Purified Pseudomonas aeruginosa elastase cleaved human type III and IV collagens with the formation of specific cleavage products. Furthermore, type I collagen appeared to be slowly cleaved by both P. aeruginosa elastase and alkaline protease. These cleavage fragments from type III and IV collagens were separated from the intact collagen chains by SDS polyacrylamide gradient gel electrophoresis...

Irreversible destruction of joint structures is a major feature of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Fibrillar collagens in bone, cartilage and other soft tissues are critical for optimal joint form and function. Several approaches can be used to ascertain the role of collagenases, matrix metalloproteinases, in proteolysis of joint collagens in arthritis. These approaches include identif...

The collagens of vertebrates may be divided into three groups according to chain size and whether or not the helical domains are continuous. Present evidence suggests that, at least within one of these groups, similarity between collagens is reflected in the organization of the genes that encode them. Early evidence suggested that collagen genes evolved on the basis of exons which are multiples...

Organs of fish, amphibian, reptile, bird and mammals when stained by Sirius Red and studied with polarization microscopy present different colors in regions where collagens I, II and III have been described. Collagen type I presented a yellow, orange or red color while collagen type III appeared green. Collagen type II, present in cartilage and chondrosarcoma showed a variable color according t...

Human pulmonary alveolar macrophages obtained by bronchoalveolar lavage from both normal controls and smokers secreted in vitro a neutral proteinase that degraded denatured collagens. Optimal expression of the proteinase was detected after 3-5 d of culture. The proteinase could not be detected in the media of cultures that had been treated with 0.5 gg/ml of cycloheximide. The gelatinase had an ...

This investigation has sought to determine the significance of the wide range of extractable collagen fractions which appear to exist in growing connective tissues and to determine their position in the process of fibrogenesis. Carrageenin granulomata were induced in guinea pigs and, after injection of (14)C-glycine, this tissue and skin from the same animal were subjected to successive extract...

The role of collagens and collagen receptors was investigated in stimulating platelet-dependent thrombin generation. Fibrillar type-I collagens, including collagen from human heart, were most potent in enhancing thrombin generation, in a way dependent on exposure of phosphatidylserine (PS) at the platelet surface.Soluble,non-fibrillar type-I collagen required pre-activation of integrin α2β1 wit...