 4 mm gap between nerve ends. Serial studies of motor and sensory fibers were performed by recording the evoked MAP from the abductor pollicis brevis muscle (APB) and the sensory action potential (SAP) evoked by stimulation of digital nerves (digit II), respectively, up to 760 days following surgery. Evoked muscle responses returned to normal baseline levels in all cases. Statistical analysis of the motor responses, as judged by the slope of the recovery curves, indicated a significantly more rapid rate of recovery for the nerve guide repair group. The final level of recovery of the MAP

  1. Collagen like peptide bioconjugates for targeted drug delivery applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Luo, Tianzhi

    Collagen is the most abundant protein in mammals, and there has been long-standing interest in understanding and controlling collagen assembly in the design of new materials. Collagen-like peptides (CLP), also known as collagen-mimetic peptides (CMP), are short synthetic peptides which mimic the triple helical conformation of native collagens. In the past few decades, collagen like peptides and their conjugated hybrids have become a new class of biomaterials that possesses unique structures and properties. In addition to traditional applications of using CLPs to decipher the role of different amino acid residues and tripeptide motifs in stabilizing the collagen triple helix and mimicking collagen fibril formation, with the introduction of specific interactions including electrostatic interactions, pi-pi stacking interaction and metal-ligand coordination, a variety of artificial collagen-like peptides with well-defined sequences have been designed to create higher order assemblies with specific biological functions. The CLPs have also been widely used as bioactive domains or physical cross-linkers to fabricate hydrogels, which have shown potential to improve cell adhesion, proliferation and ECM macromolecule production. Despite this widespread use, the utilization of CLPs as domains in stimuli responsive bioconjugates represents a relatively new area for the development of functional polymeric materials. In this work, a new class of thermoresponsive diblock conjugates, containing collagen-like peptides and a thermoresponsive polymer, namely poly(diethylene glycol methyl ether methacrylate) (PDEGMEMA), is introduced. The CLP domain maintains its triple helix conformation after conjugation with the polymer. The engineered LCST of these conjugates has enabled temperature-induced assembly under aqueous conditions, at physiologically relevant temperatures, into well-defined vesicles with diameters of approximately 50-200 nm. The formation of nanostructures was driven by

  2. Corneal collagen denaturation in laser thermokeratoplasty

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Brinkmann, Ralf; Kampmeier, Juergen; Grotehusmann, Ulf; Vogel, Alfred; Koop, Norbert; Asiyo-Vogel, Mary; Birngruber, Reginald

    1996-05-01

    In laserthermokeratoplasty (LTK) thermal denaturation and shrinkage of corneal collagen is used to correct hyperopia and astigmatism. In order to optimize dosimetry, the temperature at which maximal shrinkage of collagen fibrils occurs is of major interest. Since the exposure time in clinical LTK-treatment is limited to a few seconds, the kinetics of collagen denaturation as a rate process has to be considered, thus the time of exposure is of critical importance for threshold and shrinkage temperatures. We investigated the time-temperature correlation for corneal collagen denaturation within different time domains by turbidimetry of scattered HeNe laser probe light using a temperature controlled water bath and pulsed IR laser irradiation. In the temperature range of 60 degree(s)C to 95 degree(s)C we found an exponential relation between the denaturation time and temperature. For the typical LTK-treatment time of 2 s, a temperature of 95 degree(s)C is needed to induce thermal damage. Use of pulsed Holmium laser radiation gave significant scattering of HeNe laser probe light at calculated temperatures of around 100 degree(s)DC. Rate parameters according to the formalism of Arrhenius were fitted to these results. Force measurements showed the simultaneous onset of light scattering and collagen shrinkage.

  3. Colorful protein-based fluorescent probes for collagen imaging.

    PubMed

    Aper, Stijn J A; van Spreeuwel, Ariane C C; van Turnhout, Mark C; van der Linden, Ardjan J; Pieters, Pascal A; van der Zon, Nick L L; de la Rambelje, Sander L; Bouten, Carlijn V C; Merkx, Maarten

    2014-01-01

    Real-time visualization of collagen is important in studies on tissue formation and remodeling in the research fields of developmental biology and tissue engineering. Our group has previously reported on a fluorescent probe for the specific imaging of collagen in live tissue in situ, consisting of the native collagen binding protein CNA35 labeled with fluorescent dye Oregon Green 488 (CNA35-OG488). The CNA35-OG488 probe has become widely used for collagen imaging. To allow for the use of CNA35-based probes in a broader range of applications, we here present a toolbox of six genetically-encoded collagen probes which are fusions of CNA35 to fluorescent proteins that span the visible spectrum: mTurquoise2, EGFP, mAmetrine, LSSmOrange, tdTomato and mCherry. While CNA35-OG488 requires a chemical conjugation step for labeling with the fluorescent dye, these protein-based probes can be easily produced in high yields by expression in E. coli and purified in one step using Ni2+-affinity chromatography. The probes all bind specifically to collagen, both in vitro and in porcine pericardial tissue. Some first applications of the probes are shown in multicolor imaging of engineered tissue and two-photon imaging of collagen in human skin. The fully-genetic encoding of the new probes makes them easily accessible to all scientists interested in collagen formation and remodeling.

  4. Comparative Proteomic Analysis of Normal and Collagen IX Null Mouse Cartilage Reveals Altered Extracellular Matrix Composition and Novel Components of the Collagen IX Interactome*

    PubMed Central

    Brachvogel, Bent; Zaucke, Frank; Dave, Keyur; Norris, Emma L.; Stermann, Jacek; Dayakli, Münire; Koch, Manuel; Gorman, Jeffrey J.; Bateman, John F.; Wilson, Richard

    2013-01-01

    The cartilage extracellular matrix is essential for endochondral bone development and joint function. In addition to the major aggrecan/collagen II framework, the interacting complex of collagen IX, matrilin-3, and cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) is essential for cartilage matrix stability, as mutations in Col9a1, Col9a2, Col9a3, Comp, and Matn3 genes cause multiple epiphyseal dysplasia, in which patients develop early onset osteoarthritis. In mice, collagen IX ablation results in severely disturbed growth plate organization, hypocellular regions, and abnormal chondrocyte shape. This abnormal differentiation is likely to involve altered cell-matrix interactions but the mechanism is not known. To investigate the molecular basis of the collagen IX null phenotype we analyzed global differences in protein abundance between wild-type and knock-out femoral head cartilage by capillary HPLC tandem mass spectrometry. We identified 297 proteins in 3-day cartilage and 397 proteins in 21-day cartilage. Components that were differentially abundant between wild-type and collagen IX-deficient cartilage included 15 extracellular matrix proteins. Collagen IX ablation was associated with dramatically reduced COMP and matrilin-3, consistent with known interactions. Matrilin-1, matrilin-4, epiphycan, and thrombospondin-4 levels were reduced in collagen IX null cartilage, providing the first in vivo evidence for these proteins belonging to the collagen IX interactome. Thrombospondin-4 expression was reduced at the mRNA level, whereas matrilin-4 was verified as a novel collagen IX-binding protein. Furthermore, changes in TGFβ-induced protein βig-h3 and fibronectin abundance were found in the collagen IX knock-out but not associated with COMP ablation, indicating specific involvement in the abnormal collagen IX null cartilage. In addition, the more widespread expression of collagen XII in the collagen IX-deficient cartilage suggests an attempted compensatory response to the

  5. Postpartum bonding: the impact of maternal depression and adult attachment style.

    PubMed

    Nonnenmacher, N; Noe, D; Ehrenthal, J C; Reck, C

    2016-10-01

    Maternal depression poses a risk for the developing mother-infant relationship. Similarly, maternal insecure attachment styles may limit the ability to adequately connect with the newborn during the postpartum period. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of maternal depression and insecure attachment (insecure and dual/disorganized) on maternal bonding in a sample of n = 34 women with depression according to DSM-IV and n = 59 healthy women. Maternal depression was assessed 3 to 4 months postpartum with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders (SCID-I), bonding with the Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire, and maternal attachment style with the Attachment Style Interview. Women with current and lifetime depression as well as women with dual/disorganized attachment style reported lower bonding. Explorative analysis revealed that depression partially mediated the link between dual/disorganized attachment style and bonding with a medium-sized mediation effect. The combination of maternal depression and dual/disorganized attachment style may pose a special risk constellation for the developing mother-infant bond that should be addressed in prevention and early intervention programs.

  6. Collagen scaffolds combined with collagen-binding ciliary neurotrophic factor facilitate facial nerve repair in mini-pigs.

    PubMed

    Lu, Chao; Meng, Danqing; Cao, Jiani; Xiao, Zhifeng; Cui, Yi; Fan, Jingya; Cui, Xiaolong; Chen, Bing; Yao, Yao; Zhang, Zhen; Ma, Jinling; Pan, Juli; Dai, Jianwu

    2015-05-01

    The preclinical studies using animal models play a very important role in the evaluation of facial nerve regeneration. Good models need to recapitulate the distance and time for axons to regenerate in humans. Compared with the most used rodent animals, the structure of facial nerve in mini-pigs shares more similarities with humans in microanatomy. To evaluate the feasibility of repairing facial nerve defects by collagen scaffolds combined with ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), 10-mm-long gaps were made in the buccal branch of mini-pigs' facial nerve. Three months after surgery, electrophysiological assessment and histological examination were performed to evaluate facial nerve regeneration. Immunohistochemistry and transmission electron microscope observation showed that collagen scaffolds with collagen binding (CBD)-CNTF could promote better axon regeneration, Schwann cell migration, and remyelination at the site of implant device than using scaffolds alone. Electrophysiological assessment also showed higher recovery rate in the CNTF group. In summary, combination of collagen scaffolds and CBD-CNTF showed promising effects on facial nerve regeneration in mini-pig models. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  7. Collagen-Like Proteins in Pathogenic E. coli Strains

    PubMed Central

    Ghosh, Neelanjana; McKillop, Thomas J.; Jowitt, Thomas A.; Howard, Marjorie; Davies, Heather; Holmes, David F.; Roberts, Ian S.; Bella, Jordi

    2012-01-01

    The genome sequences of enterohaemorrhagic E. coli O157:H7 strains show multiple open-reading frames with collagen-like sequences that are absent from the common laboratory strain K-12. These putative collagens are included in prophages embedded in O157:H7 genomes. These prophages carry numerous genes related to strain virulence and have been shown to be inducible and capable of disseminating virulence factors by horizontal gene transfer. We have cloned two collagen-like proteins from E. coli O157:H7 into a laboratory strain and analysed the structure and conformation of the recombinant proteins and several of their constituting domains by a variety of spectroscopic, biophysical, and electron microscopy techniques. We show that these molecules exhibit many of the characteristics of vertebrate collagens, including trimer formation and the presence of a collagen triple helical domain. They also contain a C-terminal trimerization domain, and a trimeric α-helical coiled-coil domain with an unusual amino acid sequence almost completely lacking leucine, valine or isoleucine residues. Intriguingly, these molecules show high thermal stability, with the collagen domain being more stable than those of vertebrate fibrillar collagens, which are much longer and post-translationally modified. Under the electron microscope, collagen-like proteins from E. coli O157:H7 show a dumbbell shape, with two globular domains joined by a hinged stalk. This morphology is consistent with their likely role as trimeric phage side-tail proteins that participate in the attachment of phage particles to E. coli target cells, either directly or through assembly with other phage tail proteins. Thus, collagen-like proteins in enterohaemorrhagic E. coli genomes may have a direct role in the dissemination of virulence-related genes through infection of harmless strains by induced bacteriophages. PMID:22701585

  8. Linear ordered collagen scaffolds loaded with collagen-binding basic fibroblast growth factor facilitate recovery of sciatic nerve injury in rats.

    PubMed

    Ma, Fukai; Xiao, Zhifeng; Chen, Bing; Hou, Xianglin; Dai, Jianwu; Xu, Ruxiang

    2014-04-01

    Natural biological functional scaffolds, consisting of biological materials filled with promoting elements, provide a promising strategy for the regeneration of peripheral nerve defects. Collagen conduits have been used widely due to their excellent biological properties. Linear ordered collagen scaffold (LOCS) fibers are good lumen fillers that can guide nerve regeneration in an ordered direction. In addition, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) is important in the recovery of nerve injury. However, the traditional method for delivering bFGF to the lesion site has no long-term effect because of its short half-life and rapid diffusion. Therefore, we fused a specific collagen-binding domain (CBD) peptide to the N-terminal of native basic fibroblast growth factor (NAT-bFGF) to retain bFGF on the collagen scaffolds. In this study, a natural biological functional scaffold was constructed using collagen tubes filled with collagen-binding bFGF (CBD-bFGF)-loaded LOCS to promote regeneration in a 5-mm rat sciatic nerve transection model. Functional evaluation, histological investigation, and morphometric analysis indicated that the natural biological functional scaffold retained more bFGF at the injury site, guided axon growth, and promoted nerve regeneration as well as functional restoration.

  9. Collagen structural microheterogeneity and a possible role for glycosylated hydroxylysine in type I collagen

    PubMed Central

    Yamauchi, Mitsuo; Noyes, Claudia; Kuboki, Yoshinori; Mechanic, Gerald L.

    1982-01-01

    A three-chained peptide from type I collagen, crosslinked by hydroxyaldolhistidine, has been isolated from a tryptic digest of 5 M guanidine·HCl-insoluble bovine skin collagen (a small but as yet unknown percentage of the total collagen in whole skin). OsO4/NaIO4 specifically cleaved the crosslink at its double bond into a two-chained crosslink peptide and a single peptide. The sequence of the two-chained peptide containing the bifunctional crosslink was determined after amino acid analysis of the separated peptides. The crosslink consists of an aldehyde derived from hydroxylysine-87 in the aldehyde-containing cyanogen bromide fragment α1CB5ald and an aldehyde derived from the lysine in the COOH-terminal nonhelical region of the α1CB6ald fragment. The α1CB6ald portion of the peptide exhibited structural microheterogeneity, containing the inverted sequence Ala-Lys-His instead of the normal sequence Lys-Ala-His. This indicates that another structural gene exists for α1(I) chain. The original three-chained peptide did not contain any glycosylated hydroxylysine or glycosylated hydroxyaldolhistidine. The lack of glycosylation of hydroxylysine-87 in α1CB5, which is usually glycosylated, allowed formation of the aldehyde, and this, coupled with the sequence inversion, may have allowed formation of the nonreducible crosslink hydroxyaldolhistidine. We suggest that the role of glycosylation, a posttranslational modification, of specific hydroxylysine residues is to prevent their oxidative deamination to aldehydes, thereby precluding formation of complex stable crosslinks. Complex crosslinks would decrease the rate of collagen turnover. The decrease, with time, would increase the population of stable crosslinked collagen molecules, which would eventually accumulate with age. PMID:6961443

  10. Directing collagen fibers using counter-rotating cone extrusion.

    PubMed

    Hoogenkamp, Henk R; Bakker, Gert-Jan; Wolf, Louis; Suurs, Patricia; Dunnewind, Bertus; Barbut, Shai; Friedl, Peter; van Kuppevelt, Toin H; Daamen, Willeke F

    2015-01-01

    The bio-inspired engineering of tissue equivalents should take into account anisotropic morphology and the mechanical properties of the extracellular matrix. This especially applies to collagen fibrils, which have various, but highly defined, orientations throughout tissues and organs. There are several methods available to control the alignment of soluble collagen monomers, but the options to direct native insoluble collagen fibers are limited. Here we apply a controlled counter-rotating cone extrusion technology to engineer tubular collagen constructs with defined anisotropy. Driven by diverging inner and outer cone rotation speeds, collagen fibrils from bovine skin were extruded and precipitated onto mandrels as tubes with oriented fibers and bundles, as examined by second harmonic generation microscopy and quantitative image analysis. A clear correlation was found whereby the direction and extent of collagen fiber alignment during extrusion were a function of the shear forces caused by a combination of the cone rotation and flow direction. A gradual change in the fiber direction, spanning +50 to -40°, was observed throughout the sections of the sample, with an average decrease ranging from 2.3 to 2.6° every 10μm. By varying the cone speeds, the collagen constructs showed differences in elasticity and toughness, spanning 900-2000kPa and 19-35mJ, respectively. Rotational extrusion presents an enabling technology to create and control the (an)isotropic architecture of collagen constructs for application in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Copyright © 2014 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Genetics Home Reference: hereditary angiopathy with nephropathy, aneurysms, and muscle cramps syndrome

    MedlinePlus

    ... one component of a protein called type IV collagen . Type IV collagen molecules attach to each other to form complex ... and support cells in many tissues. Type IV collagen networks play an important role in the basement ...

  12. Genetics Home Reference: multicentric osteolysis, nodulosis, and arthropathy

    MedlinePlus

    ... to cut (cleave) a protein called type IV collagen. Type IV collagen is a major structural component of basement membranes, ... enzyme, preventing the normal cleavage of type IV collagen. It is unclear how a loss of enzyme ...

  13. Genetics Home Reference: familial porencephaly

    MedlinePlus

    ... one component of a protein called type IV collagen. Type IV collagen molecules attach to each other to form complex ... and support cells in many tissues. Type IV collagen networks play an important role in the basement ...

  14. Fibrous mini-collagens in hydra nematocysts.

    PubMed

    Holstein, T W; Benoit, M; Herder, G V; David, C N; Wanner, G; Gaub, H E

    1994-07-15

    Nematocysts (cnidocysts) are exocytotic organelles found in all cnidarians. Here, atomic force microscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy reveal the structure of the nematocyst capsule wall. The outer wall consists of globular proteins of unknown function. The inner wall consists of bundles of collagen-like fibrils having a spacing of 50 to 100 nanometers and cross-striations at intervals of 32 nanometers. The fibrils consist of polymers of "mini-collagens," which are abundant in the nematocysts of Hydra. The distinct pattern of mini-collagen fibers in the inner wall can provide the tensile strength necessary to withstand the high osmotic pressure (15 megapascals) in the capsules.

  15. Fish collagen is an important panallergen in the Japanese population.

    PubMed

    Kobayashi, Y; Akiyama, H; Huge, J; Kubota, H; Chikazawa, S; Satoh, T; Miyake, T; Uhara, H; Okuyama, R; Nakagawara, R; Aihara, M; Hamada-Sato, N

    2016-05-01

    Collagen was identified as a fish allergen in early 2000s. Although its allergenic potential has been suggested to be low, risks associated with collagen as a fish allergen have not been evaluated to a greater extent. In this study, we aimed to clarify the importance of collagen as a fish allergen. Our results showed that 50% of Japanese patients with fish allergy had immunoglobulin E (IgE) against mackerel collagen, whereas 44% had IgE against mackerel parvalbumin. IgE inhibition assay revealed high cross-reactivity of mackerel collagen to 22 fish species (inhibition rates: 87-98%). Furthermore, a recently developed allergy test demonstrated that collagen triggered IgE cross-linking on mast cells. These data indicate that fish collagen is an important and very common panallergen in fish consumed in Japan. The high rate of individuals' collagen allergy may be attributable to the traditional Japanese custom of raw fish consumption. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  16. Stabilization and Anomalous Hydration of Collagen Fibril under Heating

    PubMed Central

    Gevorkian, Sasun G.; Allahverdyan, Armen E.; Gevorgyan, David S.; Simonian, Aleksandr L.; Hu, Chin-Kun

    2013-01-01

    Background Type I collagen is the most common protein among higher vertebrates. It forms the basis of fibrous connective tissues (tendon, chord, skin, bones) and ensures mechanical stability and strength of these tissues. It is known, however, that separate triple-helical collagen macromolecules are unstable at physiological temperatures. We want to understand the mechanism of collagen stability at the intermolecular level. To this end, we study the collagen fibril, an intermediate level in the collagen hierarchy between triple-helical macromolecule and tendon. Methodology/Principal Finding When heating a native fibril sample, its Young’s modulus decreases in temperature range 20–58°C due to partial denaturation of triple-helices, but it is approximately constant at 58–75°C, because of stabilization by inter-molecular interactions. The stabilization temperature range 58–75°C has two further important features: here the fibril absorbs water under heating and the internal friction displays a peak. We relate these experimental findings to restructuring of collagen triple-helices in fibril. A theoretical description of the experimental results is provided via a generalization of the standard Zimm-Bragg model for the helix-coil transition. It takes into account intermolecular interactions of collagen triple-helices in fibril and describes water adsorption via the Langmuir mechanism. Conclusion/Significance We uncovered an inter-molecular mechanism that stabilizes the fibril made of unstable collagen macromolecules. This mechanism can be relevant for explaining stability of collagen. PMID:24244320

  17. Osmotically driven tensile stress in collagen-based mineralized tissues.

    PubMed

    Bertinetti, Luca; Masic, Admir; Schuetz, Roman; Barbetta, Aurelio; Seidt, Britta; Wagermaier, Wolfgang; Fratzl, Peter

    2015-12-01

    Collagen is the most abundant protein in mammals and its primary role is to serve as mechanical support in many extracellular matrices such as those of bones, tendons, skin or blood vessels. Water is an integral part of the collagen structure, but its role is still poorly understood, though it is well-known that the mechanical properties of collagen depend on hydration. Recently, it was shown that the conformation of the collagen triple helix changes upon water removal, leading to a contraction of the molecule with considerable forces. Here we investigate the influence of mineralization on this effect by studying bone and turkey leg tendon (TLT) as model systems. Indeed, TLT partially mineralizes so that well-aligned collagen with various mineral contents can be found in the same tendon. We show that water removal leads to collagen contraction in all cases generating tensile stresses up to 80MPa. Moreover, this contraction of collagen puts mineral particles under compression leading to strains of around 1%, which implies localized compressive loads in mineral of up to 800MPa. This suggests that collagen dehydration upon mineralization is at the origin of the compressive pre-strains commonly observed in bone mineral. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Renal myofibroblasts contract collagen I matrix lattices in vitro.

    PubMed

    Kelynack, K J; Hewitson, T D; Pedagogos, E; Nicholls, K M; Becker, G J

    1999-01-01

    Myofibroblasts, cells with both fibroblastic and smooth muscle cell features, have been implicated in renal scarring. In addition to synthetic properties, contractile features and integrin expression may allow myofibroblasts to rearrange and contract interstitial collagenous proteins. Myofibroblasts from normal rat kidneys were grown in cell-populated collagen lattices to measure cell generated contraction. Following detachment of cell populated collagen lattices, myofibroblasts progressively contracted collagen lattices, reducing lattice diameter by 42% at 24 h. Alignment of myofibroblasts, rearrangement of fibrils and beta(1) integrin expression were observed within lattices. We postulate that interstitial myofibroblasts contribute to renal scarring through manipulation of collagenous proteins. Copyright 1999 S. Karger AG, Basel

  19. Development of biomimetic tilapia collagen nanofibers for skin regeneration through inducing keratinocytes differentiation and collagen synthesis of dermal fibroblasts.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Tian; Wang, Nanping; Xue, Yang; Ding, Tingting; Liu, Xin; Mo, Xiumei; Sun, Jiao

    2015-02-11

    In this study, tilapia skin collagen sponge and electrospun nanofibers were developed for wound dressing. The collagen sponge was composed of at least two α-peptides, and its denaturation temperature was 44.99 °C. It did not change the number of spleen-derived lymphocytes in BALB/c mice, the ratio of CD4+/CD8+ lymphocytes, and the level of IgG or IgM in Sprague-Dawley rat. The contact angle, tensile strength, and weight loss temperature of collagen nanofibers were 21.2°, 6.72±0.44 MPa, and 300 °C, respectively. The nanofibers could promote the viabilities of human keratinocytes (HaCaTs) and human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs), inducing epidermal differentiation through the gene expression of involucrin, filaggrin, and type I transglutaminase of HaCaTs, and they could also accelerate migration of HaCaTs with the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1). Besides, the nanofibers could upregulate the protien level of Col-I in HDFs both via a direct effect and TGF-β1 secreted from HaCaTs, thus facilitating the formation of collagen fibers. Furthermore, the collagen nanofibers stimulated the skin regeneration rapidly and effectively in vivo. These biological effects could be explained as the contributions from the biomimic extracellular cell matrix structure, hydrophilicity, and the multiple amino acids of the collagen nanofibers.

  20. Collagen in organ development

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hardman, P.; Spooner, B. S.

    1992-01-01

    It is important to know whether microgravity will adversely affect developmental processes. Collagens are macromolecular structural components of the extracellular matrix (ECM) which may be altered by perturbations in gravity. Interstitial collagens have been shown to be necessary for normal growth and morphogenesis in some embryonic organs, and in the mouse salivary gland, the biosynthetic pattern of these molecules changes during development. Determination of the effects of microgravity on epithelial organ development must be preceded by crucial ground-based studies. These will define control of normal synthesis, secretion, and deposition of ECM macromolecules and the relationship of these processes to morphogenesis.

  1. Collagen-PVA aligned nanofiber on collagen sponge as bi-layered scaffold for surface cartilage repair.

    PubMed

    Lin, Hsin-Yi; Tsai, Wen-Chi; Chang, Shih-Hsing

    2017-05-01

    Researchers have made bi-layered scaffolds but mostly for osteochondral repairs. The anatomic structure of human cartilage has different zones and that each has varying matrix morphology and mechanical properties is often overlooked. Two bi-layered collagen-based composites were made to replicate the superficial and transitional zones of an articular cartilage. Aligned and random collagen-PVA nanofibers were electrospun onto a freeze-dried collagen sponge to make the aligned and random composites, respectively. The morphology, swelling ratio, degradation and tensile properties of the two composites were examined. Primary porcine chondrocytes were cultured on the composites for three weeks and their proliferation and secretion of glycosaminoglycan (GAG) and type II collagen were measured. The influences of the cell culture on the tensile properties of the composites were studied. The nanofiber layer remained adhered to the sponge after three weeks of cell culture. Both composites lost 30-35% of their total weight in a saline buffer after three weeks. The tensile strength and Young's modulus of both composites increased after three weeks of chondrocyte culture (p < 0.05). The aligned composite with extracellular matrix deposition had a Young's modulus (0.35 MPa) similar to that of articular cartilage reported in literature (0.36-0.8 MPa). The chondrocytes on both aligned and random composites proliferated and secreted similar amounts of GAG and type II collagen. They were seen embedded in lacunae after three weeks. The aligned composite may be more suitable for articular cartilage repair because of the higher tensile strength from the aligned nanofibers on the surface that can better resist wear.

  2. Evaluation of nanostructural, mechanical, and biological properties of collagen-nanotube composites.

    PubMed

    Tan, Wei; Twomey, John; Guo, Dongjie; Madhavan, Krishna; Li, Min

    2010-06-01

    Collagen I is an essential structural and mechanical building block of various tissues, and it is often used as tissue-engineering scaffolds. However, collagen-based constructs reconstituted in vitro often lacks robust fiber structure, mechanical stability, and molecule binding capability. To enhance these performances, the present study developed 3-D collagen-nanotube composite constructs with two types of functionalized carbon nanotubes, carboxylated nanotubes and covalently functionalized nanotubes (CFNTs). The influences of nanotube functionalization and loading concentration on the collagen fiber structure, mechanical property, biocompatibility, and molecule binding were examined. Results revealed that surface modification and loading concentration of nanotubes determined the interactions between nanotubes and collagen fibrils, thus altering the structure and property of nanotube-collagen composites. Scanning electron microscopy and confocal microscopy revealed that the incorporation of CFNT in collagen-based constructs was an effective means of restructuring collagen fibrils because CFNT strongly bound to collagen molecules inducing the formation of larger fibril bundles. However, increased nanotube loading concentration caused the formation of denser fibril network and larger aggregates. Static stress-strain tests under compression showed that the addition of nanotube into collagen-based constructs did not significantly increase static compressive moduli. Creep/recovery testing under compression revealed that CFNT-collagen constructs showed improved mechanical stability under continuous loading. Testing with endothelial cells showed that biocompatibility was highly dependent on nanotube loading concentration. At a low loading level, CFNT-collagen showed higher endothelial coverage than the other tested constructs or materials. Additionally, CFNT-collagen showed capability of binding to other biomolecules to enhance the construct functionality. In conclusion

  3. Quantitative regulation of bone-mimetic, oriented collagen/apatite matrix structure depends on the degree of osteoblast alignment on oriented collagen substrates.

    PubMed

    Matsugaki, Aira; Isobe, Yoshihiro; Saku, Taro; Nakano, Takayoshi

    2015-02-01

    Bone tissue has a specific anisotropic morphology derived from collagen fiber alignment and the related apatite crystal orientation as a bone quality index. However, the precise mechanism of cellular regulation of the crystallographic orientation of apatite has not been clarified. In this study, anisotropic construction of cell-produced mineralized matrix in vitro was established by initiating organized cellular alignment and subsequent oriented bone-like matrix (collagen/apatite) production. The oriented collagen substrates with three anisotropic levels were prepared by a hydrodynamic method. Primary osteoblasts were cultured on the fabricated substrates until mineralized matrix formation is confirmed. Osteoblast alignment was successfully regulated by the level of substrate collagen orientation, with preferential alignment along the direction of the collagen fibers. Notably, both fibrous orientation of newly synthesized collagen matrix and c-axis of produced apatite crystals showed preferential orientation along the cell direction. Because the degree of anisotropy of the deposited apatite crystals showed dependency on the directional distribution of osteoblasts cultured on the oriented collagen substrates, the cell orientation determines the crystallographic anisotropy of produced apatite crystals. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report demonstrating that bone tissue anisotropy, even the alignment of apatite crystals, is controllable by varying the degree of osteoblast alignment via regulating the level of substrate orientation. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  4. Effects of collagen and collagen hydrolysate from jellyfish (Rhopilema esculentum) on mice skin photoaging induced by UV irradiation.

    PubMed

    Zhuang, Yongliang; Hou, Hu; Zhao, Xue; Zhang, Zhaohui; Li, Bafang

    2009-08-01

    Collagen (JC) was extracted from jellyfish (Rhopilema esculentum) and hydrolyzed to prepare collagen hydrolysate (JCH). The protective effects of JC and JCH against UV-induced damages to mice skin were evaluated and compared in this article. JC and JCH could alleviate the UV-induced abnormal changes of antioxidative indicators, including the superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and catalase (CAT) activities and the contents of glutathione (GSH) and malondiaidehyde (MDA). JC and JCH could protect skin lipid and collagen from the UV radiation damages. Furthermore, the changes of total ceramide and glycosaminoglycan in skin were recovered significantly by JC and JCH. The action mechanisms mainly involved the antioxidative properties and the repairing to endogenous collagen synthesis of JC and JCH in vivo. JCH with the lower molecular weight showed much higher effects than JC. The results indicated that JCH was a novel antiphotoaging agent from natural resources.

  5. Polarization-Modulated Second Harmonic Generation Microscopy in Collagen

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Stoller, P C

    Collagen is a key structural protein in the body; several pathological conditions lead to changes in collagen. Among imaging modalities that can be used in vivo, second harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy has a key advantage: it provides {approx}1 {micro}m resolution information about collagen structure as a function of depth. A new technique--polarization-modulated SHG--is presented: it permits simultaneous measurement of collagen orientation, of a lower bound on the magnitude of the second order nonlinear susceptibility tensor, and of the ratio of the two independent elements in this tensor. It is applied to characterizing SHG in collagen and to determining effects ofmore » biologically relevant changes in collagen structure. The magnitude of the second harmonic signal in two dimensional images varies with position even in structurally homogeneous tissue; this phenomenon is due to interference between second harmonic light generated by neighboring fibrils, which are randomly oriented parallel or anti-parallel to each other. Studies in which focal spot size was varied indicated that regions where fibrils are co-oriented are less than {approx}1.5 {micro}m in diameter. A quartz reference was used to determine the spot size as well as a lower limit (d{sub xxx} > 0.3 pm/V) for the magnitude of the second order nonlinear susceptibility. The ratio of the two independent tensor elements ranged between d{sub XYY}/d{sub XXX} = 0.60 and 0.75. SHG magnitude alone was not useful for identifying structural anomalies in collagenous tissue. Instead, changes in the polarization dependence of SHG were used to analyze biologically relevant perturbations in collagen structure. Changes in polarization dependence were observed in dehydrated samples, but not in highly crosslinked samples, despite significant alterations in packing structure. Complete thermal denaturation and collagenase digestion produced samples with no detectable SHG signal. Collagen orientation was measured in

  6. Stability and cellular responses to fluorapatite-collagen composites.

    PubMed

    Yoon, Byung-Ho; Kim, Hae-Won; Lee, Su-Hee; Bae, Chang-Jun; Koh, Young-Hag; Kong, Young-Min; Kim, Hyoun-Ee

    2005-06-01

    Fluorapatite (FA)-collagen composites were synthesized via a biomimetic coprecipitation method in order to improve the structural stability and cellular responses. Different amounts of ammonium fluoride (NH4F), acting as a fluorine source for FA, were added to the precipitation of the composites. The precipitated composites were freeze-dried and isostatically pressed in a dense body. The added fluorine was incorporated nearly fully into the apatite structure (fluoridation), and a near stoichiometric FA-collagen composite was obtained with complete fluoridation. The freeze-dried composites had a typical biomimetic network, consisting of collagen fibers and precipitates of nano-sized apatite crystals. The human osteoblast-like cells on the FA-collagen composites exhibited significantly higher proliferation and differentiation (according to alkaline phosphatase activity) than those on the hydroxyapatite-collagen composite. These enhanced osteoblastic cell responses were attributed to the fluorine release and the reduced dissolution rate.

  7. Metal Ion-Assembled Micro-Collagen Heterotrimers

    PubMed Central

    LeBruin, Lyndelle Toni; Banerjee, Sunandan; O'Rourke, Bruce Delany; Case, Martin Ashley

    2011-01-01

    Collagen mimetic peptides (CMPs) provide critical insight into the assembly, stability and structure of the triple helical collagen protein. The majority of natural fibrous collagens are aab or abc heterotrimers, yet few examples of heterotrimeric CMPs have been reported. Previously CMP heterotrimers have only been accessible by total syntheses or by introducing complementary interstrand electrostatic or steric interactions. Here we describe an abc CMP heterotrimer in which each contributing CMP consists of only three amino acids: glycine, proline and 4-hydroxyproline. Assembly of the heterotrimeric triple helix is directed by a combination of metal-ion coordination to set the relative register of the CMPs, and minimization of valence frustration to direct heterotrimerization. Assembly of the four-component mixture is facile and extremely rapid, and equilibration to the abc heterotrimer occurs within a few hours at modestly elevated temperatures. The melting temperatures of the metal-assembled collagen trimers are higher by some 30 °C than the apopeptide assemblies. Two iterations of the design are described, and the outcomes suggest possibilities for designing self-assembling abc and abb heterotrimers. PMID:21590759

  8. Controlled self assembly of collagen nanoparticle

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Papi, Massimiliano; Palmieri, Valentina; Maulucci, Giuseppe; Arcovito, Giuseppe; Greco, Emanuela; Quintiliani, Gianluca; Fraziano, Maurizio; De Spirito, Marco

    2011-11-01

    In recent years carrier-mediated drug delivery has emerged as a powerful methodology for the treatment of various pathologies. The therapeutic index of traditional and novel drugs is enhanced via the increase of specificity due to targeting of drugs to a particular tissue, cell or intracellular compartment, the control over release kinetics, the protection of the active agent, or a combination of the above. Collagen is an important biomaterial in medical applications and ideal as protein-based drug delivery platform due to its special characteristics, such as biocompatibility, low toxicity, biodegradability, and weak antigenicity. While some many attempts have been made, further work is needed to produce fully biocompatible collagen hydrogels of desired size and able to release drugs on a specific target. In this article we propose a novel method to obtain spherical particles made of polymerized collagen surrounded by DMPC liposomes. The liposomes allow to control both the particles dimension and the gelling environment during the collagen polymerization. Furthermore, an optical based method to visualize and quantify each step of the proposed protocol is detailed and discussed.

  9. Collagenous gastritis: a morphologic and immunohistochemical study of 40 patients.

    PubMed

    Arnason, Thomas; Brown, Ian S; Goldsmith, Jeffrey D; Anderson, William; O'Brien, Blake H; Wilson, Claire; Winter, Harland; Lauwers, Gregory Y

    2015-04-01

    Collagenous gastritis is a rare condition defined histologically by a superficial subepithelial collagen layer. This study further characterizes the morphologic spectrum of collagenous gastritis by evaluating a multi-institutional series of 40 patients (26 female and 14 male). The median age at onset was 16 years (range 3-89 years), including 24 patients (60%) under age 18. Twelve patients (30%) had associated celiac disease, collagenous sprue, or collagenous colitis. Hematoxylin and eosin slides were reviewed in biopsies from all patients and tenascin, gastrin, eotaxin, and IgG4/IgG immunohistochemical stains were applied to a subset. The distribution of subepithelial collagen favored the body/fundus in pediatric patients and the antrum in adults. There were increased surface intraepithelial lymphocytes (>25 lymphocytes/100 epithelial cells) in five patients. Three of these patients had associated celiac and/or collagenous sprue/colitis, while the remaining two had increased duodenal lymphocytosis without specific etiology. An eosinophil-rich pattern (>30 eosinophils/high power field) was seen in 21/40 (52%) patients. Seven patients' biopsies demonstrated atrophy of the gastric corpus mucosa. Tenascin immunohistochemistry highlighted the subepithelial collagen in all 21 specimens evaluated and was a more sensitive method of collagen detection in biopsies from two patients with subtle subepithelial collagen. No increased eotaxin expression was identified in 16 specimens evaluated. One of the twenty-three biopsies tested had increased IgG4-positive cells (100/high power field) with an IgG4/IgG ratio of 55%. In summary, collagenous gastritis presents three distinct histologic patterns including a lymphocytic gastritis-like pattern, an eosinophil-rich pattern, and an atrophic pattern. Eotaxin and IgG4 were not elevated enough to implicate these pathways in the pathogenesis. Tenascin immunohistochemistry can be used as a sensitive method of collagen detection.

  10. A microscopic evaluation of collagen-bilirubin interactions: in vitro surface phenomenon.

    PubMed

    Usharani, N; Jayakumar, G C; Rao, J R; Chandrasekaran, B; Nair, B U

    2014-02-01

    This study is carried out to understand the morphology variations of collagen I matrices influenced by bilirubin. The characteristics of bilirubin interaction with collagen ascertained using various techniques like XRD, CLSM, fluorescence, SEM and AFM. These techniques are used to understand the distribution, expression and colocalization patterns of collagen-bilirubin complexes. The present investigation mimic the in vivo mechanisms created during the disorder condition like jaundice. Fluorescence technique elucidates the crucial role played by bilirubin deposition and interaction during collagen organization. Influence of bilirubin during collagen fibrillogenesis and banding patterns are clearly visualize using SEM. As a result, collagen-bilirubin complex provides different reconstructed patterns because of the influence of bilirubin concentration. Selectivity, specificity and spatial organization of collagen-bilirubin are determined through AFM imaging. Consequently, it is observed that the morphology and quantity of the bilirubin binding to collagen varied by the concentrations and the adsorption rate in protein solutions. Microscopic studies of collagen-bilirubin interaction confirms that bilirubin influence the fibrillogenesis and alter the rate of collagen organization depending on the bilirubin concentration. This knowledge helps to develop a novel drug to inhibit the interface point of interaction between collagen and bilirubin. © 2013 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2013 Royal Microscopical Society.

  11. In Situ Imaging of Tissue Remodeling with Collagen Hybridizing Peptides

    PubMed Central

    2017-01-01

    Collagen, the major structural component of nearly all mammalian tissues, undergoes extensive proteolytic remodeling during developmental states and a variety of life-threatening diseases such as cancer, myocardial infarction, and fibrosis. While degraded collagen could be an important marker of tissue damage, it is difficult to detect and target using conventional tools. Here, we show that a designed peptide (collagen hybridizing peptide: CHP), which specifically hybridizes to the degraded, unfolded collagen chains, can be used to image degraded collagen and inform tissue remodeling activity in various tissues: labeled with 5-carboxyfluorescein and biotin, CHPs enabled direct localization and quantification of collagen degradation in isolated tissues within pathologic states ranging from osteoarthritis and myocardial infarction to glomerulonephritis and pulmonary fibrosis, as well as in normal tissues during developmental programs associated with embryonic bone formation and skin aging. The results indicate the general correlation between the level of collagen remodeling and the amount of denatured collagen in tissue and show that the CHP probes can be used across species and collagen types, providing a versatile tool for not only pathology and developmental biology research but also histology-based disease diagnosis, staging, and therapeutic screening. This study lays the foundation for further testing CHP as a targeting moiety for theranostic delivery in various animal models. PMID:28877431

  12. Regulation of COX-2–mediated signaling by α3 type IV noncollagenous domain in tumor angiogenesis

    PubMed Central

    Boosani, Chandra Shekhar; Mannam, Arjuna P.; Cosgrove, Dominic; Silva, Rita; Hodivala-Dilke, Kairbaan M.; Keshamouni, Venkateshwar G.

    2007-01-01

    Human α3 chain, a noncollagenous domain of type IV collagen [α3(IV)NC1], inhibits angiogenesis and tumor growth. These biologic functions are partly attributed to the binding of α3(IV)NC1 to αVβ3 and α3β1 integrins. α3(IV)NC1 binds αVβ3 integrin, leading to translation inhibition by inhibiting focal adhesion kinase/phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt/mTOR/4E-BP1 pathways. In the present study, we evaluated the role of α3β1 and αVβ3 integrins in tube formation and regulation of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) on α3(IV)NC1 stimulation. We found that although both integrins were required for the inhibition of tube formation by α3(IV)NC1 in endothelial cells, only α3β1 integrin was sufficient to regulate COX-2 in hypoxic endothelial cells. We show that binding of α3(IV)NC1 to α3β1 integrin leads to inhibition of COX-2–mediated pro-angiogenic factors, vascular endothelial growth factor, and basic fibroblast growth factor by regulating IκBα/NFκB axis, and is independent of αVβ3 integrin. Furthermore, β3 integrin–null endothelial cells, when treated with α3(IV)NC1, inhibited hypoxia-mediated COX-2 expression, whereas COX-2 inhibition was not observed in α3 integrin–null endothelial cells, indicating that regulation of COX-2 by α3(IV)NC1 is mediated by integrin α3β1. Our in vitro and in vivo findings demonstrate that α3β1 integrin is critical for α3(IV)NC1-mediated inhibition of COX-2–dependent angiogenic signaling and inhibition of tumor progression. PMID:17426256

  13. Effect of collagen turnover on the accumulation of advanced glycation end products.

    PubMed

    Verzijl, N; DeGroot, J; Thorpe, S R; Bank, R A; Shaw, J N; Lyons, T J; Bijlsma, J W; Lafeber, F P; Baynes, J W; TeKoppele, J M

    2000-12-15

    Collagen molecules in articular cartilage have an exceptionally long lifetime, which makes them susceptible to the accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs). In fact, in comparison to other collagen-rich tissues, articular cartilage contains relatively high amounts of the AGE pentosidine. To test the hypothesis that this higher AGE accumulation is primarily the result of the slow turnover of cartilage collagen, AGE levels in cartilage and skin collagen were compared with the degree of racemization of aspartic acid (% d-Asp, a measure of the residence time of a protein). AGE (N(epsilon)-(carboxymethyl)lysine, N(epsilon)-(carboxyethyl)lysine, and pentosidine) and % d-Asp concentrations increased linearly with age in both cartilage and skin collagen (p < 0.0001). The rate of increase in AGEs was greater in cartilage collagen than in skin collagen (p < 0.0001). % d-Asp was also higher in cartilage collagen than in skin collagen (p < 0.0001), indicating that cartilage collagen has a longer residence time in the tissue, and thus a slower turnover, than skin collagen. In both types of collagen, AGE concentrations increased linearly with % d-Asp (p < 0.0005). Interestingly, the slopes of the curves of AGEs versus % d-Asp, i.e. the rates of accumulation of AGEs corrected for turnover, were identical for cartilage and skin collagen. The present study thus provides the first experimental evidence that protein turnover is a major determinant in AGE accumulation in different collagen types. From the age-related increases in % d-Asp the half-life of cartilage collagen was calculated to be 117 years and that of skin collagen 15 years, thereby providing the first reasonable estimates of the half-lives of these collagens.

  14. Molecular dynamics simulations on networks of heparin and collagen.

    PubMed

    Kulke, Martin; Geist, Norman; Friedrichs, Wenke; Langel, Walter

    2017-06-01

    Synthetic scaffolds containing collagen (Type I) are of increasing interest for bone tissue engineering, especially for highly porous biomaterials in combination with glycosaminoglycans. In experiments the integration of heparin during the fibrillogenesis resulted in different types of collagen fibrils, but models for this aggregation on a molecular scale were only tentative. We conducted molecular dynamic simulations investigating the binding of heparin to collagen and the influence of the telopeptides during collagen aggregation. This aims at explaining experimental findings on a molecular level. Novel structures for N- and C-telopeptides were developed with the TIGER2 replica exchange algorithm and dihedral principle component analysis. We present an extended statistical analysis of the mainly electrostatic interaction between heparin and collagen and identify several binding sites. Finally, we propose a molecular mechanism for the influence of glycosaminoglycans on the morphology of collagen fibrils. Proteins 2017; 85:1119-1130. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  15. Lack of Collagen VI Promotes Wound-Induced Hair Growth.

    PubMed

    Chen, Peiwen; Cescon, Matilde; Bonaldo, Paolo

    2015-10-01

    Collagen VI is an extracellular matrix molecule that is abundantly expressed in the skin. However, the role of collagen VI in hair follicle growth is unknown. Here, we show that collagen VI is strongly deposited in hair follicles, and is markedly upregulated by skin wounding. Lack of collagen VI in Col6a1(-/-) mice delays hair cycling and growth under physiological conditions, but promotes wound-induced hair regrowth without affecting skin regeneration. Conversely, addition of purified collagen VI rescues the abnormal wound-induced hair regrowth in Col6a1(-/-) mice. Mechanistic studies revealed that the increased wound-induced hair regrowth of Col6a1(-/-) mice is triggered by activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, and is abolished by inhibition of this pathway. These findings highlight the essential relationships between extracellular matrix (ECM) and hair follicle regeneration, and suggest that collagen VI could be a potential therapeutic target for hair loss and other skin-related diseases.

  16. Identification of a collagen type I adhesin of Bacteroides fragilis.

    PubMed

    Galvão, Bruna P G V; Weber, Brandon W; Rafudeen, Mohamed S; Ferreira, Eliane O; Patrick, Sheila; Abratt, Valerie R

    2014-01-01

    Bacteroides fragilis is an opportunistic pathogen which can cause life threatening infections in humans and animals. The ability to adhere to components of the extracellular matrix, including collagen, is related to bacterial host colonisation. Collagen Far Western analysis of the B. fragilis outer membrane protein (OMP) fraction revealed the presence two collagen adhesin bands of ∼ 31 and ∼ 34 kDa. The collagen adhesins in the OMP fraction were separated and isolated by two-dimensional SDS-PAGE and also purified by collagen affinity chromatography. The collagen binding proteins isolated by both these independent methods were subjected to tandem mass spectroscopy for peptide identification and matched to a single hypothetical protein encoded by B. fragilis NCTC 9343 (BF0586), conserved in YCH46 (BF0662) and 638R (BF0633) and which is designated in this study as cbp1 (collagen binding protein). Functionality of the protein was confirmed by targeted insertional mutagenesis of the cbp1 gene in B. fragilis GSH18 which resulted in the specific loss of both the ∼ 31 kDa and the ∼ 34 kDa adhesin bands. Purified his-tagged Cbp1, expressed in a B. fragilis wild-type and a glycosylation deficient mutant, confirmed that the cbp1 gene encoded the observed collagen adhesin, and showed that the 34 kDa band represents a glycosylated version of the ∼ 31 kDa protein. Glycosylation did not appear to be required for binding collagen. This study is the first to report the presence of collagen type I adhesin proteins in B. fragilis and to functionally identify a gene encoding a collagen binding protein.

  17. Identification of a Collagen Type I Adhesin of Bacteroides fragilis

    PubMed Central

    Galvão, Bruna P. G. V.; Weber, Brandon W.; Rafudeen, Mohamed S.; Ferreira, Eliane O.; Patrick, Sheila; Abratt, Valerie R.

    2014-01-01

    Bacteroides fragilis is an opportunistic pathogen which can cause life threatening infections in humans and animals. The ability to adhere to components of the extracellular matrix, including collagen, is related to bacterial host colonisation. Collagen Far Western analysis of the B. fragilis outer membrane protein (OMP) fraction revealed the presence two collagen adhesin bands of ∼31 and ∼34 kDa. The collagen adhesins in the OMP fraction were separated and isolated by two-dimensional SDS-PAGE and also purified by collagen affinity chromatography. The collagen binding proteins isolated by both these independent methods were subjected to tandem mass spectroscopy for peptide identification and matched to a single hypothetical protein encoded by B. fragilis NCTC 9343 (BF0586), conserved in YCH46 (BF0662) and 638R (BF0633) and which is designated in this study as cbp1 (collagen binding protein). Functionality of the protein was confirmed by targeted insertional mutagenesis of the cbp1 gene in B. fragilis GSH18 which resulted in the specific loss of both the ∼31 kDa and the ∼34 kDa adhesin bands. Purified his-tagged Cbp1, expressed in a B. fragilis wild-type and a glycosylation deficient mutant, confirmed that the cbp1 gene encoded the observed collagen adhesin, and showed that the 34 kDa band represents a glycosylated version of the ∼31 kDa protein. Glycosylation did not appear to be required for binding collagen. This study is the first to report the presence of collagen type I adhesin proteins in B. fragilis and to functionally identify a gene encoding a collagen binding protein. PMID:24618940

  18. Disorganized junior doctors fail the MRCP (UK).

    PubMed

    Stanley, Adrian G; Khan, Khalid M; Hussain, Walayat; Tweed, Michael

    2006-02-01

    Career progression during undergraduate and early postgraduate years is currently determined by successfully passing examinations. Both academic factors (secondary school examination results, learning style and training opportunities) and non-academic factors (maturity, ethnic origin, gender and motivation) have been identified as predicting examination outcome. Few studies have examined organization skills. Disorganized medical students are more likely to perform poorly in end-of-year examinations but this observation has not been examined in junior doctors. This study asked whether organization skills relate to examination outcome amongst junior doctors taking the clinical Part II examination for the Membership of the Royal College of Physicians (Practical Assessment of Clinical Examination Skills). The study was conducted prospectively at four consecutive clinical courses that provided clinical teaching and practice to prepare trainees for the examination. Arrival time at registration for the course was the chosen surrogate for organization skills. Trainees were advised that they should arrive promptly at 8.00 a.m. for registration and it was explained that the course would start at 8.30 a.m. Recorded arrival times were compared with the pass lists published by the Royal College of Physicians. The mean arrival time was 8.17 a.m. A total of 81 doctors (53.3%) passed the examination with a mean arrival time of 8.14 a.m. However, 71 doctors failed the exam and arrived, on average, six minutes later than doctors who passed (p?=?0.006). Better-prepared junior doctors were more likely to pass the final examination. Arriving on time represents a composite of several skills involved in the planning of appropriate travel arrangements and is therefore a valid marker of organization skills and preparation. This novel study has shown that good time-keeping skills are positively associated with examination outcome.

  19. The process of EDC-NHS cross-linking of reconstituted collagen fibres increases collagen fibrillar order and alignment

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Shepherd, D. V., E-mail: dvs23@cam.ac.uk; Shepherd, J. H.; Cameron, R. E.

    We describe the production of collagen fibre bundles through a multi-strand, semi-continuous extrusion process. Cross-linking using an EDC (1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide), NHS (N-hydroxysuccinimide) combination was considered. Atomic Force Microscopy and Raman spectroscopy focused on how cross-linking affected the collagen fibrillar structure. In the cross-linked fibres, a clear fibrillar structure comparable to native collagen was observed which was not observed in the non-cross-linked fibre. The amide III doublet in the Raman spectra provided additional evidence of alignment in the cross-linked fibres. Raman spectroscopy also indicated no residual polyethylene glycol (from the fibre forming buffer) or water in any of the fibres.

  20. Leiomodin-3 dysfunction results in thin filament disorganization and nemaline myopathy

    PubMed Central

    Yuen, Michaela; Sandaradura, Sarah A.; Dowling, James J.; Kostyukova, Alla S.; Moroz, Natalia; Quinlan, Kate G.; Lehtokari, Vilma-Lotta; Ravenscroft, Gianina; Todd, Emily J.; Ceyhan-Birsoy, Ozge; Gokhin, David S.; Maluenda, Jérome; Lek, Monkol; Nolent, Flora; Pappas, Christopher T.; Novak, Stefanie M.; D’Amico, Adele; Malfatti, Edoardo; Thomas, Brett P.; Gabriel, Stacey B.; Gupta, Namrata; Daly, Mark J.; Ilkovski, Biljana; Houweling, Peter J.; Davidson, Ann E.; Swanson, Lindsay C.; Brownstein, Catherine A.; Gupta, Vandana A.; Medne, Livija; Shannon, Patrick; Martin, Nicole; Bick, David P.; Flisberg, Anders; Holmberg, Eva; Van den Bergh, Peter; Lapunzina, Pablo; Waddell, Leigh B.; Sloboda, Darcée D.; Bertini, Enrico; Chitayat, David; Telfer, William R.; Laquerrière, Annie; Gregorio, Carol C.; Ottenheijm, Coen A.C.; Bönnemann, Carsten G.; Pelin, Katarina; Beggs, Alan H.; Hayashi, Yukiko K.; Romero, Norma B.; Laing, Nigel G.; Nishino, Ichizo; Wallgren-Pettersson, Carina; Melki, Judith; Fowler, Velia M.; MacArthur, Daniel G.; North, Kathryn N.; Clarke, Nigel F.

    2014-01-01

    Nemaline myopathy (NM) is a genetic muscle disorder characterized by muscle dysfunction and electron-dense protein accumulations (nemaline bodies) in myofibers. Pathogenic mutations have been described in 9 genes to date, but the genetic basis remains unknown in many cases. Here, using an approach that combined whole-exome sequencing (WES) and Sanger sequencing, we identified homozygous or compound heterozygous variants in LMOD3 in 21 patients from 14 families with severe, usually lethal, NM. LMOD3 encodes leiomodin-3 (LMOD3), a 65-kDa protein expressed in skeletal and cardiac muscle. LMOD3 was expressed from early stages of muscle differentiation; localized to actin thin filaments, with enrichment near the pointed ends; and had strong actin filament-nucleating activity. Loss of LMOD3 in patient muscle resulted in shortening and disorganization of thin filaments. Knockdown of lmod3 in zebrafish replicated NM-associated functional and pathological phenotypes. Together, these findings indicate that mutations in the gene encoding LMOD3 underlie congenital myopathy and demonstrate that LMOD3 is essential for the organization of sarcomeric thin filaments in skeletal muscle. PMID:25250574

  1. [Collagens: why such a structural complexity?].

    PubMed

    Borel, J P; Monboisse, J C

    1993-01-01

    The collagens are a family of extracellular fibrillar proteins, characterized by the presence of one or several domains termed "triple helix", that are made of three polypeptide chains folded around each other. They elicit a huge worldwide research activity, marked every year by the publishing of dozens of books and thousands of papers. This family is presently represented by more than 16 individualized types, all differing by their molecular structure and by the way helical and globular domains are arranged. In any case, however, at least one triple helical domain exists. It is formed by the association of three polypeptide chains, each of them containing a glycine every three residues and many proline or hydroxyproline residues, and attests for the belonging of the protein to the collagen group. These multiple molecular forms and their specific architecture raise questions that remain unsolved. Why is this triple helix structure adopted in the case of collagens? Is it because the simple alpha helix of protein cannot extend over more than a few nanometers and is not solid enough? Why not a double helix like that of DNA? It would probably not be rigid enough. Why are there many globular domains interspersed between fibrillar ones? Probably these domains are useful for the association of peptide chains in register prior to their folding, then they participate in the transport of the elementary molecules from the synthesizing cells to their final place in the connective tissue and, finally, they insert the molecules into their specific place inside the growing fibrils. Collagen fibres as they are evidenced by histological methods, for instance in tendons, are of complex structure. Most of their constituting sub-units are type I tropocollagen molecules but they also contain in their center a filament of type V collagen that seems to serve as a guide during their edification. On the surface of the fibres are molecules of type III collagen that limit the growth in

  2. Tunability of collagen matrix mechanical properties via multiple modes of mineralization

    PubMed Central

    Smith, Lester J.; Deymier, Alix C.; Boyle, John J.; Li, Zhen; Linderman, Stephen W.; Pasteris, Jill D.; Xia, Younan; Genin, Guy M.; Thomopoulos, Stavros

    2016-01-01

    Functionally graded, mineralized collagen tissues exist at soft-to-hard material attachments throughout the body. However, the details of how collagen and hydroxyapatite mineral (HA) interact are not fully understood, hampering efforts to develop tissue-engineered constructs that can assist with repair of injuries at the attachments of soft tissues to bone. In this study, spatial control of mineralization was achieved in collagen matrices using simulated body fluids (SBFs). Based upon previous observations of poor bonding between reconstituted collagen and HA deposited using SBF, we hypothesized that mineralizing collagen in the presence of fetuin (which inhibits surface mineralization) would lead to more mineral deposition within the scaffold and therefore a greater increase in stiffness and toughness compared with collagen mineralized without fetuin. We tested this hypothesis through integrated synthesis, mechanical testing and modelling of graded, mineralized reconstituted collagen constructs. Results supported the hypothesis, and further suggested that mineralization on the interior of reconstituted collagen constructs, as promoted by fetuin, led to superior bonding between HA and collagen. The results provide us guidance for the development of mineralized collagen scaffolds, with implications for bone and tendon-to-bone tissue engineering. PMID:26855755

  3. Molecular mechanics of mineralized collagen fibrils in bone

    PubMed Central

    Nair, Arun K.; Gautieri, Alfonso; Chang, Shu-Wei; Buehler, Markus J.

    2013-01-01

    Bone is a natural composite of collagen protein and the mineral hydroxyapatite. The structure of bone is known to be important to its load-bearing characteristics, but relatively little is known about this structure or the mechanism that govern deformation at the molecular scale. Here we perform full-atomistic calculations of the three-dimensional molecular structure of a mineralized collagen protein matrix to try to better understand its mechanical characteristics under tensile loading at various mineral densities. We find that as the mineral density increases, the tensile modulus of the network increases monotonically and well beyond that of pure collagen fibrils. Our results suggest that the mineral crystals within this network bears up to four times the stress of the collagen fibrils, whereas the collagen is predominantly responsible for the material’s deformation response. These findings reveal the mechanism by which bone is able to achieve superior energy dissipation and fracture resistance characteristics beyond its individual constituents. PMID:23591891

  4. A new class of animal collagen masquerading as an insect silk

    PubMed Central

    Sutherland, Tara D.; Peng, Yong Y.; Trueman, Holly E.; Weisman, Sarah; Okada, Shoko; Walker, Andrew A.; Sriskantha, Alagacone; White, Jacinta F.; Huson, Mickey G.; Werkmeister, Jerome A.; Glattauer, Veronica; Stoichevska, Violet; Mudie, Stephen T.; Haritos, Victoria S.; Ramshaw, John A. M.

    2013-01-01

    Collagen is ubiquitous throughout the animal kingdom, where it comprises some 28 diverse molecules that form the extracellular matrix within organisms. In the 1960s, an extracorporeal animal collagen that forms the cocoon of a small group of hymenopteran insects was postulated. Here we categorically demonstrate that the larvae of a sawfly species produce silk from three small collagen proteins. The native proteins do not contain hydroxyproline, a post translational modification normally considered characteristic of animal collagens. The function of the proteins as silks explains their unusual collagen features. Recombinant proteins could be produced in standard bacterial expression systems and assembled into stable collagen molecules, opening the door to manufacture a new class of artificial collagen materials. PMID:24091725

  5. The Role of Network Architecture in Collagen Mechanics.

    PubMed

    Jansen, Karin A; Licup, Albert J; Sharma, Abhinav; Rens, Robbie; MacKintosh, Fred C; Koenderink, Gijsje H

    2018-06-05

    Collagen forms fibrous networks that reinforce tissues and provide an extracellular matrix for cells. These networks exhibit remarkable strain-stiffening properties that tailor the mechanical functions of tissues and regulate cell behavior. Recent models explain this nonlinear behavior as an intrinsic feature of disordered networks of stiff fibers. Here, we experimentally validate this theoretical framework by measuring the elastic properties of collagen networks over a wide range of self-assembly conditions. We show that the model allows us to quantitatively relate both the linear and nonlinear elastic behavior of collagen networks to their underlying architecture. Specifically, we identify the local coordination number (or connectivity) 〈z〉 as a key architectural parameter that governs the elastic response of collagen. The network elastic response reveals that 〈z〉 decreases from 3.5 to 3 as the polymerization temperature is raised from 26 to 37°C while being weakly dependent on concentration. We furthermore infer a Young's modulus of 1.1 MPa for the collagen fibrils from the linear modulus. Scanning electron microscopy confirms that 〈z〉 is between three and four but is unable to detect the subtle changes in 〈z〉 with polymerization conditions that rheology is sensitive to. Finally, we show that, consistent with the model, the initial stress-stiffening response of collagen networks is controlled by the negative normal stress that builds up under shear. Our work provides a predictive framework to facilitate future studies of the regulatory effect of extracellular matrix molecules on collagen mechanics. Moreover, our findings can aid mechanobiological studies of wound healing, fibrosis, and cancer metastasis, which require collagen matrices with tunable mechanical properties. Copyright © 2018 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Collagen from Marine Biological Sources and Medical Applications.

    PubMed

    Felician, Fatuma Felix; Xia, Chunlei; Qi, Weiyan; Xu, Hanmei

    2018-05-01

    Collagen is the most studied protein with a wide range of applications including pharmaceutical, biomedical, cosmetics, leather, and film industries due to its special characteristics that are high biocompatibility, good bioactivity, and weak antigenicity. Although collagen sources are abundant, the outbreak of varied diseases among land animals posed threat to its utilization in our daily life. Thus, a probe for an alternative source began, which in turn revealed the immense untapped marine sources, such as fish, jellyfish, and some marine Mammals. The present article deals with a brief description of collagen, its characteristics, marine sources, extraction, collagen peptides and their biological activities, potential use and application in various field. © 2018 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.

  7. Treating disorganized attachment in the Group Attachment-Based Intervention (GABI©): A case study.

    PubMed

    Knafo, Hannah; Murphy, Anne; Steele, Howard; Steele, Miriam

    2018-05-24

    This paper describes the treatment of a mother and child who demonstrated disorganized attachment behaviors in their interactions with one another. The mother, who was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder, felt incapable of managing her aggressive toddler and his emotional needs. The dyad was referred for therapy due to concerns about his developmental progress, evident delays having been mainly attributed to the problems observed within the parent-child relationship. The primary intervention applied to working with the dyad was the Group Attachment-Based Intervention (GABI©), developed by Anne Murphy in collaboration with Miriam Steele and Howard Steele. The mother also received individual psychotherapy as a supplement to the dyadic and group work of GABI©. The process and outcome of this comprehensive approach to treating a vulnerable dyad is explored in this case study. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  8. Demineralized dentin matrix composite collagen material for bone tissue regeneration.

    PubMed

    Li, Jianan; Yang, Juan; Zhong, Xiaozhong; He, Fengrong; Wu, Xiongwen; Shen, Guanxin

    2013-01-01

    Demineralized dentin matrix (DDM) had been successfully used in clinics as bone repair biomaterial for many years. However, particle morphology of DDM limited it further applications. In this study, DDM and collagen were prepared to DDM composite collagen material. The surface morphology of the material was studied by scanning electron microscope (SEM). MC3T3-E1 cells responses in vitro and tissue responses in vivo by implantation of DDM composite collagen material in bone defect of rabbits were also investigated. SEM analysis showed that DDM composite collagen material evenly distributed and formed a porous scaffold. Cell culture and animal models results indicated that DDM composite collagen material was biocompatible and could support cell proliferation and differentiation. Histological evaluation showed that DDM composite collagen material exhibited good biocompatibility, biodegradability and osteoconductivity with host bone in vivo. The results suggested that DDM composite collagen material might have a significant clinical advantage and potential to be applied in bone and orthopedic surgery.

  9. P3h3-null and Sc65-null Mice Phenocopy the Collagen Lysine Under-hydroxylation and Cross-linking Abnormality of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Type VIA.

    PubMed

    Hudson, David M; Weis, MaryAnn; Rai, Jyoti; Joeng, Kyu Sang; Dimori, Milena; Lee, Brendan H; Morello, Roy; Eyre, David R

    2017-03-03

    Tandem mass spectrometry was applied to tissues from targeted mutant mouse models to explore the collagen substrate specificities of individual members of the prolyl 3-hydroxylase (P3H) gene family. Previous studies revealed that P3h1 preferentially 3-hydroxylates proline at a single site in collagen type I chains, whereas P3h2 is responsible for 3-hydroxylating multiple proline sites in collagen types I, II, IV, and V. In screening for collagen substrate sites for the remaining members of the vertebrate P3H family, P3h3 and Sc65 knock-out mice revealed a common lysine under-hydroxylation effect at helical domain cross-linking sites in skin, bone, tendon, aorta, and cornea. No effect on prolyl 3-hydroxylation was evident on screening the spectrum of known 3-hydroxyproline sites from all major tissue collagen types. However, collagen type I extracted from both Sc65 -/- and P3h3 -/- skin revealed the same abnormal chain pattern on SDS-PAGE with an overabundance of a γ 112 cross-linked trimer. The latter proved to be from native molecules that had intramolecular aldol cross-links at each end. The lysine under-hydroxylation was shown to alter the divalent aldimine cross-link chemistry of mutant skin collagen. Furthermore, the ratio of mature HP/LP cross-links in bone of both P3h3 -/- and Sc65 -/- mice was reversed compared with wild type, consistent with the level of lysine under-hydroxylation seen in individual chains at cross-linking sites. The effect on cross-linking lysines was quantitatively very similar to that previously observed in EDS VIA human and Plod1 -/- mouse tissues, suggesting that P3H3 and/or SC65 mutations may cause as yet undefined EDS variants. © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  10. Collagen based polyurethanes—A review of recent advances and perspective.

    PubMed

    Zuber, Mohammad; Zia, Fatima; Zia, Khalid Mahmood; Tabasum, Shazia; Salman, Mahwish; Sultan, Neelam

    2015-09-01

    Collagen is mostly found in fibrous tissues such as tendons, ligaments and skin. Collagen makes up approximately 30% of the proteins within the body. These are tough and strong structures found all over the body: in bones, tendons and ligaments. Collagen being the most abundant protein provides tensile strength via cell matrix interactions to tissue architecture. Biomimetic materials of collagen origin gained wide spread acceptance in clinical applications. Vitamin C deficiency causes scurvy a serious and painful disease in which defective collagen prevents the formation of strong connective tissue, gums deteriorate and bleed, with loss of teeth; skin discolors, and wounds do not heal. Effective collagens prevent the manifestation of such disorders. Polyurethanes on the other hand are frequently used for various applications as they offered in wide-ranging of compositions, properties and complex structures. Collagen/PU bio-composites have potential array for biomedical applications. Considering versatile properties of the elongated fibrils and wide industrial and biomedical applications including biocompatibility of polyurethane, this review shed a light on collagen based polyurethane materials with their potential applications especially focusing the bio-medical field. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. ADAM10 controls collagen signaling and cell migration on collagen by shedding the ectodomain of discoidin domain receptor 1 (DDR1)

    PubMed Central

    Shitomi, Yasuyuki; Thøgersen, Ida B.; Ito, Noriko; Leitinger, Birgit; Enghild, Jan J.; Itoh, Yoshifumi

    2015-01-01

    Discoidin domain receptor 1 (DDR1) is a receptor tyrosine kinase that binds and transmits signals from various collagens in epithelial cells. However, how DDR1–dependent signaling is regulated has not been understood. Here we report that collagen binding induces ADAM10-dependent ectodomain shedding of DDR1. DDR1 shedding is not a result of an activation of its signaling pathway, since DDR1 mutants defective in signaling were shed in an efficient manner. DDR1 and ADAM10 were found to be in a complex on the cell surface, but shedding did not occur unless collagen bound to DDR1. Using a shedding-resistant DDR1 mutant, we found that ADAM10-dependent DDR1 shedding regulates the half-life of collagen-induced phosphorylation of the receptor. Our data also revealed that ADAM10 plays an important role in regulating DDR1-mediated cell adhesion to achieve efficient cell migration on collagen matrices. PMID:25540428

  12. Deformation micromechanisms of collagen fibrils under uniaxial tension

    PubMed Central

    Tang, Yuye; Ballarini, Roberto; Buehler, Markus J.; Eppell, Steven J.

    2010-01-01

    Collagen, an essential building block of connective tissues, possesses useful mechanical properties due to its hierarchical structure. However, little is known about the mechanical properties of collagen fibril, an intermediate structure between the collagen molecule and connective tissue. Here, we report the results of systematic molecular dynamics simulations to probe the mechanical response of initially unflawed finite size collagen fibrils subjected to uniaxial tension. The observed deformation mechanisms, associated with rupture and sliding of tropocollagen molecules, are strongly influenced by fibril length, width and cross-linking density. Fibrils containing more than approximately 10 molecules along their length and across their width behave as representative volume elements and exhibit brittle fracture. Shorter fibrils experience a more graceful ductile-like failure. An analytical model is constructed and the results of the molecular modelling are used to find curve-fitted expressions for yield stress, yield strain and fracture strain as functions of fibril structural parameters. Our results for the first time elucidate the size dependence of mechanical failure properties of collagen fibrils. The associated molecular deformation mechanisms allow the full power of traditional material and structural engineering theory to be applied to our understanding of the normal and pathological mechanical behaviours of collagenous tissues under load. PMID:19897533

  13. High-throughput quantification of hydroxyproline for determination of collagen.

    PubMed

    Hofman, Kathleen; Hall, Bronwyn; Cleaver, Helen; Marshall, Susan

    2011-10-15

    An accurate and high-throughput assay for collagen is essential for collagen research and development of collagen products. Hydroxyproline is routinely assayed to provide a measurement for collagen quantification. The time required for sample preparation using acid hydrolysis and neutralization prior to assay is what limits the current method for determining hydroxyproline. This work describes the conditions of alkali hydrolysis that, when combined with the colorimetric assay defined by Woessner, provide a high-throughput, accurate method for the measurement of hydroxyproline. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Immunostimulation effect of jellyfish collagen.

    PubMed

    Sugahara, Takuya; Ueno, Masashi; Goto, Yoko; Shiraishi, Ryusuke; Doi, Mikiharu; Akiyama, Koichi; Yamauchi, Satoshi

    2006-09-01

    Certain edible large jellyfishes belonging to the order Rhizostomeae are consumed in large quantities in China and Japan. The exumbrella part of the edible jellyfish Stomolophus nomurai was cut and soaked in dilute hydrochloric acid solution (pH 3.0) for 12 h, and heated at 121 degrees C for 20 min. The immunostimulation effects of the jellyfish extract were examined. The jellyfish extract enhanced IgM production of human hybridoma HB4C5 cells 34-fold. IgM and IgG production of human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) were also accelerated, 2.8- and 1.4-fold respectively. Moreover, production of interferon (IFN)-gamma and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha by human PBL was stimulated 100- and 17-fold respectively. Collagenase treatment inactivated the immunostimulation activity of the jellyfish extract. In addition, purified collagen from bovine Achilles' tendon accelerated IgM production of hybridoma cells. These facts mean that collagen has an immunostimulation effect, and that the active substance in jellyfish extract is collagen.

  15. [Advances in research and application of beta-tricalcium phosphate, collagen and beta-tricalcium phosphate/collagen composite in bone tissue engineering].

    PubMed

    Han, Xiang-Yong; Fu, Yuan-Fei; Zhang, Fu-Qiang

    2007-02-01

    Bone defects in oral and maxillofacial region was a common problem. To repair the defect, bone grafts including autograft, allograft and artificial bone graft were used in clinic despite of their disadvantages. Nowadays, bone tissue engineering has become a commonly used method to repair bone defect. This paper reviewed the application of beta-TCP, collagen and beta-TCP/collagen composite in bone tissue engineering. It was concluded that beta-TCP/collagen composite was a promising materials in bone tissue engineering.

  16. Muscle-derived collagen XIII regulates maturation of the skeletal neuromuscular junction.

    PubMed

    Latvanlehto, Anne; Fox, Michael A; Sormunen, Raija; Tu, Hongmin; Oikarainen, Tuomo; Koski, Anu; Naumenko, Nikolay; Shakirzyanova, Anastasia; Kallio, Mika; Ilves, Mika; Giniatullin, Rashid; Sanes, Joshua R; Pihlajaniemi, Taina

    2010-09-15

    Formation, maturation, stabilization, and functional efficacy of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) are orchestrated by transsynaptic and autocrine signals embedded within the synaptic cleft. Here, we demonstrate that collagen XIII, a nonfibrillar transmembrane collagen, is another such signal. We show that collagen XIII is expressed by muscle and its ectodomain can be proteolytically shed into the extracellular matrix. The collagen XIII protein was found present in the postsynaptic membrane and synaptic basement membrane. To identify a role for collagen XIII at the NMJ, mice were generated lacking this collagen. Morphological and ultrastructural analysis of the NMJ revealed incomplete adhesion of presynaptic and postsynaptic specializations in collagen XIII-deficient mice of both genders. Strikingly, Schwann cells erroneously enwrapped nerve terminals and invaginated into the synaptic cleft, resulting in a decreased contact surface for neurotransmission. Consistent with morphological findings, electrophysiological studies indicated both postsynaptic and presynaptic defects in Col13a1(-/-) mice, such as decreased amplitude of postsynaptic potentials, diminished probabilities of spontaneous release and reduced readily releasable neurotransmitter pool. To identify the role of collagen XIII at the NMJ, shed ectodomain of collagen XIII was applied to cultured myotubes, and it was found to advance acetylcholine receptor (AChR) cluster maturation. Together with the delay in AChR cluster development observed in collagen XIII-deficient mutants in vivo, these results suggest that collagen XIII plays an autocrine role in postsynaptic maturation of the NMJ. Altogether, the results presented here reveal that collagen XIII is a novel muscle-derived cue necessary for the maturation and function of the vertebrate NMJ.

  17. Physicochemical properties of marine collagen-alginate biomaterial

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Soon, K. S.; Hii, S. L.; Wong, C. L.; Leong, L. K.; Woo, K. K.

    2017-12-01

    Collagen base biomaterials are widely applied in the field of tissue engineering. However, these fibrous proteins in animal connective tissues are insufficient to fulfill the mechanical properties for such applications. Therefore, alginate as a natural polysaccharide was incorporated. In this study, Smooth wolf herring skins was collected from the local fish ball processing industry for collagen extraction using acid solubilisation method. On the other hand, alginate from brown seaweed (Sargassum polycystum) was extracted with calcium carbonate at 50 °C. The composite films of different collagen and alginate ratio were prepared by lyophilisation with pure collagen film as control. The effects of alginate on swelling behaviour, porosity, collagenase degradation and tensile strength of the composite films were investigated. Swelling behaviour increased with alginate content, 50 % alginate film achieved 1254.75 % swelling after 24 h. All composite films achieved more than 80 % porosity except the film with 80 % collagen (65.41 %). Porosity was highest in 100 % alginate (94.30 %). Highest tensile strength (1585.87 kPa) and young modulus (27.05 MPa) was found in 50 % alginate film. In addition, resistance to collagenase degradation was improved with alginate content, lowest degradation rate was determined in 80 % alginate film. Results indicated alginate is efficient in improving some mechanical properties of the composite film.

  18. Biological Safety of Fish (Tilapia) Collagen

    PubMed Central

    Yamamoto, Kohei; Sugimoto, Kouji; Yoshizawa, Yuu; Yanagiguchi, Kajiro

    2014-01-01

    Marine collagen derived from fish scales, skin, and bone has been widely investigated for application as a scaffold and carrier due to its bioactive properties, including excellent biocompatibility, low antigenicity, and high biodegradability and cell growth potential. Fish type I collagen is an effective material as a biodegradable scaffold or spacer replicating the natural extracellular matrix, which serves to spatially organize cells, providing them with environmental signals and directing site-specific cellular regulation. This study was conducted to confirm the safety of fish (tilapia) atelocollagen for use in clinical application. We performed in vitro and in vivo biological studies of medical materials to investigate the safety of fish collagen. The extract of fish collagen gel was examined to clarify its sterility. All present sterility tests concerning bacteria and viruses (including endotoxin) yielded negative results, and all evaluations of cell toxicity, sensitization, chromosomal aberrations, intracutaneous reactions, acute systemic toxicity, pyrogenic reactions, and hemolysis were negative according to the criteria of the ISO and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan. The present study demonstrated that atelocollagen prepared from tilapia is a promising biomaterial for use as a scaffold in regenerative medicine. PMID:24809058

  19. Biological safety of fish (tilapia) collagen.

    PubMed

    Yamamoto, Kohei; Igawa, Kazunari; Sugimoto, Kouji; Yoshizawa, Yuu; Yanagiguchi, Kajiro; Ikeda, Takeshi; Yamada, Shizuka; Hayashi, Yoshihiko

    2014-01-01

    Marine collagen derived from fish scales, skin, and bone has been widely investigated for application as a scaffold and carrier due to its bioactive properties, including excellent biocompatibility, low antigenicity, and high biodegradability and cell growth potential. Fish type I collagen is an effective material as a biodegradable scaffold or spacer replicating the natural extracellular matrix, which serves to spatially organize cells, providing them with environmental signals and directing site-specific cellular regulation. This study was conducted to confirm the safety of fish (tilapia) atelocollagen for use in clinical application. We performed in vitro and in vivo biological studies of medical materials to investigate the safety of fish collagen. The extract of fish collagen gel was examined to clarify its sterility. All present sterility tests concerning bacteria and viruses (including endotoxin) yielded negative results, and all evaluations of cell toxicity, sensitization, chromosomal aberrations, intracutaneous reactions, acute systemic toxicity, pyrogenic reactions, and hemolysis were negative according to the criteria of the ISO and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan. The present study demonstrated that atelocollagen prepared from tilapia is a promising biomaterial for use as a scaffold in regenerative medicine.

  20. Cartilage collagen damage in hip osteoarthritis similar to that seen in knee osteoarthritis; a case-control study of relationship between collagen, glycosaminoglycan and cartilage swelling.

    PubMed

    Hosseininia, Shahrzad; Lindberg, Lisbeth R; Dahlberg, Leif E

    2013-01-09

    It remains to be shown whether OA shares molecular similarities between different joints in humans. This study provides evidence for similarities in cartilage molecular damage in osteoarthritic (OA) joints. Articular cartilage from osteoarthritic hip joints were analysed and compared to non-OA controls regarding collagen, glycosaminoglycan and water content. Femoral heads from 16 osteoarthritic (OA) and 20 reference patients were obtained from hip replacement surgery due to OA and femoral neck fracture, respectively. Cartilage histological changes were assessed by Mankin grading and denatured collagen type II immunostaining and cartilage was extracted by α-chymotrypsin. Hydroxyproline and Alcian blue binding assays were used to measure collagen and glycosaminoglycan (GAG) content, respectively. Mankin and immunohistology scores were significantly higher in hip OA samples than in reference samples. Cartilage water content was 6% higher in OA samples than in references. 2.5 times more collagen was extracted from OA than from reference samples. There was a positive association between water content and percentage of extractable collagen pool (ECP) in both groups. The amounts of collagen per wet and dry weights did not differ statistically between OA and reference cartilage. % Extractable collagen was not related to collagen per dry weight in either group. However when collagen was expressed by wet weight there was a negative correlation between % extractable and collagen in OA cartilage. The amount of GAG per wet weight was similar in both groups but the amount of GAG per dry weight was higher in OA samples compared to reference samples, which suggests a capacity for GAG biosynthesis in hip OA cartilage. Neither of the studied parameters was related to age in either group. Increased collagen extractability and water content in human hip cartilage is associated with OA pathology and can be observed at early stages of the degenerative hip OA process. Our results

  1. Structural requirements for fibromodulin binding to collagen and the control of type I collagen fibrillogenesis--critical roles for disulphide bonding and the C-terminal region.

    PubMed

    Font, B; Eichenberger, D; Goldschmidt, D; Boutillon, M M; Hulmes, D J

    1998-06-15

    Fibromodulin belongs to the family of small, leucine-rich proteoglycans which have been reported to interact with collagens and to inhibit type I collagen fibrillogenesis. Decorin and fibromodulin exhibit a noticeable degree of sequence similarity. However, as previously reported [Font, B., Eichenberger, D., Rosenberg, L. M. & van der Rest, M. (1996) Matrix Biol. 15, 341-348] the domains of these molecules implicated in the interactions with type XII and type XIV collagens are different, these being the dermatan sulphate/chondroitin sulphate chain for decorin and the core protein for fibromodulin. At the present time the fibromodulin domains implicated in the interactions with fibrillar collagens remain unknown. In experiments reported here, we have sought to identify the structural requirements for fibromodulin interaction with collagen and for the control of type I collagen fibrillogenesis. Circular dichroism spectra and fibrillogenesis inhibition studies show that fibromodulin structure and its collagen fibrillogenesis control function are strictly dependent on the presence of intact disulphide bridge(s). In addition, we show that the binding of fibromodulin (or fibromodulin-derived fragments) to type I collagen is not necessarily correlated with fibrillogenesis inhibition. To isolate fibromodulin domains, the native proteoglycan was submitted to mild proteolysis. We have isolated an alpha-chymotrypsin-resistant fragment which contains the bulk of the N-terminal and central region of the molecule including the leucine-rich repeats 4 and 6 reported for decorin to be involved in type I collagen binding. This fragment does not bind to type I collagen. Using enzymes with different specificities, a number of large fragments of fibromodulin were obtained, suggesting a compact structure for this molecule which is relatively resistant to proteolysis. None of these N-glycosylated fragments were able to bind to type I collagen in co-sedimentation experiments. Taken

  2. Visualisation of newly synthesised collagen in vitro and in vivo

    PubMed Central

    Oostendorp, Corien; Uijtdewilligen, Peter J.E.; Versteeg, Elly M.; Hafmans, Theo G.; van den Bogaard, Ellen H.; de Jonge, Paul K.J.D.; Pirayesh, Ali; Von den Hoff, Johannes W.; Reichmann, Ernst; Daamen, Willeke F.; van Kuppevelt, Toin H.

    2016-01-01

    Identifying collagen produced de novo by cells in a background of purified collagenous biomaterials poses a major problem in for example the evaluation of tissue-engineered constructs and cell biological studies to tumor dissemination. We have developed a universal strategy to detect and localize newly deposited collagen based on its inherent association with dermatan sulfate. The method is applicable irrespective of host species and collagen source. PMID:26738984

  3. A theoretical approach of the relationships between collagen content, collagen cross-links and meat tenderness.

    PubMed

    Lepetit, J

    2007-05-01

    This work concerns the relationship between meat tenderness and the rubber-like properties, i.e. pressure and elastic modulus, that endomysium and perimysium connective tissues develop when meat has been heated to a temperature above which collagen contracts. For rest length meats with similar intramuscular connective tissue morphology, and which are at the same ageing state and pH, the elastic modulus of the collagenous fraction of connective tissues is approximately proportional to the total number of collagen cross-links present per volume of meat. Calculations from various published experiments concerned with the effect on tenderness of muscle type, animal age, type, and sex from different species show that this modulus follows most of the variations of meat toughness. Moreover, the proportionality between the increase in this elastic modulus and the increase in meat toughness approaches unity in situations where toughness mainly depends on connective tissues. This work demonstrates the decisive role of rubber-like properties of connective tissues in meat tenderness variations.

  4. The response to oestrogen deprivation of the cartilage collagen degradation marker, CTX-II, is unique compared with other markers of collagen turnover

    PubMed Central

    Bay-Jensen, Anne-Christine; Tabassi, Nadine CB; Sondergaard, Lene V; Andersen, Thomas L; Dagnaes-Hansen, Frederik; Garnero, Patrick; Kassem, Moustapha; Delaissé, Jean-Marie

    2009-01-01

    Introduction The urinary level of the type II collagen degradation marker CTX-II is increased in postmenopausal women and in ovariectomised rats, suggesting that oestrogen deprivation induces cartilage breakdown. Here we investigate whether this response to oestrogen is also true for other type II collagen turnover markers known to be affected in osteoarthritis, and whether it relates to its presence in specific areas of cartilage tissue. Methods The type II collagen degradation markers CTX-II and Helix-II were measured in the body fluids of premenopausal and postmenopausal women and in those of ovariectomised rats receiving oestrogen or not. Levels of PIIANP, a marker of type II collagen synthesis, were also measured in rats. Rat knee cartilage was analysed for immunoreactivity of CTX-II and PIIANP and for type II collagen expression. Results As expected, urinary levels of CTX-II are significantly increased in postmenopausal women and also in oestrogen-deprived rats, although only transiently. However, in neither case were these elevations paralleled by a significant increase of Helix-II levels and PIIANP levels did not change at any time. CTX-II immunoreactivity and collagen expression were detected in different cartilage areas. The upper zone is the area where CTX-II immunoreactivity and collagen expression best reflected the differences in urinary levels of CTX-II measured in response to oestrogen. However, correlations between urinary levels of CTX-II and tissue immunostainings in individual rats were not statistically significant. Conclusions We found only a small effect of oestrogen deprivation on cartilage. It was detected by CTX-II, but not by other type II collagen turnover markers typically affected in osteoarthritis. PMID:20527083

  5. Hierarchical and non-hierarchical mineralisation of collagen

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Yan; Kim, Young-Kyung; Dai, Lin; Li, Nan; Khan, Sara; Pashley, David H.; Tay, Franklin R.

    2010-01-01

    Biomineralisation of collagen involves functional motifs incorporated in extracellular matrix protein molecules to accomplish the objectives of stabilising amorphous calcium phosphate into nanoprecursors and directing the nucleation and growth of apatite within collagen fibrils. Here we report the use of small inorganic polyphosphate molecules to template hierarchical intrafibrillar apatite assembly in reconstituted collagen in the presence of polyacrylic acid to sequester calcium and phosphate into transient amorphous nanophases. The use of polyphosphate without a sequestration analogue resulted only in randomly-oriented extrafibrillar precipitations along the fibrillar surface. Conversely, the use of polyacrylic acid without a templating analogue resulted only in non-hierarchical intrafibrillar mineralisation with continuous apatite strands instead of discrete crystallites. The ability of using simple non-protein molecules to recapitulate different levels of structural hierarchy in mineralised collagen signifies the ultimate simplicity in Nature’s biomineralisation design principles and challenges the need for using more complex recombinant matrix proteins in bioengineering applications. PMID:21040969

  6. Always cleave up your mess: targeting collagen degradation to treat tissue fibrosis.

    PubMed

    McKleroy, William; Lee, Ting-Hein; Atabai, Kamran

    2013-06-01

    Pulmonary fibrosis is a vexing clinical problem with no proven therapeutic options. In the normal lung there is continuous collagen synthesis and collagen degradation, and these two processes are precisely balanced to maintain normal tissue architecture. With lung injury there is an increase in the rate of both collagen production and collagen degradation. The increase in collagen degradation is critical in preventing the formation of permanent scar tissue each time the lung is exposed to injury. In pulmonary fibrosis, collagen degradation does not keep pace with collagen production, resulting in extracellular accumulation of fibrillar collagen. Collagen degradation occurs through both extracellular and intracellular pathways. The extracellular pathway involves cleavage of collagen fibrils by proteolytic enzyme including the metalloproteinases. The less-well-described intracellular pathway involves binding and uptake of collagen fragments by fibroblasts and macrophages for lysosomal degradation. The relationship between these two pathways and their relevance to the development of fibrosis is complex. Fibrosis in the lung, liver, and skin has been associated with an impaired degradative environment. Much of the current scientific effort in fibrosis is focused on understanding the pathways that regulate increased collagen production. However, recent reports suggest an important role for collagen turnover and degradation in regulating the severity of tissue fibrosis. The objective of this review is to evaluate the roles of the extracellular and intracellular collagen degradation pathways in the development of fibrosis and to examine whether pulmonary fibrosis can be viewed as a disease of impaired matrix degradation rather than a disease of increased matrix production.

  7. Always cleave up your mess: targeting collagen degradation to treat tissue fibrosis

    PubMed Central

    McKleroy, William; Lee, Ting-Hein

    2013-01-01

    Pulmonary fibrosis is a vexing clinical problem with no proven therapeutic options. In the normal lung there is continuous collagen synthesis and collagen degradation, and these two processes are precisely balanced to maintain normal tissue architecture. With lung injury there is an increase in the rate of both collagen production and collagen degradation. The increase in collagen degradation is critical in preventing the formation of permanent scar tissue each time the lung is exposed to injury. In pulmonary fibrosis, collagen degradation does not keep pace with collagen production, resulting in extracellular accumulation of fibrillar collagen. Collagen degradation occurs through both extracellular and intracellular pathways. The extracellular pathway involves cleavage of collagen fibrils by proteolytic enzyme including the metalloproteinases. The less-well-described intracellular pathway involves binding and uptake of collagen fragments by fibroblasts and macrophages for lysosomal degradation. The relationship between these two pathways and their relevance to the development of fibrosis is complex. Fibrosis in the lung, liver, and skin has been associated with an impaired degradative environment. Much of the current scientific effort in fibrosis is focused on understanding the pathways that regulate increased collagen production. However, recent reports suggest an important role for collagen turnover and degradation in regulating the severity of tissue fibrosis. The objective of this review is to evaluate the roles of the extracellular and intracellular collagen degradation pathways in the development of fibrosis and to examine whether pulmonary fibrosis can be viewed as a disease of impaired matrix degradation rather than a disease of increased matrix production. PMID:23564511

  8. Structure of collagen-glycosaminoglycan matrix and the influence to its integrity and stability.

    PubMed

    Bi, Yuying; Patra, Prabir; Faezipour, Miad

    2014-01-01

    Glycosaminoglycan (GAG) is a chain-like disaccharide that is linked to polypeptide core to connect two collagen fibrils/fibers and provide the intermolecular force in Collagen-GAG matrix (C-G matrix). Thus, the distribution of GAG in C-G matrix contributes to the integrity and mechanical properties of the matrix and related tissue. This paper analyzes the transverse isotropic distribution of GAG in C-G matrix. The angle of GAGs related to collagen fibrils is used as parameters to qualify the GAGs isotropic characteristic in both 3D and 2D rendering. Statistical results included that over one third of GAGs were perpendicular directed to collagen fibril with symmetrical distribution for both 3D matrix and 2D plane cross through collagen fibrils. The three factors tested in this paper: collagen radius, collagen distribution, and GAGs density, were not statistically significant for the strength of Collagen-GAG matrix in 3D rendering. However in 2D rendering, a significant factor found was the radius of collagen in matrix for the GAGs directed to orthogonal plane of Collagen-GAG matrix. Between two cross-section selected from Collagen-GAG matrix model, the plane cross through collagen fibrils was symmetrically distributed but the total percentage of perpendicular directed GAG was deducted by decreasing collagen radius. There were some symmetry features of GAGs angle distribution in selected 2D plane that passed through space between collagen fibrils, but most models showed multiple peaks in GAGs angle distribution. With less GAGs directed to perpendicular of collagen fibril, strength in collagen cross-section weakened. Collagen distribution was also a factor that influences GAGs angle distribution in 2D rendering. True hexagonal collagen packaging is reported in this paper to have less strength at collagen cross-section compared to quasi-hexagonal collagen arrangement. In this work focus is on GAGs matrix within the collagen and its relevance to anisotropy.

  9. Lysyl oxidases regulate fibrillar collagen remodelling in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

    PubMed

    Tjin, Gavin; White, Eric S; Faiz, Alen; Sicard, Delphine; Tschumperlin, Daniel J; Mahar, Annabelle; Kable, Eleanor P W; Burgess, Janette K

    2017-11-01

    Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive scarring disease of the lung with few effective therapeutic options. Structural remodelling of the extracellular matrix [i.e. collagen cross-linking mediated by the lysyl oxidase (LO) family of enzymes (LOX, LOXL1-4)] might contribute to disease pathogenesis and represent a therapeutic target. This study aimed to further our understanding of the mechanisms by which LO inhibitors might improve lung fibrosis. Lung tissues from IPF and non-IPF subjects were examined for collagen structure (second harmonic generation imaging) and LO gene (microarray analysis) and protein (immunohistochemistry and western blotting) levels. Functional effects (collagen structure and tissue stiffness using atomic force microscopy) of LO inhibitors on collagen remodelling were examined in two models, collagen hydrogels and decellularized human lung matrices. LOXL1 / LOXL2 gene expression and protein levels were increased in IPF versus non-IPF. Increased collagen fibril thickness in IPF versus non-IPF lung tissues correlated with increased LOXL1/LOXL2, and decreased LOX, protein expression. β-Aminoproprionitrile (β-APN; pan-LO inhibitor) but not Compound A (LOXL2-specific inhibitor) interfered with transforming growth factor-β-induced collagen remodelling in both models. The β-APN treatment group was tested further, and β-APN was found to interfere with stiffening in the decellularized matrix model. LOXL1 activity might drive collagen remodelling in IPF lungs. The interrelationship between collagen structural remodelling and LOs is disrupted in IPF lungs. Inhibition of LO activity alleviates fibrosis by limiting fibrillar collagen cross-linking, thereby potentially impeding the formation of a pathological microenvironment in IPF. © 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

  10. Fibrillar Collagen Organization Associated with Broiler Wooden Breast Fibrotic Myopathy.

    PubMed

    Velleman, Sandra G; Clark, Daniel L; Tonniges, Jeffrey R

    2017-12-01

    Wooden breast (WB) is a fibrotic myopathy affecting the pectoralis major (p. major) muscle in fast-growing commercial broiler lines. Birds with WB are phenotypically detected by the palpation of a hard p. major muscle. A primary feature of WB is the fibrosis of muscle with the replacement of muscle fibers with extracellular matrix proteins, such as collagen. The ability of a tissue to be pliable and stretch is associated with the organization of collagen fibrils in the connective tissue areas surrounding muscle fiber bundles (perimysium) and around individual muscle fibers (endomysium). The objective of this study was to compare the structure and organization of fibrillar collagen by using transmission electron microscopy in two fast-growing broiler lines (Lines A and B) with incidence of WB to a slower growing broiler Line C with no phenotypically detectable WB. In Line A, the collagen fibrils were tightly packed in a parallel organization, whereas in Line B, the collagen fibrils were randomly aligned. Tightly packed collagen fibrils arranged in parallel are associated with nonpliable collagen that is highly cross-linked. This will lead to a phenotypically hard p. major muscle. In Line C, the fibrillar collagen was sparse in its distribution. Furthermore, the average collagen fibril diameter and banding D-period length were altered in Line A p. major muscles affected with WB. Taken together, these data are suggestive of different fibrotic myopathies beyond just what is classified as WB in fast-growing broiler lines.

  11. Dense tissue-like collagen matrices formed in cell-free conditions.

    PubMed

    Mosser, Gervaise; Anglo, Anny; Helary, Christophe; Bouligand, Yves; Giraud-Guille, Marie-Madeleine

    2006-01-01

    A new protocol was developed to produce dense organized collagen matrices hierarchically ordered on a large scale. It consists of a two stage process: (1) the organization of a collagen solution and (2) the stabilization of the organizations by a sol-gel transition that leads to the formation of collagen fibrils. This new protocol relies on the continuous injection of an acid-soluble collagen solution into glass microchambers. It leads to extended concentration gradients of collagen, ranging from 5 to 1000 mg/ml. The self-organization of collagen solutions into a wide array of spatial organizations was investigated. The final matrices obtained by this procedure varied in concentration, structure and density. Changes in the liquid state of the samples were followed by polarized light microscopy, and the final stabilized gel states obtained after fibrillogenesis were analyzed by both light and electron microscopy. Typical organizations extended homogeneously by up to three centimetres in one direction and several hundreds of micrometers in other directions. Fibrillogenesis of collagen solutions of high and low concentrations led to fibrils spatially arranged as has been described in bone and derm, respectively. Moreover, a relationship was revealed between the collagen concentration and the aggregation of and rotational angles between lateral fibrils. These results constitute a strong base from which to further develop highly enriched collagen matrices that could lead to substitutes that mimic connective tissues. The matrices thus obtained may also be good candidates for the study of the three-dimensional migration of cells.

  12. Potency of Fish Collagen as a Scaffold for Regenerative Medicine

    PubMed Central

    Yamamoto, Kohei; Yanagiguchi, Kajiro

    2014-01-01

    Cells, growth factors, and scaffold are the crucial factors for tissue engineering. Recently, scaffolds consisting of natural polymers, such as collagen and gelatin, bioabsorbable synthetic polymers, such as polylactic acid and polyglycolic acid, and inorganic materials, such as hydroxyapatite, as well as composite materials have been rapidly developed. In particular, collagen is the most promising material for tissue engineering due to its biocompatibility and biodegradability. Collagen contains specific cell adhesion domains, including the arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) motif. After the integrin receptor on the cell surface binds to the RGD motif on the collagen molecule, cell adhesion is actively induced. This interaction contributes to the promotion of cell growth and differentiation and the regulation of various cell functions. However, it is difficult to use a pure collagen scaffold as a tissue engineering material due to its low mechanical strength. In order to make up for this disadvantage, collagen scaffolds are often modified using a cross-linker, such as gamma irradiation and carbodiimide. Taking into account the possibility of zoonosis, a variety of recent reports have been documented using fish collagen scaffolds. We herein review the potency of fish collagen scaffolds as well as associated problems to be addressed for use in regenerative medicine. PMID:24982861

  13. In Situ D-periodic Molecular Structure of Type II Collagen

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Antipova, Olga; Orgel, Joseph P.R.O.

    Collagens are essential components of extracellular matrices in multicellular animals. Fibrillar type II collagen is the most prominent component of articular cartilage and other cartilage-like tissues such as notochord. Its in situ macromolecular and packing structures have not been fully characterized, but an understanding of these attributes may help reveal mechanisms of tissue assembly and degradation (as in osteo- and rheumatoid arthritis). In some tissues such as lamprey notochord, the collagen fibrillar organization is naturally crystalline and may be studied by x-ray diffraction. We used diffraction data from native and derivative notochord tissue samples to solve the axial, D-periodic structuremore » of type II collagen via multiple isomorphous replacement. The electron density maps and heavy atom data revealed the conformation of the nonhelical telopeptides and the overall D-periodic structure of collagen type II in native tissues, data that were further supported by structure prediction and transmission electron microscopy. These results help to explain the observed differences in collagen type I and type II fibrillar architecture and indicate the collagen type II cross-link organization, which is crucial for fibrillogenesis. Transmission electron microscopy data show the close relationship between lamprey and mammalian collagen fibrils, even though the respective larger scale tissue architecture differs.« less

  14. Collagenous Gastritis a Rare Disorder in Search of a Disease

    PubMed Central

    Mandaliya, Rohan; DiMarino, Anthony J.; Abraham, Sheeja; Burkart, Ashlie; Cohen, Sidney

    2013-01-01

    A 19-year-old young male presented with abdominal pain and constipation. Subsequent EGD showed nodular gastric mucosa with simple gastric aspirate demonstrating acidic pH of 2.0. The gastric biopsy showed thick subepithelial band of about 15 microns that was confirmed to be collagen on Masson’s trichrome stain along with inflammatory infiltrate. Colonoscopy and capsule endoscopy findings were unremarkable as well as the biopsy of the colon. Collagenous gastritis is a rare histopathological entity characterized by the presence of thick subepithelial collagen band of thickness greater than 10 microns along with intraepithelial lymphocytes and lamina propria lymphoplasmacytic and eosinophilic infitrates. Clinical presentation varies and depends more on the age of the patient with anemia or epigastric pain with nodular gastric mucosa being more common in children while diarrhea being more common in adults due to its increased association with collagenous colitis. The purpose of this case report is; (A) To define the endoscopic and histopathological features and progression of collagenous gastritis in this patient; (B) To compare these findings to those of collagenous sprue and collagenous colitis. PMID:27785244

  15. Peptide tessellation yields micrometre-scale collagen triple helices

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tanrikulu, I. Caglar; Forticaux, Audrey; Jin, Song; Raines, Ronald T.

    2016-11-01

    Sticky-ended DNA duplexes can associate spontaneously into long double helices; however, such self-assembly is much less developed with proteins. Collagen is the most prevalent component of the extracellular matrix and a common clinical biomaterial. As for natural DNA, the ~103-residue triple helices (~300 nm) of natural collagen are recalcitrant to chemical synthesis. Here we show how the self-assembly of short collagen-mimetic peptides (CMPs) can enable the fabrication of synthetic collagen triple helices that are nearly a micrometre in length. Inspired by the mathematics of tessellations, we derive rules for the design of single CMPs that self-assemble into long triple helices with perfect symmetry. Sticky ends thus created are uniform across the assembly and drive its growth. Enacting this design yields individual triple helices that, in length, match or exceed those in natural collagen and are remarkably thermostable, despite the absence of higher-order association. The symmetric assembly of CMPs provides an enabling platform for the development of advanced materials for medicine and nanotechnology.

  16. A novel fish collagen scaffold as dural substitute.

    PubMed

    Li, Qing; Mu, Lanlan; Zhang, Fenghua; Sun, Yue; Chen, Quan; Xie, Cuicui; Wang, Hongmei

    2017-11-01

    The novel fish collagen scaffolds were prepared by lyophilization. The collagen sponges and chitosan were chemically cross-linked with the 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC) as a cross-linking agent by pressing in one special mould. The collagen scaffolds were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and mechanical property, and the in vitro collagenase degradation was tested. The results revealed that the scaffold has a suitable porosity, elasticity and prevent fluid leakage, suggesting potential applications in the tissue-engineered. In vitro collagenase degradation demonstrated that the collagen cross-linking with EDC by pressing played an important role in their resistance to biodegradation. Moreover, the scaffold proved excellent biocompatibility for the activity and proliferation of mouse embryonic fibroblasts cells (MEFs) in vitro. The rabbit dural defect model demonstrated that the scaffolds could prevent brain tissue adhesion, which reduce the opportunity of inflammation, facilitate the growth of fibroblasts and enhance the tissue regeneration and healing. The novel fish collagen scaffold as dural substitute, demonstrate a capability for using in the field of tissue engineering. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  17. Increased cartilage type II collagen degradation in patients with osteogenesis imperfecta used as a human model of bone type I collagen alterations.

    PubMed

    Rousseau, Jean-Charles; Chevrel, Guillaume; Schott, Anne-Marie; Garnero, Patrick

    2010-04-01

    We investigated whether cartilage degradation is altered in adult patients with mild osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) used as a human model of bone type I collagen-related osteoarthritis (OA). Sixty-four adult patients with OI (39% women, mean age+/-SD: 37+/-12 years) and 64 healthy age-matched controls (54% women, 39+/-7 years) were included. We also compared data in 87 patients with knee OA (73% women, 63+/-8 years, mean disease duration: 6 years) and 291 age-matched controls (80% women, 62+/-10 years). Urinary C-terminal cross-linked telopeptide of type II collagen (CTX-II), a marker of cartilage degradation, urinary helical peptide of type I collagen (Helix-I), a marker of bone resorption, and the urinary ratio between non-isomerised/isomerised (alpha/beta CTX-I) type I collagen C-telopeptide, a marker of type I collagen maturation, were measured. Patients with OI had CTX-II levels similar to those of subjects with knee OA (p=0.89; mean+/-SEM; 460+/-57 ng/mmol Cr for OI group and 547+/-32 ng/mmol Cr for OA group) and significantly higher than both young (144+/-7.8 ng/mmol Cr, p<0.0001) and old controls (247+/-7 ng/mmol Cr, p<0.0001). In patients with OI, increased Helix-I (p<0.0001) and alpha/beta CTX-I (p=0.0067) were independently associated with increased CTX-II and together explained 26% of its variance (p< 0.0001). In patients with knee OA, increased levels of alpha/beta CTX-I ratio were also associated with higher CTX-II levels. Adult patients with OI or knee OA are characterized by increased cartilage type II collagen degradation, which is associated with increased type I collagen degradation for OI and lower type I collagen maturation for both OI and OA. These data suggest that both quantitative and qualitative alterations of bone type I collagen metabolism are involved in increased cartilage degradation in patients with OI or knee OA. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Hemispheric Language Asymmetry in First Episode Psychosis and Schizotypy: The Role of Cannabis Consumption and Cognitive Disorganization

    PubMed Central

    Herzig, Daniela A.; Sullivan, Sarah; Lewis, Glyn; Corcoran, Rhiannon; Drake, Richard; Evans, Jonathan; Nutt, David; Mohr, Christine

    2015-01-01

    Cannabis use has been related to an elevated psychosis risk and attenuated cognitive functioning. Cannabis-related cognitive impairments are also observed in populations along the psychosis dimension. We here investigated whether a potential behavioral marker of the psychosis dimension (attenuated functional hemispheric asymmetry) is even further attenuated in individuals using cannabis (CU) vs those not using cannabis (nCU). We tested 29 patients with first-episode psychosis (FEP; 11 CU) and 90 healthy controls (38 CU) on lateralized lexical decisions assessing left-hemisphere language dominance. In patients, psychotic symptoms were assessed by Positive & Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS). In controls, self-reported schizotypy was assessed (The Oxford-Liverpool Inventory of Feelings and Experiences: O-LIFE). Results indicated that nCU FEP patients had a relative reduced hemispheric asymmetry, as did controls with increasing cognitive disorganization (CogDis) scores, in particular when belonging to the group of nCU controls. Positive, disorganized and negative PANSS scores in patients and negative and positive schizotypy in controls were unrelated to hemispheric asymmetry. These findings suggest that cannabis use potentially balances rather than exacerbates uncommon hemispheric laterality patterns. Moreover, in healthy populations, the potential stabilization of typical hemispheric asymmetry in CU might be most relevant to individuals with elevated CogDis. We discuss the potential beneficial and harmful effects of cannabis use along the psychosis dimension together with propositions for future studies that should account for the mediating role of additional substances (eg nicotine), cannabis composition (eg cannabidiol content), and individual differences (eg physical health, or absence of significant polysubstance use). PMID:25543118

  19. Spectroscopic characterization of collagen cross-links in bone

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Paschalis, E. P.; Verdelis, K.; Doty, S. B.; Boskey, A. L.; Mendelsohn, R.; Yamauchi, M.

    2001-01-01

    Collagen is the most abundant protein of the organic matrix in mineralizing tissues. One of its most critical properties is its cross-linking pattern. The intermolecular cross-linking provides the fibrillar matrices with mechanical properties such as tensile strength and viscoelasticity. In this study, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and FTIR imaging (FTIRI) analyses were performed in a series of biochemically characterized samples including purified collagen cross-linked peptides, demineralized bovine bone collagen from animals of different ages, collagen from vitamin B6-deficient chick homogenized bone and their age- and sex-matched controls, and histologically stained thin sections from normal human iliac crest biopsy specimens. One region of the FTIR spectrum of particular interest (the amide I spectral region) was resolved into its underlying components. Of these components, the relative percent area ratio of two subbands at approximately 1660 cm(-1) and approximately 1690 cm(-1) was related to collagen cross-links that are abundant in mineralized tissues (i.e., pyridinoline [Pyr] and dehydrodihydroxylysinonorleucine [deH-DHLNL]). This study shows that it is feasible to monitor Pyr and DHLNL collagen cross-links spatial distribution in mineralized tissues. The spectroscopic parameter established in this study may be used in FTIRI analyses, thus enabling the calculation of relative Pyr/DHLNL amounts in thin (approximately 5 microm) calcified tissue sections with a spatial resolution of approximately 7 microm.

  20. Perinatal collagen turnover markers in intrauterine growth restriction.

    PubMed

    Gourgiotis, Demetrios; Briana, Despina D; Georgiadis, Anestis; Boutsikou, Maria; Baka, Stavroula; Marmarinos, Antonios; Hassiakos, Demetrios; Malamitsi-Puchner, Ariadne

    2012-09-01

    To investigate bone and connective tissue collagen turnover in intrauterine growth restricted (IUGR) pregnancies, by determining circulating markers of type I collagen synthesis (carboxy-terminal propeptide of type I procollagen [PICP], representing bone formation) and degradation (cross-linked telopeptide of type I collagen [ICTP], representing bone resorption) as well as type III collagen synthesis (N-terminal propeptide of type-III procollagen [PIIINP], reflecting growth and tissue maturity). Plasma PICP, ICTP and PIIINP concentrations were measured in 40 mothers and their 20 asymmetric IUGR and 20 appropriate for gestational age (AGA) full-term fetuses and neonates on postnatal day 1-(N1) and 4-(N4). Fetal PICP, fetal and N4 ICTP, as well as fetal, N1 and N4 PIIINP concentrations were higher in the IUGR group (p ≤ 0.038, in all cases). In both groups, maternal PICP, ICTP and PIIINP concentrations were lower than fetal, N1 and N4 ones (p<0.001, in each case). Type I collagen turnover is enhanced in IUGR than AGA fetuses/neonates. Similarly, fetal/neonatal PIIINP concentrations are elevated in IUGR, probably due to stress, responsible for induction of tissue maturation, and/or to impaired excretory renal function, leading to reduced protein clearance. Fetal/neonatal PICP, ICTP and PIIINP concentrations are higher than maternal concentrations, possibly reflecting increased skeletal growth and collagen turnover in the former.

  1. FTIR spectro-imaging of collagen scaffold formation during glioma tumor development.

    PubMed

    Noreen, Razia; Chien, Chia-Chi; Chen, Hsiang-Hsin; Bobroff, Vladimir; Moenner, Michel; Javerzat, Sophie; Hwu, Yeukuang; Petibois, Cyril

    2013-11-01

    Evidence has recently emerged that solid and diffuse tumors produce a specific extracellular matrix (ECM) for division and diffusion, also developing a specific interface with microvasculature. This ECM is mainly composed of collagens and their scaffolding appears to drive tumor growth. Although collagens are not easily analyzable by UV-fluorescence means, FTIR imaging has appeared as a valuable tool to characterize collagen contents in tissues, specially the brain, where ECM is normally devoid of collagen proteins. Here, we used FTIR imaging to characterize collagen content changes in growing glioma tumors. We could determine that C6-derived solid tumors presented high content of triple helix after 8-11 days of growth (typical of collagen fibrils formation; 8/8 tumor samples; 91 % of total variance), and further turned to larger α-helix (days 12-15; 9/10 of tumors; 94 % of variance) and β-turns (day 18-21; 7/8 tumors; 97 % of variance) contents, which suggest the incorporation of non-fibrillar collagen types in ECM, a sign of more and more organized collagen scaffold along tumor progression. The growth of tumors was also associated to the level of collagen produced (P < 0.05). This study thus confirms that collagen scaffolding is a major event accompanying the angiogenic shift and faster tumor growth in solid glioma phenotypes.

  2. Osteoblast Differentiation on Collagen Scaffold with Immobilized Alkaline Phosphatase.

    PubMed

    Jafary, F; Hanachi, P; Gorjipour, K

    2017-01-01

    In tissue engineering, scaffold characteristics play an important role in the biological interactions between cells and the scaffold. Cell adhesion, proliferation, and activation depend on material properties used for the fabrication of scaffolds. In the present investigation, we used collagen with proper characteristics including mechanically stability, biodegradability and low antigenicity. Optimization of the scaffold was done by immobilization of alkaline phosphatase on the collagen surface via cross-linking method, because this enzyme is one of the most important markers of osteoblast, which increases inorganic phosphate concentration and promote mineralization of bone formation. Alkaline phosphatase was immobilized on a collagen surface by 1-ethyl-3-(dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide hydrochloride, as a reagent. Then, rat mesenchymal stem cells were cultured in osteogenic medium in control and treated groups. The osteogenesis-related genes were compared between treatments (differentiated cells with immobilized alkaline phosphatase/collagen scaffold) and control groups (differentiated cells on collagen surface without alkaline phosphatase) on days 3 and 7 by quantitative real-time PCR (QIAGEN software). Several genes, including alkaline phosphatase, collagen type I and osteocalcine associated with calcium binding and mineralization, showed upregulation in expression during the first 3 days, whereas tumor necrosis factor-α, acting as an inhibitor of differentiation, was down-regulated during osteogenesis. Collagen scaffold with immobilized alkaline phosphatase can be utilized as a good candidate for enhancing the differentiation of osteoblasts from mesenchymal stem cells.

  3. Collagen type IV alpha 1 (COL4A1) and collagen type XIII alpha 1 (COL13A1) produced in cancer cells promote tumor budding at the invasion front in human urothelial carcinoma of the bladder

    PubMed Central

    Miyake, Makito; Hori, Shunta; Morizawa, Yosuke; Tatsumi, Yoshihiro; Toritsuka, Michihiro; Ohnishi, Sayuri; Shimada, Keiji; Furuya, Hideki; Khadka, Vedbar S.; Deng, Youping; Ohnishi, Kenta; Iida, Kota; Gotoh, Daisuke; Nakai, Yasushi; Inoue, Takeshi; Anai, Satoshi; Torimoto, Kazumasa; Aoki, Katsuya; Tanaka, Nobumichi; Konishi, Noboru; Fujimoto, Kiyohide

    2017-01-01

    Current knowledge of the molecular mechanism driving tumor budding is limited. Here, we focused on elucidating the detailed mechanism underlying tumor budding in urothelial cancer of the bladder. Invasive urothelial cancer was pathologically classified into three groups as follows: nodular, trabecular, and infiltrative (tumor budding). Pathohistological analysis of the orthotopic tumor model revealed that human urothelial cancer cell lines MGH-U3, UM-UC-14, and UM-UC-3 displayed typical nodular, trabecular, and infiltrative patterns, respectively. Based on the results of comprehensive gene expression analysis using microarray (25 K Human Oligo chip), we identified two collagens, COL4A1 and COL13A1, which may contribute to the formation of the infiltrative pattern. Visualization of protein interaction networks revealed that proteins associated with connective tissue disorders, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, growth hormone, and estrogen were pivotal factors in tumor cells. To evaluate the invasion pattern of tumor cells in vitro, 3-D collective cell invasion assay using Matrigel was performed. Invadopodial formation was evaluated using Gelatin Invadopodia Assay. Knockdown of collagens with siRNA led to dramatic changes in invasion patterns and a decrease in invasion capability through decreased invadopodia. The in vivo orthotopic experimental model of bladder tumors showed that intravesical treatment with siRNA targeting COL4A1 and COL13A1 inhibited the formation of the infiltrative pattern. COL4A1 and COL13A1 production by cancer cells plays a pivotal role in tumor invasion through the induction of tumor budding. Blocking of these collagens may be an attractive therapeutic approach for treatment of human urothelial cancer of the bladder. PMID:28415608

  4. Effect of aqueous ethanol on the triple helical structure of collagen.

    PubMed

    Gopinath, Arun; Reddy, Samala Murali Mohan; Madhan, Balaraman; Shanmguam, Ganesh; Rao, Jonnalagadda Raghava

    2014-12-01

    Collagen, the most abundant protein in mammals, is widely used for making biomaterials. Recently, organic solvents have been used to fabricate collagen-based biomaterials for biological applications. It is therefore necessary to understand the behavior of collagen in the presence of organic solvents at low (≤50%, v/v) and high (≥90%, v/v) concentrations. This study was conducted to examine how collagen reacts when exposed to low and high concentrations of ethanol, one of the solvents used to make collagen-based biomaterials. Solubility testing indicated that collagen remains in solution at low concentrations (≤50%, v/v) of ethanol but precipitates (gel-like) thereafter, irrespective of the method of addition of ethanol (single shot or gradual addition); this behavior is different from that observed recently with acetonitrile. Collagen retains its triple helix in the presence of ethanol but becomes thermodynamically unstable, with substantially reduced melting temperature, with increasing concentration of ethanol. It was also found that the CD ellipticity at 222 nm, characteristic of the triple-helical structure, does not correlate with the thermal stability of collagen. Time-dependent experiments reveal that the collagen triple helix is kinetically stable in the presence of 0-40% (v/v) ethanol at low temperature (5 °C) but highly unstable in the presence of ethanol at elevated temperature (~34 °C). These results indicate that when ethanol is used to process collagen-based biomaterials, such factors as temperature and duration should be done taking into account, to prevent extensive damage to the triple-helical structure of collagen.

  5. Effect of laser soldering irradiation on covalent bonds of pure collagen.

    PubMed

    Constantinescu, Mihai A; Alfieri, Alex; Mihalache, George; Stuker, Florian; Ducray, Angélique; Seiler, Rolf W; Frenz, Martin; Reinert, Michael

    2007-03-01

    Laser tissue welding and soldering is being increasingly used in the clinical setting for defined surgical procedures. The exact induced changes responsible for tensile strength are not yet fully investigated. To further improve the strength of the bonding, a better understanding of the laser impact at the subcellular level is necessary. The goal of this study was to analyze whether the effect of laser irradiation on covalent bonding in pure collagen using irradiances typically applied for tissue soldering. Pure rabbit and equine type I collagen were subjected to laser irradiation. In the first part of the study, rabbit and equine collagen were compared using identical laser and irradiation settings. In the second part of the study, equine collagen was irradiated at increasing laser powers. Changes in covalent bonding were studied indirectly using the sodium dodecylsulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) technique. Tensile strengths of soldered membranes were measured with a calibrated tensile force gauge. In the first experiment, no differences between the species-specific collagen bands were noted, and no changes in banding were found on SDS-PAGE after laser irradiation. In the second experiment, increasing laser irradiation power showed no effect on collagen banding in SDS-PAGE. Finally, the laser tissue soldering of pure collagen membranes showed virtually no determinable tensile strength. Laser irradiation of pure collagen at typical power settings and exposure times generally used in laser tissue soldering does not induce covalent bonding between collagen molecules. This is true for both rabbit and equine collagen proveniences. Furthermore, soldering of pure collagen membranes without additional cellular components does not achieve the typical tensile strength reported in native, cell-rich tissues. This study is a first step in a better understanding of laser impact at the molecular level and might prove useful in engineering of combined

  6. Region-specific role of water in collagen unwinding and assembly.

    PubMed

    Ravikumar, Krishnakumar M; Hwang, Wonmuk

    2008-09-01

    Conformational stability of the collagen triple helix affects its turnover and determines tissue homeostasis. Although it is known that the presence of imino acids (prolines or hydroxyprolines) confer stability to the molecule, little is known regarding the stability of the imino-poor region lacking imino acids, which plays a key role in collagen cleavage. In particular, there have been continuing debates about the role of water in collagen stability. We addressed these issues using molecular dynamics simulations on 30-residue long collagen triple helices, including a structure that has a biologically relevant 9-residue imino-poor region from type III collagen (PDB ID: 1BKV). A torsional map approach was used to characterize the conformational motion of the molecule that differ between imino-rich and imino-poor regions. At temperatures 300 K and above, unwinding initiates at a common cleavage site, the glycine-isoleucine bond in the imino-poor region. This provides a linkage between previous observations that unwinding of the imino-poor region is a requirement for collagenase cleavage, and that isolated collagen molecules are unstable at body temperature. We found that unwinding of the imino-poor region is controlled by dynamic water bridges between backbone atoms with average lifetimes on the order of a few picoseconds, as the degree of unwinding strongly correlated with the loss of water bridges, and unwinding could be either prevented or enhanced, respectively by enforcing or forbidding water bridge formation. While individual water bridges were short-lived in the imino-poor region, the hydration shell surrounding the entire molecule was stable even at 330 K. The diameter of the hydrated collagen including the first hydration shell was about 14 A, in good agreement with the experimentally measured inter-collagen distances. These results elucidate the general role of water in collagen turnover: water not only affects collagen cleavage by controlling its torsional

  7. Development of 3D printed fibrillar collagen scaffold for tissue engineering.

    PubMed

    Nocera, Aden Díaz; Comín, Romina; Salvatierra, Nancy Alicia; Cid, Mariana Paula

    2018-02-27

    Collagen is widely used in tissue engineering because it can be extracted in large quantities, and has excellent biocompatibility, good biodegradability, and weak antigenicity. In the present study, we isolated printable collagen from bovine Achilles tendon and examined the purity of the isolated collagen using sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The bands obtained corresponded to α 1 , α 2 and β chains with little contamination from other small proteins. Furthermore, rheological measurements of collagen dispersions (60 mg per ml of PBS) at pH 7 revealed values of viscosity of 35.62 ± 1.42 Pa s at shear rate of 10 s - 1 and a shear thinning behavior. Collagen gels and solutions can be used for building scaffolds by three-dimensional (3D) printing. After designing and fabricating a low-cost 3D printer we assayed the collagen printing and obtaining 3D printed scaffolds of collagen at pH 7. The porosity of the scaffold was 90.22% ± 0.88% and the swelling ratio was 1437% ± 146%. The microstructure of the scaffolds was studied using scanning electron microscopy, and a porous mesh of fibrillar collagen was observed. In addition, the 3D printed collagen scaffold was not cytotoxic with cell viability higher than 70% using Vero and NIH 3 T3 cells. In vitro evaluation using both cells lines demonstrated that the collagen scaffolds had the ability to support cell attachment and proliferation. Also a fibrillar collagen mesh was observed after two weeks of culture at 37 °C. Overall, these results are promising since they show the capability of the presented protocol to obtain printable fibrillar collagen at pH 7 and the potential of the printing technique for building low-cost biocompatible 3D plotted structures which maintained the fibrillar collagen structure after incubation in culture media without using additional strategies as crosslinking.

  8. Assessment of cardiac fibrosis: a morphometric method comparison for collagen quantification.

    PubMed

    Schipke, Julia; Brandenberger, Christina; Rajces, Alexandra; Manninger, Martin; Alogna, Alessio; Post, Heiner; Mühlfeld, Christian

    2017-04-01

    Fibrotic remodeling of the heart is a frequent condition linked to various diseases and cardiac dysfunction. Collagen quantification is an important objective in cardiac fibrosis research; however, a variety of different histological methods are currently used that may differ in accuracy. Here, frequently applied collagen quantification techniques were compared. A porcine model of early stage heart failure with preserved ejection fraction was used as an example. Semiautomated threshold analyses were imprecise, mainly due to inclusion of noncollagen structures or failure to detect certain collagen deposits. In contrast, collagen assessment by automated image analysis and light microscopy (LM)-stereology was more sensitive. Depending on the quantification method, the amount of estimated collagen varied and influenced intergroup comparisons. PicroSirius Red, Masson's trichrome, and Azan staining protocols yielded similar results, whereas the measured collagen area increased with increasing section thickness. Whereas none of the LM-based methods showed significant differences between the groups, electron microscopy (EM)-stereology revealed a significant collagen increase between cardiomyocytes in the experimental group, but not at other localizations. In conclusion, in contrast to the staining protocol, section thickness and the quantification method being used directly influence the estimated collagen content and thus, possibly, intergroup comparisons. EM in combination with stereology is a precise and sensitive method for collagen quantification if certain prerequisites are considered. For subtle fibrotic alterations, consideration of collagen localization may be necessary. Among LM methods, LM-stereology and automated image analysis are appropriate to quantify fibrotic changes, the latter depending on careful control of algorithm and comparable section staining. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Direct comparison of frequently applied histological fibrosis assessment techniques

  9. Oxidized Regenerated Cellulose/Collagen Dressings: Review of Evidence and Recommendations.

    PubMed

    Wu, Stephanie; Applewhite, Andrew J; Niezgoda, Jeffrey; Snyder, Robert; Shah, Jayesh; Cullen, Breda; Schultz, Gregory; Harrison, Janis; Hill, Rosemary; Howell, Melania; Speyrer, Marcus; Utra, Howard; de Leon, Jean; Lee, Wayne; Treadwell, Terry

    2017-11-01

    Healthcare systems are being challenged to manage increasing numbers of nonhealing wounds. Wound dressings are one of the first lines of defense in wound management, and numerous options exist. The oxidized regenerated cellulose (ORC)/collagen dressing may offer healthcare providers a robust and cost-effective tool for use in a variety of wounds. A multidisciplinary panel meeting was convened to discuss the use of ORC/collagen dressings in wound care and provide practice recommendations. A literature search was conducted to provide a brief review of the peer-reviewed studies published between January 2000 and March 2016 to inform the meeting. A 2-day panel meeting convened in February 2017. Healthcare providers with experience using ORC/collagen dressings. This multidisciplinary panel of 15 experts in wound healing included podiatrists, wound care specialists (doctors, certified wound care nurses, and research scientists), and an orthopedist. The literature search identified 58 articles, a majority of which were low levels of evidence (69.3% were level 3 or lower). Panel members identified wound types, such as abrasions, burns, stalled wounds, diabetic foot ulcers, and pressure injuries, where ORC/collagen dressing use could be beneficial. Panel members then provided recommendations and technical pearls for the use of ORC/collagen dressings in practice. Barriers to ORC/collagen dressing use were discussed, and potential resolutions were offered. An ORC/collagen dressing can be a critical tool for clinicians to help manage a variety of wounds. Clinical and economic studies comparing standard-of-care dressings and plain collagen dressings to ORC/collagen dressings are needed.

  10. Functional disorganization of small-world brain networks in mild Alzheimer's Disease and amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment: an EEG study using Relative Wavelet Entropy (RWE).

    PubMed

    Frantzidis, Christos A; Vivas, Ana B; Tsolaki, Anthoula; Klados, Manousos A; Tsolaki, Magda; Bamidis, Panagiotis D

    2014-01-01

    Previous neuroscientific findings have linked Alzheimer's Disease (AD) with less efficient information processing and brain network disorganization. However, pathological alterations of the brain networks during the preclinical phase of amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (aMCI) remain largely unknown. The present study aimed at comparing patterns of the detection of functional disorganization in MCI relative to Mild Dementia (MD). Participants consisted of 23 cognitively healthy adults, 17 aMCI and 24 mild AD patients who underwent electroencephalographic (EEG) data acquisition during a resting-state condition. Synchronization analysis through the Orthogonal Discrete Wavelet Transform (ODWT), and directional brain network analysis were applied on the EEG data. This computational model was performed for networks that have the same number of edges (N = 500, 600, 700, 800 edges) across all participants and groups (fixed density values). All groups exhibited a small-world (SW) brain architecture. However, we found a significant reduction in the SW brain architecture in both aMCI and MD patients relative to the group of Healthy controls. This functional disorganization was also correlated with the participant's generic cognitive status. The deterioration of the network's organization was caused mainly by deficient local information processing as quantified by the mean cluster coefficient value. Functional hubs were identified through the normalized betweenness centrality metric. Analysis of the local characteristics showed relative hub preservation even with statistically significant reduced strength. Compensatory phenomena were also evident through the formation of additional hubs on left frontal and parietal regions. Our results indicate a declined functional network organization even during the prodromal phase. Degeneration is evident even in the preclinical phase and coexists with transient network reorganization due to compensation.

  11. Collagen in Human Tissues: Structure, Function, and Biomedical Implications from a Tissue Engineering Perspective

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Balasubramanian, Preethi; Prabhakaran, Molamma P.; Sireesha, Merum; Ramakrishna, Seeram

    The extracellular matrix is a complex biological structure encoded with various proteins, among which the collagen family is the most significant and abundant of all, contributing 30-35% of the whole-body protein. "Collagen" is a generic term for proteins that forms a triple-helical structure with three polypeptide chains, and around 29 types of collagen have been identified up to now. Although most of the members of the collagen family form such supramolecular structures, extensive diversity exists between each type of collagen. The diversity is not only based on the molecular assembly and supramolecular structures of collagen types but is also observed within its tissue distribution, function, and pathology. Collagens possess complex hierarchical structures and are present in various forms such as collagen fibrils (1.5-3.5 nm wide), collagen fibers (50-70 nm wide), and collagen bundles (150-250 nm wide), with distinct properties characteristic of each tissue providing elasticity to skin, softness of the cartilage, stiffness of the bone and tendon, transparency of the cornea, opaqueness of the sclera, etc. There exists an exclusive relation between the structural features of collagen in human tissues (such as the collagen composition, collagen fibril length and diameter, collagen distribution, and collagen fiber orientation) and its tissue-specific mechanical properties. In bone, a transverse collagen fiber orientation prevails in regions of higher compressive stress whereas longitudinally oriented collagen fibers correlate to higher tensile stress. The immense versatility of collagen compels a thorough understanding of the collagen types and this review discusses the major types of collagen found in different human tissues, highlighting their tissue-specific uniqueness based on their structure and mechanical function. The changes in collagen during a specific tissue damage or injury are discussed further, focusing on the many tissue engineering applications for

  12. Collagen-binding proteins of Streptococcus mutans and related streptococci.

    PubMed

    Avilés-Reyes, A; Miller, J H; Lemos, J A; Abranches, J

    2017-04-01

    The ability of Streptococcus mutans to interact with collagen through the expression of collagen-binding proteins (CBPs) bestows this oral pathogen with an alternative to the sucrose-dependent mechanism of colonization classically attributed to caries development. Based on the abundance and distribution of collagen throughout the human body, stringent adherence to this molecule grants S. mutans with the opportunity to establish infection at different host sites. Surface proteins, such as SpaP, WapA, Cnm and Cbm, have been shown to bind collagen in vitro, and it has been suggested that these molecules play a role in colonization of oral and extra-oral tissues. However, robust collagen binding is not achieved by all strains of S. mutans, particularly those that lack Cnm or Cbm. These observations merit careful dissection of the contribution from these different CBPs towards tissue colonization and virulence. In this review, we will discuss the current understanding of mechanisms used by S. mutans and related streptococci to colonize collagenous tissues, and the possible contribution of CBPs to infections in different sites of the host. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  13. Independent modulation of collagen fibrillogenesis by decorin and lumican.

    PubMed

    Neame, P J; Kay, C J; McQuillan, D J; Beales, M P; Hassell, J R

    2000-05-01

    The leucine-rich proteoglycans (also known as "small, leucine-rich proteoglycans," or SLRPs) lumican and decorin are thought to be involved in the regulation of collagen fibril assembly. Preparation of these proteoglycans in chemical amounts without exposure to denaturants has recently been achieved by infecting HT-1080 cells with vaccinia virus that contains an expression cassette for these molecules. Addition of lumican and decorin to a collagen fibrillogenesis assay based on turbidity demonstrated that lumican accelerated initial fibril formation while decorin retarded initial fibril formation. At the end of fibrillogenesis, both proteoglycans resulted in an overall reduced turbidity, suggesting that fibril diameter was lower. The presence of both proteoglycans had a synergistic effect, retarding fibril formation to a greater degree than either proteoglycan individually. Competitive binding studies showed that lumican did not compete for decorin-binding sites on collagen fibrils. Both proteoglycans increased the stability of fibrils to thermal denaturation to approximately the same degree. These studies show that lumican does not compete for decorin-binding sites on collagen, that decorin and lumican modulate collagen fibrillogenesis, and that, in the process, they also enhance collagen fibril stability.

  14. Regional mechanics determine collagen fiber structure in healing myocardial infarcts.

    PubMed

    Fomovsky, Gregory M; Rouillard, Andrew D; Holmes, Jeffrey W

    2012-05-01

    Following myocardial infarction, the mechanical properties of the healing infarct are an important determinant of heart function and the risk of progression to heart failure. In particular, mechanical anisotropy (having different mechanical properties in different directions) in the healing infarct can preserve pump function of the heart. Based on reports of different collagen structures and mechanical properties in various animal models, we hypothesized that differences in infarct size, shape, and/or location produce different patterns of mechanical stretch that guide evolving collagen fiber structure. We tested the effects of infarct shape and location using a combined experimental and computational approach. We studied mechanics and collagen fiber structure in cryoinfarcts in 53 Sprague-Dawley rats and found that regardless of shape or orientation, cryoinfarcts near the equator of the left ventricle stretched primarily in the circumferential direction and developed circumferentially aligned collagen, while infarcts at the apex stretched similarly in the circumferential and longitudinal directions and developed randomly oriented collagen. In a computational model of infarct healing, an effect of mechanical stretch on fibroblast and collagen alignment was required to reproduce the experimental results. We conclude that mechanical environment determines collagen fiber structure in healing myocardial infarcts. Our results suggest that emerging post-infarction therapies that alter regional mechanics will also alter infarct collagen structure, offering both potential risks and novel therapeutic opportunities. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Embroidered polymer-collagen hybrid scaffold variants for ligament tissue engineering.

    PubMed

    Hoyer, M; Drechsel, N; Meyer, M; Meier, C; Hinüber, C; Breier, A; Hahner, J; Heinrich, G; Rentsch, C; Garbe, L-A; Ertel, W; Schulze-Tanzil, G; Lohan, A

    2014-10-01

    Embroidery techniques and patterns used for scaffold production allow the adaption of biomechanical scaffold properties. The integration of collagen into embroidered polylactide-co-caprolactone [P(LA-CL)] and polydioxanone (PDS) scaffolds could stimulate neo-tissue formation by anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) cells. Therefore, the aim of this study was to test embroidered P(LA-CL) and PDS scaffolds as hybrid scaffolds in combination with collagen hydrogel, sponge or foam for ligament tissue engineering. ACL cells were cultured on embroidered P(LA-CL) and PDS scaffolds without or with collagen supplementation. Cell adherence, vitality, morphology and ECM synthesis were analyzed. Irrespective of thread size, ACL cells seeded on P(LA-CL) scaffolds without collagen adhered and spread over the threads, whereas the cells formed clusters on PDS and larger areas remained cell-free. Using the collagen hydrogel, the scaffold colonization was limited by the gel instability. The collagen sponge layers integrated into the scaffolds were hardly penetrated by the cells. Collagen foams increased scaffold colonization in P(LA-CL) but did not facilitate direct cell-thread contacts in the PDS scaffolds. The results suggest embroidered P(LA-CL) scaffolds as a more promising basis for tissue engineering an ACL substitute than PDS due to superior cell attachment. Supplementation with a collagen foam presents a promising functionalization strategy. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Regional Mechanics Determine Collagen Fiber Structure in Healing Myocardial Infarcts

    PubMed Central

    Fomovsky, Gregory M.; Rouillard, Andrew D.; Holmes, Jeffrey W.

    2012-01-01

    Following myocardial infarction, the mechanical properties of the healing infarct are an important determinant of heart function and the risk of progression to heart failure. In particular, mechanical anisotropy (having different mechanical properties in different directions) in the healing infarct can preserve pump function of the heart. Based on reports of different collagen structures and mechanical properties in various animal models, we hypothesized that differences in infarct size, shape, and/or location produce different patterns of mechanical stretch that guide evolving collagen fiber structure. We tested the effects of infarct shape and location using a combined experimental and computational approach. We studied mechanics and collagen fiber structure in cryoinfarcts in 53 Sprague-Dawley rats and found that regardless of shape or orientation, cryoinfarcts near the equator of the left ventricle stretched primarily in the circumferential direction and developed circumferentially aligned collagen, while infarcts at the apex stretched similarly in the circumferential and longitudinal direction and developed randomly oriented collagen. In a computational model of infarct healing, an effect of mechanical stretch on fibroblast and collagen alignment was required to reproduce the experimental results. We conclude that mechanical environment determines collagen fiber structure in healing myocardial infarcts. Our results suggest that emerging post-infarction therapies that alter regional mechanics will also alter infarct collagen structure, offering both potential risks and novel therapeutic opportunities. PMID:22418281

  17. Aging-associated modifications of collagen affect its degradation by matrix metalloproteinases.

    PubMed

    Panwar, Preety; Butler, Georgina S; Jamroz, Andrew; Azizi, Pouya; Overall, Christopher M; Brömme, Dieter

    2018-01-01

    The natural aging process and various pathologies correlate with alterations in the composition and the structural and mechanical integrity of the connective tissue. Collagens represent the most abundant matrix proteins and provide for the overall stiffness and resilience of tissues. The structural changes of collagens and their susceptibility to degradation are associated with skin wrinkling, bone and cartilage deterioration, as well as cardiovascular and respiratory malfunctions. Here, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are major contributors to tissue remodeling and collagen degradation. During aging, collagens are modified by mineralization, accumulation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs), and the depletion of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), which affect fiber stability and their susceptibility to MMP-mediated degradation. We found a reduced collagenolysis in mineralized and AGE-modified collagen fibers when compared to native fibrillar collagen. GAGs had no effect on MMP-mediated degradation of collagen. In general, MMP digestion led to a reduction in the mechanical strength of native and modified collagen fibers. Successive fiber degradation with MMPs and the cysteine-dependent collagenase, cathepsin K (CatK), resulted in their complete degradation. In contrast, MMP-generated fragments were not or only poorly cleaved by non-collagenolytic cathepsins such as cathepsin V (CatV). In conclusion, our data indicate that aging and disease-associated collagen modifications reduce tissue remodeling by MMPs and decrease the structural and mechanic integrity of collagen fibers, which both may exacerbate extracellular matrix pathology. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Collagen-Proteoglycan Relationships in Epiphyseal Cartilage

    PubMed Central

    Eisenstein, Reuben; Larsson, Sven-Erik; Sorgente, Nino; Kuettner, Klaus E.

    1973-01-01

    Columnar and hypertrophic zones of calf scapular cartilage were studied before and after extraction with 3 M guanidinium chloride (GuCl) and digestion with enzymes which degrade various components of the extracellular matrix. Morphologic and chemical analysis suggests that there are at least two anatomic pools of proteoglycan in this tissue. One, which resides between collagen fibrils, is extractable with GuCl. Another appears attached to collagen by strong bonds and is apparently not extractable with GuCl. This type of collagen-proteoglycan relationship is possibly restricted to epiphyseal cartilage. The morphology of the lacuna is different in the columnar and hypertrophic zones. Proteoglycans in the distal hypertrophic zone are less resistant to GuCl extraction. ImagesFig 9Fig 10Fig 11Fig 1Fig 2Fig 3Fig 4Fig 5Fig 6Fig 7Fig 8 PMID:4357177

  19. Collagenous gastritis: an unusual association with profound weight loss.

    PubMed

    Wang, Hanlin L; Shah, Amit G; Yerian, Lisa M; Cohen, Russell D; Hart, John

    2004-02-01

    Collagenous gastritis is a distinctive disorder characterized by thickening of the subepithelial collagen layer in the gastric mucosa. Although this entity was recognized in 1989, its etiology, pathogenesis, and clinicopathologic features remain poorly understood because of its rarity. An unusual case of collagenous gastritis was observed in a 37-year-old man who presented with profound weight loss, a feature that has not previously been emphasized.

  20. Abnormally high levels of anti-collagen type IV IgG antibodies in the serum of patients with a clinically isolated syndrome correlate with an increased risk of conversion to MS.

    PubMed

    Sadarzanska-Terzieva, Behidhe; Tzvetanov, Plamen; Hegde, Vishwajit; Al-Hashel, Jasem Y; Rousseff, Rossen Т; Haralanov, Lubomir; Stamenov, Boyko; Atanassova, Milena; Marinova, Iveta; Marinova, Anna; Rousseva, Adelaida

    2015-06-01

    To investigate anti-collagen-type-IV serum antibodies (ACIVAbs) levels in patients with clinically isolated syndrome (CIS), and to determine their predictive value for conversion into multiple sclerosis (MS). Serum levels of IgM and IgG ACIVAbs in 40 untreated patients with CIS (13 male, mean age 34.85±11.4 years, range 16-58 years) were compared to those of 27 gender- and age-matched healthy controls. ACIVAbs were quantified using ELISA. Patients were followed for 5 years by clinical examination and MRI studies. Thirty two patients (80%) converted to MS (converted CIS, C-CIS group) while the rest 8 (20%) did not (non-converted CIS, NC-CIS). The C-CIS patients had significantly higher levels of IgG ACIVAb compared to NC-CIS while the IgM levels did not differ between C-CIS and NC-CIS. Conversion to MS occurred in 66% of patients with IgG ACIVAbs levels exceeding the 95th percentile found in controls. IgG ACIVAbs levels correlated positively with the serum levels of matrix metalloproteinases type 9 (r = 0.37; p = 0.003) and inversely with those of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases type 1 (r = -0.43; p = 0.0008). High serum levels of IgG ACIVAbs in patients with CIS correlate strongly with increased risk of conversion to MS. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Mechanical Properties of Single Collagen Fibrils Revealed by Force Spectroscopy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Graham, John; Phillips, Charlotte; Grandbois, Michel

    2004-03-01

    In the field of biomechanics, collagen fibrils are believed to be robust mechanical structures characterized by a low extensibility. Until very recently, information on the mechanical properties of collagen fibrils could only be derived from ensemble measurements performed on complete tissues such as bone, skin and tendon. Here we measure force-elongation/relaxation profiles of single collagen fibrils using atomic force microscopy-based force spectroscopy. The elongation profiles indicate that in vitro assembled heterotrimeric type I collagen fibrils are characterized by a large extensibility. Numerous discontinuities and a plateau in the force profile indicate major reorganization occurs within the fibrils in the 1.5 -- 4.5 nN range. Our study demonstrates that newly assembled collagen fibrils are robust structures with a significant reserve of elasticity that could play a determinant role in cellular motion in the context of tissue growth and morphogenesis. In contrast, homotrimeric collagen fibrils corresponding to osteogenesis imperfecta pathology exhibit a marked difference in their elasticity profile.

  2. Natural healing-inspired collagen-targeting surgical protein glue for accelerated scarless skin regeneration.

    PubMed

    Jeon, Eun Young; Choi, Bong-Hyuk; Jung, Dooyup; Hwang, Byeong Hee; Cha, Hyung Joon

    2017-07-01

    Skin scarring after deep dermal injuries is a major clinical problem due to the current therapies limited to established scars with poor understanding of healing mechanisms. From investigation of aberrations within the extracellular matrix involved in pathophysiologic scarring, it was revealed that one of the main factors responsible for impaired healing is abnormal collagen reorganization. Here, inspired by the fundamental roles of decorin, a collagen-targeting proteoglycan, in collagen remodeling, we created a scar-preventive collagen-targeting glue consisting of a newly designed collagen-binding mussel adhesive protein and a specific glycosaminoglycan. The collagen-targeting glue specifically bound to type I collagen in a dose-dependent manner and regulated the rate and the degree of fibrillogenesis. In a rat skin excisional model, the collagen-targeting glue successfully accelerated initial wound regeneration as defined by effective reepithelialization, neovascularization, and rapid collagen synthesis. Moreover, the improved dermal collagen architecture was demonstrated by uniform size of collagen fibrils, their regular packing, and a restoration of healthy tissue component. Collectively, our natural healing-inspired collagen-targeting glue may be a promising therapeutic option for improving the healing rate with high-quality and effective scar inhibition. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Resliced image space construction for coronary artery collagen fibers.

    PubMed

    Luo, Tong; Chen, Huan; Kassab, Ghassan S

    2017-01-01

    Collagen fibers play an important role in the biomechanics of the blood vessel wall. The objective of this study was to determine the 3D microstructure of collagen fibers in the media and adventitia of coronary arteries. We present a novel optimal angle consistence algorithm to reform image slices in the visualization and analysis of 3D collagen images. 3D geometry was reconstructed from resliced image space where the 3D skeleton was extracted as the primary feature for accurate reconstruction of geometrical parameters. Collagen fibers (range 80-200) were reconstructed from the porcine coronary artery wall for the measurement of various morphological parameters. Collagen waviness and diameters were 1.37 ± 0.19 and 2.61 ± 0.89 μm, respectively. The biaxial distributions of orientation had two different peaks at 110.7 ± 25.2° and 18.4 ± 19.3°. Results for width, waviness, and orientation were found to be in good agreement with manual measurements. In addition to accurately measuring 2D features more efficiently than the manual approach, the present method produced 3D features that could not be measured in the 2D manual approach. These additional parameters included the tilt angle (5.10 ± 2.95°) and cross-sectional area (CSA; 5.98 ± 3.79 μm2) of collagen fibers. These 3D collagen reconstructions provide accurate and reliable microstructure for biomechanical modeling of vessel wall mechanics.

  4. Collagen Scaffolds in Bone Sialoprotein-Mediated Bone Regeneration

    PubMed Central

    Kruger, Thomas E.; Miller, Andrew H.; Wang, Jinxi

    2013-01-01

    Decades of research in bioengineering have resulted in the development of many types of 3-dimentional (3D) scaffolds for use as drug delivery systems (DDS) and for tissue regeneration. Scaffolds may be comprised of different natural fibers and synthetic polymers as well as ceramics in order to exert the most beneficial attributes including biocompatibility, biodegradability, structural integrity, cell infiltration and attachment, and neovascularization. Type I collagen scaffolds meet most of these criteria. In addition, type I collagen binds integrins through RGD and non-RGD sites which facilitates cell migration, attachment, and proliferation. Type I collagen scaffolds can be used for bone tissue repair when they are coated with osteogenic proteins such as bone morphogenic protein (BMP) and bone sialoprotein (BSP). BSP, a small integrin-binding ligand N-linked glycoprotein (SIBLING), has osteogenic properties and plays an essential role in bone formation. BSP also mediates mineral deposition, binds type I collagen with high affinity, and binds αvβ 3 and αvβ 5 integrins which mediate cell signaling. This paper reviews the emerging evidence demonstrating the efficacy of BSP-collagen scaffolds in bone regeneration. PMID:23653530

  5. Collagen scaffolds in bone sialoprotein-mediated bone regeneration.

    PubMed

    Kruger, Thomas E; Miller, Andrew H; Wang, Jinxi

    2013-01-01

    Decades of research in bioengineering have resulted in the development of many types of 3-dimentional (3D) scaffolds for use as drug delivery systems (DDS) and for tissue regeneration. Scaffolds may be comprised of different natural fibers and synthetic polymers as well as ceramics in order to exert the most beneficial attributes including biocompatibility, biodegradability, structural integrity, cell infiltration and attachment, and neovascularization. Type I collagen scaffolds meet most of these criteria. In addition, type I collagen binds integrins through RGD and non-RGD sites which facilitates cell migration, attachment, and proliferation. Type I collagen scaffolds can be used for bone tissue repair when they are coated with osteogenic proteins such as bone morphogenic protein (BMP) and bone sialoprotein (BSP). BSP, a small integrin-binding ligand N-linked glycoprotein (SIBLING), has osteogenic properties and plays an essential role in bone formation. BSP also mediates mineral deposition, binds type I collagen with high affinity, and binds α v β 3 and α v β 5 integrins which mediate cell signaling. This paper reviews the emerging evidence demonstrating the efficacy of BSP-collagen scaffolds in bone regeneration.

  6. Protease inhibitors enhance extracellular collagen fibril deposition in human mesenchymal stem cells.

    PubMed

    Han, Sejin; Li, Yuk Yin; Chan, Barbara Pui

    2015-10-15

    Collagen is a widely used naturally occurring biomaterial for scaffolding, whereas mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) represent a promising cell source in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. It is generally known that cells are able to remodel their environment by simultaneous degradation of the scaffolds and deposition of newly synthesized extracellular matrix. Nevertheless, the interactions between MSCs and collagen biomaterials are poorly known, and the strategies enhancing the extracellular matrix deposition are yet to be defined. In this study, we aim to investigate the fate of collagen when it is in contact with MSCs and hypothesize that protease inhibition will enhance their extracellular deposition of collagen fibrils. Specifically, human MSCs (hMSCs) were exposed to fluorescence-labeled collagen with and without intracellular or extracellular protease inhibitors (or both) before tracing the collagen at both intracellular and extracellular spaces. Collagen were internalized by hMSCs and degraded intracellularly in lysosomes. In the presence of protease inhibitors, both intracellular collagen fibril growth and extracellular deposition of collagen fibrils were enhanced. Moreover, protease inhibitors work synergistically with ascorbic acid, a well-known matrix deposition-enhancing reagent, in further enhancing collagen fibril deposition at the extracellular space. These findings provide a better understanding of the interactions between hMSCs and collagen biomaterials and suggest a method to manipulate matrix remodeling and deposition of hMSCs, contributing to better scaffolding for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

  7. Collagen cross-linking: insights on the evolution of metazoan extracellular matrix.

    PubMed

    Rodriguez-Pascual, Fernando; Slatter, David Anthony

    2016-11-23

    Collagens constitute a large family of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins that play a fundamental role in supporting the structure of various tissues in multicellular animals. The mechanical strength of fibrillar collagens is highly dependent on the formation of covalent cross-links between individual fibrils, a process initiated by the enzymatic action of members of the lysyl oxidase (LOX) family. Fibrillar collagens are present in a wide variety of animals, therefore often being associated with metazoan evolution, where the emergence of an ancestral collagen chain has been proposed to lead to the formation of different clades. While LOX-generated collagen cross-linking metabolites have been detected in different metazoan families, there is limited information about when and how collagen acquired this particular modification. By analyzing telopeptide and helical sequences, we identified highly conserved, potential cross-linking sites throughout the metazoan tree of life. Based on this analysis, we propose that they have importantly contributed to the formation and further expansion of fibrillar collagens.

  8. Collagen matrix as a tool in studying fibroblastic cell behavior.

    PubMed

    Kanta, Jiří

    2015-01-01

    Type I collagen is a fibrillar protein, a member of a large family of collagen proteins. It is present in most body tissues, usually in combination with other collagens and other components of extracellular matrix. Its synthesis is increased in various pathological situations, in healing wounds, in fibrotic tissues and in many tumors. After extraction from collagen-rich tissues it is widely used in studies of cell behavior, especially those of fibroblasts and myofibroblasts. Cells cultured in a classical way, on planar plastic dishes, lack the third dimension that is characteristic of body tissues. Collagen I forms gel at neutral pH and may become a basis of a 3D matrix that better mimics conditions in tissue than plastic dishes.

  9. Collagen matrix as a tool in studying fibroblastic cell behavior

    PubMed Central

    Kanta, Jiří

    2015-01-01

    Type I collagen is a fibrillar protein, a member of a large family of collagen proteins. It is present in most body tissues, usually in combination with other collagens and other components of extracellular matrix. Its synthesis is increased in various pathological situations, in healing wounds, in fibrotic tissues and in many tumors. After extraction from collagen-rich tissues it is widely used in studies of cell behavior, especially those of fibroblasts and myofibroblasts. Cells cultured in a classical way, on planar plastic dishes, lack the third dimension that is characteristic of body tissues. Collagen I forms gel at neutral pH and may become a basis of a 3D matrix that better mimics conditions in tissue than plastic dishes. PMID:25734486

  10. Oxidized Regenerated Cellulose/Collagen Dressings: Review of Evidence and Recommendations

    PubMed Central

    Wu, Stephanie; Applewhite, Andrew J.; Niezgoda, Jeffrey; Snyder, Robert; Shah, Jayesh; Cullen, Breda; Schultz, Gregory; Harrison, Janis; Hill, Rosemary; Howell, Melania; Speyrer, Marcus; Utra, Howard; de Leon, Jean; Lee, Wayne; Treadwell, Terry

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE: Healthcare systems are being challenged to manage increasing numbers of nonhealing wounds. Wound dressings are one of the first lines of defense in wound management, and numerous options exist. The oxidized regenerated cellulose (ORC)/collagen dressing may offer healthcare providers a robust and cost-effective tool for use in a variety of wounds. DESIGN: A multidisciplinary panel meeting was convened to discuss the use of ORC/collagen dressings in wound care and provide practice recommendations. A literature search was conducted to provide a brief review of the peer-reviewed studies published between January 2000 and March 2016 to inform the meeting. SETTING: A 2-day panel meeting convened in February 2017. PARTICIPANTS: Healthcare providers with experience using ORC/collagen dressings. This multidisciplinary panel of 15 experts in wound healing included podiatrists, wound care specialists (doctors, certified wound care nurses, and research scientists), and an orthopedist. RESULTS: The literature search identified 58 articles, a majority of which were low levels of evidence (69.3% were level 3 or lower). Panel members identified wound types, such as abrasions, burns, stalled wounds, diabetic foot ulcers, and pressure injuries, where ORC/collagen dressing use could be beneficial. Panel members then provided recommendations and technical pearls for the use of ORC/collagen dressings in practice. Barriers to ORC/collagen dressing use were discussed, and potential resolutions were offered. CONCLUSIONS: An ORC/collagen dressing can be a critical tool for clinicians to help manage a variety of wounds. Clinical and economic studies comparing standard-of-care dressings and plain collagen dressings to ORC/collagen dressings are needed. PMID:29049055

  11. Assembly of collagen into microribbons: effects of pH and electrolytes.

    PubMed

    Jiang, Fengzhi; Hörber, Heinrich; Howard, Jonathon; Müller, Daniel J

    2004-12-01

    Collagen represents the major structural protein of the extracellular matrix. Elucidating the mechanism of its assembly is important for understanding many cell biological and medical processes as well as for tissue engineering and biotechnological approaches. In this work, conditions for the self-assembly of collagen type I molecules on a supporting surface were characterized. By applying hydrodynamic flow, collagen assembled into ultrathin ( approximately 3 nm) highly anisotropic ribbon-like structures coating the entire support. We call these novel collagen structures microribbons. High-resolution atomic force microscopy topographs show that subunits of these microribbons are built by fibrillar structures. The smallest units of these fibrillar structures have cross-sections of approximately 3 x 5nm, consistent with current models of collagen microfibril formation. By varying the pH and electrolyte of the buffer solution during the self-assembly process, the microfibril density and contacts formed within this network could be controlled. Under certain electrolyte compositions the microribbons and microfibers display the characteristic D-periodicity of approximately 65 nm observed for much thicker collagen fibrils. In addition to providing insight into the mechanism of collagen assembly, the ultraflat collagen matrices may also offer novel ways to bio-functionalize surfaces.

  12. Chain registry and load-dependent conformational dynamics of collagen.

    PubMed

    Teng, Xiaojing; Hwang, Wonmuk

    2014-08-11

    Degradation of fibrillar collagen is critical for tissue maintenance. Yet, understanding collagen catabolism has been challenging partly due to a lack of atomistic picture for its load-dependent conformational dynamics, as both mechanical load and local unfolding of collagen affect its cleavage by matrix metalloproteinase (MMP). We use molecular dynamics simulation to find the most cleavage-prone arrangement of α chains in a collagen triple helix and find amino acids that modulate stability of the MMP cleavage domain depending on the chain registry within the molecule. The native-like state is mechanically inhomogeneous, where the cleavage site interfaces a stiff region and a locally unfolded and flexible region along the molecule. In contrast, a triple helix made of the stable glycine-proline-hydroxyproline motif is uniformly flexible and is dynamically stabilized by short-lived, low-occupancy hydrogen bonds. These results provide an atomistic basis for the mechanics, conformation, and stability of collagen that affect catabolism.

  13. Preparation of a collagen/polymer hybrid gel designed for tissue membranes. Part I: controlling the polymer-collagen cross-linking process using an ethanol/water co-solvent.

    PubMed

    Nam, Kwangwoo; Kimura, Tsuyoshi; Funamoto, Seiichi; Kishida, Akio

    2010-02-01

    The drawback with collagen/2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) polymer hybrid gels (collagen/phospholipid polymer hybrid gels) prepared in alkaline morpholinoethane sulfonic acid (MES) aqueous solution is that the cross-linking rate between the polymer and the collagen is low. To solve this problem, ethanol has been adopted as the reaction solvent, to prevent 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-1-carbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC) hydrolysis. Alterations in the ethanol mole concentration changed the cross-linking rate between the MPC polymer and the collagen gel. Prevention of EDC hydrolysis is clearly observed; protonation of carboxyl groups implies that the ratio of ethanol to water should be controlled. The polymer shows signs of penetration into the collagen gel layer, thus forming a totally homogeneous phase gel. This affects the mechanical strength of the collagen gel, making the gel much stiffer and brittle with an increase in the swelling ratio, as compared with that prepared in MES buffer. However, it is possible to obtain a collagen/phospholipid polymer hybrid gel with a high polymer portion and the cross-linking rate can be successfully controlled.

  14. Vision Restoration with a Collagen Crosslinked Boston Keratoprosthesis Unit

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-09-01

    AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-15-2-0044 TITLE: Vision Restoration with a Collagen Crosslinked Boston Keratoprosthesis Unit PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Joseph B...TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER Vision Restoration with a Collagen Cross-linked Boston Keratoprosthesis Unit 5b. GRANT NUMBER W81XWH-15-2-0044...the incidence or potentially eliminate corneal melts by strengthening the keratoprosthesis carrier tissue by collagen -crosslinking the cornea graft

  15. [Morphology of collagen matrices for tissue engineering (biocompatibility, biodegradation, tissue response)].

    PubMed

    Shekhter, A B; Guller, A E; Istranov, L P; Istranova, E V; Butnaru, D V; Vinarov, A Z; Zakharkina, O L; Kurkov, A V; Kantimerov, D F; Antonov, E N; Marisov, L V; Glybochko, P V

    2015-01-01

    to perform a comparative morphological study of biocompatibility, biodegradation, and tissue response to implantation of collagen matrices (scaffolds) for tissue engineering in urology and other areas of medicine. Nine matrix types, such as porous materials reconstructed from collagen solution; a collagen sponge-vicryl mesh composite; decellularized and freeze-dried bovine, equine, and fish dermis; small intestinal submucosa, decellularized bovine dura mater; and decellularized human femoral artery, were implanted subcutaneously in 225 rats. The tissues at the implantation site were investigated for a period of 5 to 90 days. Classical histology and nonlinear optical microscopy (NLOM) were applied. The investigations showed no rejection of all the collagen materials. The period of matrix bioresorption varied from 10 days for collagen sponges to 2 months for decellularized and freeze-dried vessels and vicryl meshes. Collagen was prone to macrophage resorption and enzymatic lysis, being replaced by granulation tissue and then fibrous tissue, followed by its involution. NLOM allowed the investigators to study the number, density, interposition, and spatial organization of collagen structures in the matrices and adjacent tissues, and their change over time during implantation. The performed investigation could recommend three matrices: hybrid collagen/vicryl composite; decellularized bovine dermis; and decellularized porcine small intestinal submucosa, which are most adequate for tissue engineering in urology. These and other collagen matrices may be used in different areas of regenerative medicine.

  16. Collagenous colitis in a patient with systemic sclerosis: a rare entity.

    PubMed Central

    Ekiz, Fuat; Coban, Sahin; Savas, Berna; Gören, Deniz; Ensari, Arzu; Ormeci, Necati

    2007-01-01

    Collagenous colitis has been associated with autoimmune diseases. Co-occurence of systemic sclerosis and collagenous colitis is particularly rare. Herein, we described a 65-year-old woman with systemic sclerosis whose diarrhea and abdominal cramping were due to collagenous colitis. We have reviewed the clinical and histopathological features of collagenous colitis with regard to its concomitance with systemic sclerosis. Images Figure 1 Figure 2 PMID:17595940

  17. Three Dimensional Collagen Scaffold Promotes Intrinsic Vascularisation for Tissue Engineering Applications

    PubMed Central

    Chan, Elsa C.; Kuo, Shyh-Ming; Kong, Anne M.; Morrison, Wayne A.; Dusting, Gregory J.; Mitchell, Geraldine M.

    2016-01-01

    Here, we describe a porous 3-dimensional collagen scaffold material that supports capillary formation in vitro, and promotes vascularization when implanted in vivo. Collagen scaffolds were synthesized from type I bovine collagen and have a uniform pore size of 80 μm. In vitro, scaffolds seeded with primary human microvascular endothelial cells suspended in human fibrin gel formed CD31 positive capillary-like structures with clear lumens. In vivo, after subcutaneous implantation in mice, cell-free collagen scaffolds were vascularized by host neovessels, whilst a gradual degradation of the scaffold material occurred over 8 weeks. Collagen scaffolds, impregnated with human fibrinogen gel, were implanted subcutaneously inside a chamber enclosing the femoral vessels in rats. Angiogenic sprouts from the femoral vessels invaded throughout the scaffolds and these degraded completely after 4 weeks. Vascular volume of the resulting constructs was greater than the vascular volume of constructs from chambers implanted with fibrinogen gel alone (42.7±5.0 μL in collagen scaffold vs 22.5±2.3 μL in fibrinogen gel alone; p<0.05, n = 7). In the same model, collagen scaffolds seeded with human adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) produced greater increases in vascular volume than did cell-free collagen scaffolds (42.9±4.0 μL in collagen scaffold with human ASCs vs 25.7±1.9 μL in collagen scaffold alone; p<0.05, n = 4). In summary, these collagen scaffolds are biocompatible and could be used to grow more robust vascularized tissue engineering grafts with improved the survival of implanted cells. Such scaffolds could also be used as an assay model for studies on angiogenesis, 3-dimensional cell culture, and delivery of growth factors and cells in vivo. PMID:26900837

  18. Studies on collagen-tannic acid-collagenase ternary system: Inhibition of collagenase against collagenolytic degradation of extracellular matrix component of collagen.

    PubMed

    Krishnamoorthy, Ganesan; Sehgal, Praveen Kumar; Mandal, Asit Baran; Sadulla, Sayeed

    2012-06-01

    We report the detailed studies on the inhibitory effect of tannic acid (TA) on Clostridium histolyticum collagenase (ChC) activity against degradation of extracellular matrix component of collagen. The TA treated collagen exhibited 64% resistance against collagenolytic hydrolysis by ChC, whereas direct interaction of TA with ChC exhibited 99% inhibition against degradation of collagen and the inhibition was found to be concentration dependant. The kinetic inhibition of ChC has been deduced from the extent of hydrolysis of N-[3-(2-furyl) acryloyl]-Leu-Gly-Pro-Ala (FALGPA). This data provides a selective competitive mode of inhibition on ChC activity seems to be influenced strongly by the nature and structure of TA. TA showed inhibitor activity against the ChC by molecular docking method. This result demonstrated that TA containing digalloyl radical possess the ability to inhibit the ChC. The inhibition of ChC in gaining new insight into the mechanism of stabilization of collagen by TA is discussed.

  19. Jumbo squid (Dosidicus gigas) mantle collagen: extraction, characterization, and potential application in the preparation of chitosan-collagen biofilms.

    PubMed

    Uriarte-Montoya, Mario Hiram; Arias-Moscoso, Joe Luis; Plascencia-Jatomea, Maribel; Santacruz-Ortega, Hisila; Rouzaud-Sández, Ofelia; Cardenas-Lopez, Jose Luis; Marquez-Rios, Enrique; Ezquerra-Brauer, Josafat Marina

    2010-06-01

    Collagen-based biomaterials have been widely used due to its binding capabilities. However the properties and potential use of new collagen sources are still under investigation. Fish by-products are an excellent source of collagen. Thus, acid-soluble collagen (ASC) was extracted, and biochemical and physicochemically characterized from one under-utilized specie, jumbo squid (Dosidicus gigas). In addition, commercial chitosan (95-50%)-ASC (5-50%) blend films were successfully prepared by casting, and characterized by infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The molecular masses of the ASC subunits were about 190kDa, 110kDa, and 97kDa, the content of proline and hydroxyproline was 10.9% and 2.8%, respectively. The FT-IR and nuclear magnetic resonance spectra ((1)H NMR) confirmed collagen peptidic crosslinks, and one endothermic peak was found at 119 degrees C. The FT-IR spectrum showed that chitosan and ASC remain linked into the films mainly due to hydrogen bonding. The 85:15 (chitosan:ASC) ratio was selected for its thermal and mechanical analyses. The thermograms of this film indicated the presence of two peaks, one at 87-98 degrees C and the other at 142-182 degrees C. The chitosan:ASC blend produced a transparent and brittle film, with high percentage of elongation at break, and low tensile strength in comparison to chitosan films. D. gigas mantle might be useful as a new source of plasticizer agent in the preparation of biofilms in composites with chitosan. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. A Systematic Evaluation of Collagen Crosslinks in the Human Cervix

    PubMed Central

    Zork, Noelia M; Myers, Kristin Marie; Yoshida, Ms. Kyoko; Cremers, Serge; Jiang, Hongfeng; Ananth, Cande V; Wapner, Ronald; Kitajewski, Jan; Vink, Joy

    2014-01-01

    Objective The mechanical strength of the cervix relies on crosslinking of the tissue’s collagen network. Clinically, the internal os is functionally distinct from the external os. We sought to detect specific collagen crosslinks in human cervical tissue and determine if crosslink profiles were similar at the internal and external os. Study Design Transverse slices of cervical tissue were obtained at the internal and external os from 13 non-pregnant, premenopausal women undergoing a benign hysterectomy. To understand how crosslinks were distributed throughout the entire cervix and at the internal and external os, biopsies were obtained from three circumferential zones in four quadrants from each slice. Biopsies were pulverized, lyophilized, reduced with sodium borohydride, hydrolyzed with hydrochloric acid and reconstituted in heptafluorobutyric acid buffer. Hydroxyproline was measured by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-MS/MS), converted to total collagen, and normalized by dry weight. Collagen crosslinks pyridinoline (PYD), deoxypyridinoline (DPD), dihydroxylysinonorleucine (DHLNL), and the nonenzymatic advanced glycation end product pentosidine [PEN] were measured by UPLC-ESI-MS/MS and reported as crosslink density ratio (crosslink:total collagen). Generalized estimated equation analysis was used to compare results between the internal and external os and to compare quadrants and zones within slices from the internal and external os to determine if crosslink profiles were similar. Results 592 samples from 13 patients were analyzed. Collagen crosslinks are detectable in the human cervix by UPLC-ESI-MS/MS. When comparing all samples from the internal and external os, similar levels of collagen content, PYD, DHLNL and DPD were found but PEN density was higher at the external os (0.005 vs 0.004, P=0.001). When comparing all internal os samples, significant heterogeneity was found in collagen content

  1. Isolation, characterization and biological evaluation of jellyfish collagen for use in biomedical applications.

    PubMed

    Addad, Sourour; Exposito, Jean-Yves; Faye, Clément; Ricard-Blum, Sylvie; Lethias, Claire

    2011-01-01

    Fibrillar collagens are the more abundant extracellular proteins. They form a metazoan-specific family, and are highly conserved from sponge to human. Their structural and physiological properties have been successfully used in the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. On the other hand, the increase of jellyfish has led us to consider this marine animal as a natural product for food and medicine. Here, we have tested different Mediterranean jellyfish species in order to investigate the economic potential of their collagens. We have studied different methods of collagen purification (tissues and experimental procedures). The best collagen yield was obtained using Rhizostoma pulmo oral arms and the pepsin extraction method (2-10 mg collagen/g of wet tissue). Although a significant yield was obtained with Cotylorhiza tuberculata (0.45 mg/g), R. pulmo was used for further experiments, this jellyfish being considered as harmless to humans and being an abundant source of material. Then, we compared the biological properties of R. pulmo collagen with mammalian fibrillar collagens in cell cytotoxicity assays and cell adhesion. There was no statistical difference in cytotoxicity (p > 0.05) between R. pulmo collagen and rat type I collagen. However, since heparin inhibits cell adhesion to jellyfish-native collagen by 55%, the main difference is that heparan sulfate proteoglycans could be preferentially involved in fibroblast and osteoblast adhesion to jellyfish collagens. Our data confirm the broad harmlessness of jellyfish collagens, and their biological effect on human cells that are similar to that of mammalian type I collagen. Given the bioavailability of jellyfish collagen and its biological properties, this marine material is thus a good candidate for replacing bovine or human collagens in selected biomedical applications.

  2. A Novel Antifibrotic Mechanism of Nintedanib and Pirfenidone. Inhibition of Collagen Fibril Assembly.

    PubMed

    Knüppel, Larissa; Ishikawa, Yoshihiro; Aichler, Michaela; Heinzelmann, Katharina; Hatz, Rudolf; Behr, Jürgen; Walch, Axel; Bächinger, Hans Peter; Eickelberg, Oliver; Staab-Weijnitz, Claudia A

    2017-07-01

    Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is characterized by excessive deposition of extracellular matrix, in particular, collagens. Two IPF therapeutics, nintedanib and pirfenidone, decelerate lung function decline, but their underlying mechanisms of action are poorly understood. In this study, we sought to analyze their effects on collagen synthesis and maturation at important regulatory levels. Primary human fibroblasts from patients with IPF and healthy donors were treated with nintedanib (0.01-1.0 μM) or pirfenidone (100-1,000 μM) in the absence or presence of transforming growth factor-β1. Effects on collagen, fibronectin, FKBP10, and HSP47 expression, and collagen I and III secretion, were analyzed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blot. The appearance of collagen fibrils was monitored by scanning electron microscopy, and the kinetics of collagen fibril assembly was assessed using a light-scattering approach. In IPF fibroblasts, nintedanib reduced the expression of collagen I and V, fibronectin, and FKBP10 and attenuated the secretion of collagen I and III. Pirfenidone also down-regulated collagen V but otherwise showed fewer and less pronounced effects. By and large, the effects were similar in donor fibroblasts. For both drugs, electron microscopy of IPF fibroblast cultures revealed fewer and thinner collagen fibrils compared with untreated controls. Finally, both drugs dose-dependently delayed fibril formation of purified collagen I. In summary, both drugs act on important regulatory levels in collagen synthesis and processing. Nintedanib was more effective in down-regulating profibrotic gene expression and collagen secretion. Importantly, both drugs inhibited collagen I fibril formation and caused a reduction in and an altered appearance of collagen fibril bundles, representing a completely novel mechanism of action for both drugs.

  3. Formation mechanism and biological activity of novel thiolated human-like collagen iron complex.

    PubMed

    Zhu, Chenhui; Liu, Lingyun; Deng, Jianjun; Ma, Xiaoxuan; Hui, Junfeng; Fan, Daidi

    2016-03-01

    To develop an iron supplement that is effectively absorbed and utilized, thiolated human-like collagen was created to improve the iron binding capacity of human-like collagen. A thiolated human-like collagen-iron complex was prepared in a phosphate buffer, and one mole of thiolated human-like collagen-iron possessed approximately 28.83 moles of iron. The characteristics of thiolated human-like collagen-iron were investigated by ultraviolet-visible absorption spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, circular dichroism, and differential scanning calorimetry. The results showed that the thiolated human-like collagen-iron complex retained the secondary structure of human-like collagen and had greater thermodynamic stability than human-like collagen, although interactions between iron ions and human-like collagen occurred during the formation of the complex. In addition, to evaluate the bioavailability of thiolated human-like collagen-iron, an in vitro Caco-2 cell model and an in vivo iron deficiency anemia mouse model were employed. The data demonstrated that the thiolated human-like collagen-iron complex exhibited greater bioavailability and was more easily utilized than FeSO4, ferric ammonium citrate, or ferrous glycinate. These results indicated that the thiolated human-like collagen-iron complex is a potential iron supplement in the biomedical field. © The Author(s) 2016.

  4. Mechanical properties of a collagen fibril under simulated degradation.

    PubMed

    Malaspina, David C; Szleifer, Igal; Dhaher, Yasin

    2017-11-01

    Collagen fibrils are a very important component in most of the connective tissue in humans. An important process associated with several physiological and pathological states is the degradation of collagen. Collagen degradation is usually mediated by enzymatic and non-enzymatic processes. In this work we use molecular dynamics simulations to study the influence of simulated degradation on the mechanical properties of the collagen fibril. We applied tensile stress to the collagen fiber at different stages of degradation. We compared the difference in the fibril mechanical priorities due the removal of enzymatic crosslink, surface degradation and volumetric degradation. As anticipated, our results indicated that, regardless of the degradation scenario, fibril mechanical properties is reduced. The type of degradation mechanism (crosslink, surface or volumetric) expressed differential effect on the change in the fibril stiffness. Our simulation results showed dramatic change in the fibril stiffness with a small amount of degradation. This suggests that the hierarchical structure of the fibril is a key component for the toughness and is very sensitive to changes in the organization of the fibril. The overall results are intended to provide a theoretical framework for the understanding the mechanical behavior of collagen fibrils under degradation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Development and testing of a human collagen graft material.

    PubMed

    Quteish, D; Singh, G; Dolby, A E

    1990-06-01

    Human Type I collagen was extracted from placenta using pepsin and salt fractionation. The collagen was characterized by SDS-PAG electrophoresis dispersed in acidic medium, freeze-dried, and cross-linked in an 0.25% glutaraldehyde solution pH 4.5 for 2 days. After washing for 7 days and freeze drying the resultant collagen sponge was tested with regard to mechanical, physical, enzymatic degradation properties and biological responses. The modulus of elasticity was found to be 289 +/- 10 g/mm2 and the sponge was insoluble in water, buffered saline, or tissue culture medium over a period of 6 weeks with swelling occurring at less than 5% of volume. The sponge had a high fluid binding capacity, amounting to 56 +/- 5 mL tissue culture medium per gram of dry weight. Bacterial collagenase produced slow degradation of the sponge with complete disappearance by 24 h only when high concentrations (200 units enzyme per mg of the collagen sponge) were used. Cytotoxicity studies using human gingival and periodontal ligament fibroblasts revealed less than 5% apparent cytotoxicity or proliferation. Subcutaneous implantation was followed by resorption and vascularization over a period of 6-8 weeks. It was concluded that the collagen sponge prepared from human Type I collagen has potential as a graft material in oral surgical procedures.

  6. Effects of isopropanol on collagen fibrils in new parchment

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background Isopropanol is widely used by conservators to relax the creases and folds of parchment artefacts. At present, little is known of the possible side effects of the chemical on parchments main structural component- collagen. This study uses X-ray Diffraction to investigate the effects of a range of isopropanol concentrations on the dimensions of the nanostructure of the collagen component of new parchment. Results It is found in this study that the packing features of the collagen molecules within the collagen fibril are altered by exposure to isopropanol. The results suggest that this chemical treatment can induce a loss of structural water from the collagen within parchment and thus a rearrangement of intermolecular bonding. This study also finds that the effects of isopropanol treatment are permanent to parchment artefacts and cannot be reversed with rehydration using deionised water. Conclusions This study has shown that isopropanol induces permanent changes to the packing features of collagen within parchment artefacts and has provided scientific evidence that its use to remove creases and folds on parchment artefacts will cause structural change that may contribute to long-term deterioration of parchment artefacts. This work provides valuable information that informs conservation practitioners regarding the use of isopropanol on parchment artefacts. PMID:22462769

  7. Mechanically Oriented 3D Collagen Hydrogel for Directing Neurite Growth.

    PubMed

    Antman-Passig, Merav; Levy, Shahar; Gartenberg, Chaim; Schori, Hadas; Shefi, Orit

    2017-05-01

    Recent studies in the field of neuro-tissue engineering have demonstrated the promising effects of aligned contact guidance cue to scaffolds of enhancement and direction of neuronal growth. In vivo, neurons grow and develop neurites in a complex three-dimensional (3D) extracellular matrix (ECM) surrounding. Studies have utilized hydrogel scaffolds derived from ECM molecules to better simulate natural growth. While many efforts have been made to control neuronal growth on 2D surfaces, the development of 3D scaffolds with an elaborate oriented topography to direct neuronal growth still remains a challenge. In this study, we designed a method for growing neurons in an aligned and oriented 3D collagen hydrogel. We aligned collagen fibers by inducing controlled uniaxial strain on gels. To examine the collagen hydrogel as a suitable scaffold for neuronal growth, we evaluated the physical properties of the hydrogel and measured collagen fiber properties. By combining the neuronal culture in 3D collagen hydrogels with strain-induced alignment, we were able to direct neuronal growth in the direction of the aligned collagen matrix. Quantitative evaluation of neurite extension and directionality within aligned gels was performed. The analysis showed neurite growth aligned with collagen matrix orientation, while maintaining the advantageous 3D growth.

  8. Higher iron bioavailability of a human-like collagen iron complex.

    PubMed

    Zhu, Chenhui; Yang, Fan; Fan, Daidi; Wang, Ya; Yu, Yuanyuan

    2017-07-01

    Iron deficiency remains a public health problem around the world due to low iron intake and/or bioavailability. FeSO 4 , ferrous succinate, and ferrous glycinate chelate are rich in iron but have poor bioavailability. To solve the problem of iron deficiency, following previous research studies, a thiolated human-like collagen-ironcomplex supplement with a high iron content was prepared in an anaerobic workstation. In addition, cell viability tests were evaluated after conducting an MTT assay, and a quantitative analysis of the thiolated human-like collagen-iron digesta samples was performed using the SDS-PAGE method coupled with gel filtration chromatography. The iron bioavailability was assessed using Caco-2 cell monolayers and iron-deficiency anemia mice models. The results showed that (1) one mole of thiolated human-like collagen-iron possessed approximately 35.34 moles of iron; (2) thiolated human-like collagen-iron did not exhibit cytotoxity and (3) thiolated human-like collagen- iron digesta samples had higher bioavailability than other iron supplements, including FeSO 4 , ferrous succinate, ferrous glycine chelate and thiolated human-like collagen-Fe iron. Finally, the iron bioavailability was significantly enhanced by vitamin C. These results indicated that thiolated human-like collagen-iron is a promising iron supplement for use in the future.

  9. Thermal Destabilization of Collagen Matrix Hierarchical Structure by Freeze/Thaw

    PubMed Central

    Ozcelikkale, Altug; Han, Bumsoo

    2016-01-01

    This study aims to characterize and understand the effects of freezing on collagen structures and functionality. Specifically, thermodynamic destabilization of collagen at molecular- and fibril-levels by combination of low temperatures and freezing were experimentally characterized using modulated differential scanning calorimetry. In order to delineate the effects of sub-zero temperature and water-ice phase change, we hypothesized that the extent of destabilization can be determined based on post-thaw heat induced thermal denaturation of collagen. It is found that thermal denaturation temperature of collagen in hydrogel decreases by 1.4–1.6°C after freeze/thaw while no such decrease is observed in the case of molecular solution. The destabilization is predominantly due to ice formation. Exposure to low temperatures in the absence of ice has only minimal effect. Calorimetry measurements combined with morphological examination of collagen matrices by scanning electron microscopy suggest that freezing results in destabilization of collagen fibrils due to expansion of intrafibrillar space by ice formation. This fibril-level damage can be alleviated by use of cryoprotectant DMSO at concentrations as low as 0.5 M. A theoretical model explaining the change in collagen post-thaw thermal stability by freezing-induced fibril expansion is also proposed. PMID:26765741

  10. Structure–mechanics relationships of collagen fibrils in the osteogenesis imperfecta mouse model

    PubMed Central

    Andriotis, O. G.; Chang, S. W.; Vanleene, M.; Howarth, P. H.; Davies, D. E.; Shefelbine, S. J.; Buehler, M. J.; Thurner, P. J.

    2015-01-01

    The collagen molecule, which is the building block of collagen fibrils, is a triple helix of two α1(I) chains and one α2(I) chain. However, in the severe mouse model of osteogenesis imperfecta (OIM), deletion of the COL1A2 gene results in the substitution of the α2(I) chain by one α1(I) chain. As this substitution severely impairs the structure and mechanics of collagen-rich tissues at the tissue and organ level, the main aim of this study was to investigate how the structure and mechanics are altered in OIM collagen fibrils. Comparing results from atomic force microscopy imaging and cantilever-based nanoindentation on collagen fibrils from OIM and wild-type (WT) animals, we found a 33% lower indentation modulus in OIM when air-dried (bound water present) and an almost fivefold higher indentation modulus in OIM collagen fibrils when fully hydrated (bound and unbound water present) in phosphate-buffered saline solution (PBS) compared with WT collagen fibrils. These mechanical changes were accompanied by an impaired swelling upon hydration within PBS. Our experimental and atomistic simulation results show how the structure and mechanics are altered at the individual collagen fibril level as a result of collagen gene mutation in OIM. We envisage that the combination of experimental and modelling approaches could allow mechanical phenotyping at the collagen fibril level of virtually any alteration of collagen structure or chemistry. PMID:26468064

  11. Structure-mechanics relationships of collagen fibrils in the osteogenesis imperfecta mouse model.

    PubMed

    Andriotis, O G; Chang, S W; Vanleene, M; Howarth, P H; Davies, D E; Shefelbine, S J; Buehler, M J; Thurner, P J

    2015-10-06

    The collagen molecule, which is the building block of collagen fibrils, is a triple helix of two α1(I) chains and one α2(I) chain. However, in the severe mouse model of osteogenesis imperfecta (OIM), deletion of the COL1A2 gene results in the substitution of the α2(I) chain by one α1(I) chain. As this substitution severely impairs the structure and mechanics of collagen-rich tissues at the tissue and organ level, the main aim of this study was to investigate how the structure and mechanics are altered in OIM collagen fibrils. Comparing results from atomic force microscopy imaging and cantilever-based nanoindentation on collagen fibrils from OIM and wild-type (WT) animals, we found a 33% lower indentation modulus in OIM when air-dried (bound water present) and an almost fivefold higher indentation modulus in OIM collagen fibrils when fully hydrated (bound and unbound water present) in phosphate-buffered saline solution (PBS) compared with WT collagen fibrils. These mechanical changes were accompanied by an impaired swelling upon hydration within PBS. Our experimental and atomistic simulation results show how the structure and mechanics are altered at the individual collagen fibril level as a result of collagen gene mutation in OIM. We envisage that the combination of experimental and modelling approaches could allow mechanical phenotyping at the collagen fibril level of virtually any alteration of collagen structure or chemistry. © 2015 The Authors.

  12. Osmotic pressure induced tensile forces in tendon collagen

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Masic, Admir; Bertinetti, Luca; Schuetz, Roman; Chang, Shu-Wei; Metzger, Till Hartmut; Buehler, Markus J.; Fratzl, Peter

    2015-01-01

    Water is an important component of collagen in tendons, but its role for the function of this load-carrying protein structure is poorly understood. Here we use a combination of multi-scale experimentation and computation to show that water is an integral part of the collagen molecule, which changes conformation upon water removal. The consequence is a shortening of the molecule that translates into tensile stresses in the range of several to almost 100 MPa, largely surpassing those of about 0.3 MPa generated by contractile muscles. Although a complete drying of collagen would be relevant for technical applications, such as the fabrication of leather or parchment, stresses comparable to muscle contraction already occur at small osmotic pressures common in biological environments. We suggest, therefore, that water-generated tensile stresses may play a role in living collagen-based materials such as tendon or bone.

  13. Fibroblast populated collagen lattices exhibit opposite biophysical conditions by fibrin or hyaluronic acid supplementation.

    PubMed

    Chopin-Doroteo, Mario; Salgado-Curiel, Rosa M; Pérez-González, José; Marín-Santibáñez, Benjamín M; Krötzsch, Edgar

    2018-06-01

    Fibrin and hyaluronic acid are important components of the provisional wound matrix. Through interactions with fibroblasts, they provide biophysical cues that regulate the viscoelastic properties of the extracellular matrix. To understand the roles of fibrin and hyaluronic acid in a collagenous environment, we used fibroblast populated collagen lattices (collagen, collagen-fibrin, and collagen-hyaluronic acid). Compared with collagen and collagen-hyaluronic acid cultures, collagen-fibrin cultures showed less contraction, which is correlated with increased elastic (G') and complex (|G*|) moduli, and reduced proportions of dendritic fibroblasts, despite increased αv integrin expression. Stiffness decreased during culture in collagen-fibrin environment, meanwhile phase shift (δ) values increased, clearly associated with the rise in fibrinolytic and gelatinolytic activities. These processes changed the viscoelastic properties of the system toward G' and |G*| values observed on day 5 in collagen cultures. Although less collagen turnover was observed in collagen-fibrin cultures than in collagen and collagen-hyaluronic acid cultures, collagen neosynthesis was apparently insufficient to contribute to the overall viscoelastic properties of the system. Collagen-hyaluronic acid cultures showed very limited changes during time. Firstly, they exhibited the highest δ values, suggesting an increase in the viscous behavior due to the hygroscopic properties of hyaluronic acid. These results showed that fibrin and hyaluronic acid not only affect differently the viscoelastic properties of the culture, they can tune fibroblastic activity by regulating cell attachment and extracellular matrix remodeling. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Hydroxyapatite reinforced collagen scaffolds with improved architecture and mechanical properties.

    PubMed

    Kane, Robert J; Weiss-Bilka, Holly E; Meagher, Matthew J; Liu, Yongxing; Gargac, Joshua A; Niebur, Glen L; Wagner, Diane R; Roeder, Ryan K

    2015-04-01

    Hydroxyapatite (HA) reinforced collagen scaffolds have shown promise for synthetic bone graft substitutes and tissue engineering scaffolds. Freeze-dried HA-collagen scaffolds are readily fabricated and have exhibited osteogenicity in vivo, but are limited by an inherent scaffold architecture that results in a relatively small pore size and weak mechanical properties. In order to overcome these limitations, HA-collagen scaffolds were prepared by compression molding HA reinforcements and paraffin microspheres within a suspension of concentrated collagen fibrils (∼ 180 mg/mL), cross-linking the collagen matrix, and leaching the paraffin porogen. HA-collagen scaffolds exhibited an architecture with high porosity (85-90%), interconnected pores ∼ 300-400 μm in size, and struts ∼ 3-100 μm in thickness containing 0-80 vol% HA whisker or powder reinforcements. HA reinforcement enabled a compressive modulus of up to ∼ 1 MPa, which was an order of magnitude greater than unreinforced collagen scaffolds. The compressive modulus was also at least one order of magnitude greater than comparable freeze-dried HA-collagen scaffolds and two orders of magnitude greater than absorbable collagen sponges used clinically. Moreover, scaffolds reinforced with up to 60 vol% HA exhibited fully recoverable elastic deformation upon loading to 50% compressive strain for at least 100,000 cycles. Thus, the scaffold mechanical properties were well-suited for surgical handling, fixation, and bearing osteogenic loads during bone regeneration. The scaffold architecture, permeability, and composition were shown to be conducive to the infiltration and differentiation of adipose-derive stromal cells in vitro. Acellular scaffolds were demonstrated to induce angiogenesis and osteogenesis after subcutaneous ectopic implantation by recruiting endogenous cell populations, suggesting that the scaffolds were osteoinductive. Copyright © 2015 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights

  15. Collagen solubility correlates with skin optical clearing.

    PubMed

    Hirshburg, Jason; Choi, Bernard; Nelson, J Stuart; Yeh, Alvin T

    2006-01-01

    Biomedical optics and photomedicine applications are challenged by the turbidity of most biological tissue systems. Nonreactive, biocompatible chemical agents can induce a reversible reduction in optical scattering of collagenous tissues such as human skin. Herein we show that a chemical agent's tissue optical clearing potential is directly related to its collagen solubility, providing a rational design basis for effective, percutaneous formulations.

  16. The role of the non-collagenous matrix in tendon function.

    PubMed

    Thorpe, Chavaunne T; Birch, Helen L; Clegg, Peter D; Screen, Hazel R C

    2013-08-01

    Tendon consists of highly ordered type I collagen molecules that are grouped together to form subunits of increasing diameter. At each hierarchical level, the type I collagen is interspersed with a predominantly non-collagenous matrix (NCM) (Connect. Tissue Res., 6, 1978, 11). Whilst many studies have investigated the structure, organization and function of the collagenous matrix within tendon, relatively few have studied the non-collagenous components. However, there is a growing body of research suggesting the NCM plays an important role within tendon; adaptations to this matrix may confer the specific properties required by tendons with different functions. Furthermore, age-related alterations to non-collagenous proteins have been identified, which may affect tendon resistance to injury. This review focuses on the NCM within the tensional region of developing and mature tendon, discussing the current knowledge and identifying areas that require further study to fully understand structure-function relationships within tendon. This information will aid in the development of appropriate techniques for tendon injury prevention and treatment. © 2013 The Authors. International Journal of Experimental Pathology © 2013 International Journal of Experimental Pathology.

  17. Engineering Three-Dimensional Collagen-IKVAV Matrix to Mimic Neural Microenvironment

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Engineering the cellular microenvironment has great potential to create a platform technology toward engineering of tissue and organs. This study aims to engineer a neural microenvironment through fabrication of three-dimensional (3D) engineered collagen matrixes mimicking in-vivo-like conditions. Collagen was chemically modified with a pentapeptide epitope consisting of isoleucine-lysine-valine-alanine-valine (IKVAV) to mimic laminin structure supports of the neural extracellular matrix (ECM). Three-dimensional collagen matrixes with and without IKVAV peptide modification were fabricated by freeze-drying technology and chemical cross-linking with glutaraldehyde. Structural information of 3D collagen matrixes indicated interconnected pores structure with an average pore size of 180 μm. Our results indicated that culture of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) cells in 3D collagen matrix was greatly influenced by 3D culture method and significantly enhanced with engineered collagen matrix conjugated with IKVAV peptide. It may be concluded that an appropriate 3D culture of neurons enables DRG to positively improve the cellular fate toward further acceleration in tissue regeneration. PMID:23705903

  18. The Collagen Binding Proteins of Streptococcus mutans and Related Streptococci

    PubMed Central

    Avilés-Reyes, Alejandro; Miller, James H.; Lemos, José A.; Abranches, Jacqueline

    2016-01-01

    Summary The ability of Streptococcus mutans to interact with collagen through the expression of collagen-binding proteins (CBPs) bestows this oral pathogen with an alternative to the sucrose-dependent mechanism of colonization classically attributed to caries development. Based on the abundance and distribution of collagen throughout the human body, stringent adherence to this molecule grants S. mutans with the opportunity to establish infection at different host sites. Surface proteins, such as SpaP, WapA, Cnm and Cbm, have been shown to bind collagen in vitro, and it has been suggested that these molecules play a role in colonization of oral and extra-oral tissues. However, robust collagen binding is not achieved by all strains of S. mutans, particularly those that lack Cnm or Cbm. These observations merit careful dissection of the contribution from these different CBPs towards tissue colonization and virulence. In this review, we will discuss the current understanding of mechanisms utilized by S. mutans and related streptococci to colonize collagenous tissues, and the possible contribution of CBPs to infections in different sites of the host. PMID:26991416

  19. Isolation, Characterization and Biological Evaluation of Jellyfish Collagen for Use in Biomedical Applications

    PubMed Central

    Addad, Sourour; Exposito, Jean-Yves; Faye, Clément; Ricard-Blum, Sylvie; Lethias, Claire

    2011-01-01

    Fibrillar collagens are the more abundant extracellular proteins. They form a metazoan-specific family, and are highly conserved from sponge to human. Their structural and physiological properties have been successfully used in the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. On the other hand, the increase of jellyfish has led us to consider this marine animal as a natural product for food and medicine. Here, we have tested different Mediterranean jellyfish species in order to investigate the economic potential of their collagens. We have studied different methods of collagen purification (tissues and experimental procedures). The best collagen yield was obtained using Rhizostoma pulmo oral arms and the pepsin extraction method (2–10 mg collagen/g of wet tissue). Although a significant yield was obtained with Cotylorhiza tuberculata (0.45 mg/g), R. pulmo was used for further experiments, this jellyfish being considered as harmless to humans and being an abundant source of material. Then, we compared the biological properties of R. pulmo collagen with mammalian fibrillar collagens in cell cytotoxicity assays and cell adhesion. There was no statistical difference in cytotoxicity (p > 0.05) between R. pulmo collagen and rat type I collagen. However, since heparin inhibits cell adhesion to jellyfish-native collagen by 55%, the main difference is that heparan sulfate proteoglycans could be preferentially involved in fibroblast and osteoblast adhesion to jellyfish collagens. Our data confirm the broad harmlessness of jellyfish collagens, and their biological effect on human cells that are similar to that of mammalian type I collagen. Given the bioavailability of jellyfish collagen and its biological properties, this marine material is thus a good candidate for replacing bovine or human collagens in selected biomedical applications. PMID:21747742

  20. Trimerization and Triple Helix Stabilization of the Collagen XIX NC2 Domain*

    PubMed Central

    Boudko, Sergei P.; Engel, Jürgen; Bächinger, Hans Peter

    2008-01-01

    The mechanisms of chain selection and assembly of fibril-associated collagens with interrupted triple helices (FACITs) must differ from that of fibrillar collagens, since they lack the characteristic C-propeptide. We analyzed two carboxyl-terminal noncollagenous domains, NC2 and NC1, of collagen XIX as potential trimerization units and found that NC2 forms a stable trimer and substantially stabilizes a collagen triple helix attached to either end. In contrast, the NC1 domain requires formation of an adjacent collagen triple helix to form interchain disulfide bridges. The NC2 domain of collagen XIX and probably of other FACITs is responsible for chain selection and trimerization. PMID:18845531