scholarly journals Age-related thermal stability and susceptibility to proteolysis of rat bone collagen

1990 ◽  
Vol 272 (3) ◽  
pp. 697-701 ◽  
Author(s):  
C C Danielsen

The shrinkage temperature (Ts) and the pepsin-solubilizability of collagen fibrils in bone matrix obtained from decalcified femur diaphysis from 2-, 5-, 15- and 25-month-old rats were found to decrease with age. Digestion with human fibroblast collagenase dissolved less than half of the collagen, whereas sequential treatment by pepsin followed by collagenase resulted in its complete dissolution. This result shows that collagenase and a telopeptide-cleaving enzyme, when acting in an appropriate sequence, have a great potential for the degradation of bone collagen. The ‘melting’ profile of the pepsin-solubilized collagen showed a biphasic transition with transition peak at 35.9 degrees C and 40.8 degrees C. With increasing age an increasing proportion of the collagen ‘melted’ in the transition peak at 35.9 degrees C (pre-transition), and the ‘melting’ temperature (Tm) of the collagen decreased in parallel with Ts in relation to age. Both Ts and Tm decreased by 3 degrees C in the age span investigated. The age-related change in Ts could therefore be accounted for by the decrease in molecular stability. The collagenase-cleavage products of the bone collagen obtained by the sequential treatment with pepsin and collagenase showed only one peak transition (at 35.1 degrees C), and the Tm for the products was independent of age. The results indicate that the pre-transition for the pepsin-solubilized collagen is due to an age-related decrease in thermal stability may have implications for the mechanical strength and turnover of the bone collagen. In contrast with bone collagen, soft-tissue collagen showed neither the age-dependency of thermal stability nor the characteristic biphasic ‘melting’ profile.

Diabetes ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 67 (Supplement 1) ◽  
pp. 1916-P
Author(s):  
REBECCA L. SCALZO ◽  
GRAHAME F. EVANS ◽  
SARA E. HULL ◽  
LESLIE KNAUB ◽  
LORI A. WALKER ◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Vol 69 (7) ◽  
pp. 1706-1709
Author(s):  
Nicoleta Dumitru ◽  
Andra Cocolos ◽  
Andra Caragheorgheopol ◽  
Constantin Dumitrache ◽  
Ovidiu Gabriel Bratu ◽  
...  

There is an increased interest and more studies highlight the fact that bone strength depends not only on bone tissue quantity, but also on its quality, which is characterized by the geometry and shape of bones, trabecular bone microarchitecture, mineral content, organic matrix and bone turnover. Fibrillar type I collagen is the major organic component of bone matrix, providing form and a stable template for mineralization. The biomedical importance of collagen as a biomaterial for medical and cosmetic purposes and the improvement of the molecular, cellular biology and analytical technologies, led to increasing interest in establishing the structure of this protein and in setting of the relationships between sequence, structure, and function. Bone collagen crosslinking chemistry and its molecular packing structure are considered to be distinct features. This unique post-translational modifications provide to the fibrillar collagen matrices properties such as tensile strength and viscoelasticity. Understanding the complex structure of bone type I collagen as well as the dynamic nature of bone tissues will help to manage new therapeutic approaches to bone diseases.


1990 ◽  
Vol 126 (3) ◽  
pp. 461-466 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. N. Sillence ◽  
R. G. Rodway

ABSTRACT The effects of trenbolone acetate (TBA) on growth and on plasma concentrations of corticosterone were examined in male and female rats. At 5 weeks of age, rats were injected with TBA (0·8 mg/kg) dissolved in peanut oil, or with oil alone, daily for 10 days. In female rats, TBA caused an increase in weight gain (20–38%), a reduction in adrenal weight (19%) and a reduction in plasma concentrations of corticosterone (55%). In contrast, TBA-treated male rats showed no significant increase in weight gain, no significant change in adrenal weight and no reduction in plasma concentrations of corticosterone. The mechanism by which adrenal activity was suppressed in TBA-treated female rats was examined and the response compared with that to testosterone. Female rats (8 weeks old) were injected daily either with oil vehicle, TBA (0·8 mg/kg) or testosterone propionate (0·8 mg/kg). Testosterone increased weight gain (24%), but the growth response to TBA treatment was significantly greater (97%). A reduction in plasma concentrations of corticosterone (45%) was again observed in response to TBA. However, testosterone increased plasma concentrations of corticosterone (52%) above those of control values. Neither androgen affected plasma concentrations of ACTH. Finally, the effects of TBA were examined in 6-week-old female rats, to characterize further the apparent age-related increase in responsiveness. The growth response of 6-week-old rats (60–74%) was intermediate between that seen in 5- and 8-week-old animals. It is concluded that part of the anabolic activity of TBA may be related to a reduction in circulating concentrations of corticosterone. The effect of TBA on corticosterone concentrations differs from that of the natural androgen, testosterone, and does not appear to be mediated by a reduction in plasma concentrations of ACTH. Journal of Endocrinology (1990) 126, 461–466


1972 ◽  
Vol 127 (4) ◽  
pp. 715-720 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bryan P. Toole ◽  
Andrew H. Kang ◽  
Robert L. Trelstad ◽  
Jerome Gross

The different anatomical regions involved in osteogenesis in the chick long bone have been examined for heterogeneities in collagen structure that might relate to the mechanism of ossification. Experimentally induced lathyrism was employed to enhance collagen solubility, and vitamin D deficiency to allow accumulation of osteoid, the precursor of bone matrix. The extractable lathyritic collagens of the cartilaginous and osseous regions of growing long bones from rachitic and non-rachitic chicks were examined for α-chain type and amino acid composition. In both groups of animals the growth plate and cartilaginous regions of the epiphysis gave collagen molecules of the constitution [α1(II)]3, whereas the ossifying regions contained [α1(I)]2 α2. The degree of hydroxylation of the lysine moieties was increased by approximately 50% in the α1(I)-chain and α2-chain of rachitic bone collagen. Since uncalcified osteoid is greatly enriched in rachitic bone, it is concluded that the collagen of osteoid has the configuration [α1(I)]2 α2, similar to that of bone matrix, but has an elevated hydroxylysine content. The possible relationship of this difference to the mechanism of calcification is discussed.


1988 ◽  
Vol 255 (4) ◽  
pp. E525-E530 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Witek-Janusek

The neonatal rat is very sensitive to the lethal effects of bacterial endotoxin. Because of the adaptive importance of pituitary-adrenal secretions to stress, this study examined the ontogeny of the plasma corticosterone and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) responses to endotoxin. The lethal sensitivity of young rats to endotoxin ranged from 0.5 to 30 mg/kg (ip) in the 1- to 21-day-old rat. After endotoxin treatment, the 1- and 2-day-old rat showed marked elevations of corticosterone similar in magnitude to that seen in 21-day-old and adult rats; however, significantly depressed corticosterone increments were observed in the 5-, 10-, and 14-day-old rats. This age-related pattern of adrenocortical secretion was correlated with the developing rat's corticosterone response to exogenous ACTH. In contrast, endotoxin administered to 5-, 10-, and 14-day-old rats resulted in increments of plasma ACTH similar to those observed in the 21-day-old and adult rats. Although plasma ACTH levels increased by 84-127% in the 1- and 2-day-old rats, these increases were significantly less than those of rats at all other ages tested. Thus the newborn rat mounts an effective corticosterone response to endotoxin, loses this ability between ages 5-14 days, and regains this response at 21 days of age. Because the hyporesponsive ages exhibit a marked increase in ACTH secretion, the loss of the adrenocortical response to endotoxin appears to be a result of a depressed responsiveness of the adrenal cortex to ACTH.


1993 ◽  
Vol 264 (3) ◽  
pp. H679-H685 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Belmin ◽  
B. Corman ◽  
R. Merval ◽  
A. Tedgui

Age-related changes in macromolecular transport across the arterial wall were investigated in 10-, 20-, and 30-mo-old WAG/Rij rats. Animals were injected with 125I- and 131I-labeled albumin, 90 and 5 min before they were killed, respectively. The transmural distribution of relative concentration of tracers in the aortic wall was obtained using en face serial sectioning technique. The apparent endothelial permeability to albumin calculated from the distribution of 5-min 131I-labeled albumin concentrations was significantly enhanced in 20- and 30-mo-old rats compared with 10-mo-old rats. The apparent distribution volume of albumin within the media, estimated as the mean medial 125I-labeled albumin concentration, was not significantly changed in 20-mo-old rats but was significantly decreased in the 30-mo-old animals. These age-related changes in the macromolecular transport suggest that the entry of plasma macromolecules in the aged arterial wall might be enhanced, whereas the efflux through the media may be impeded, possibly contributing to their trapping in the subendothelium.


2012 ◽  
Vol 56 (4) ◽  
pp. 259-264 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Cardoso Netto ◽  
Vivian Cristine Correia Vieira ◽  
Lizanka Paola Figueiredo Marinheiro ◽  
Sherry Agellon ◽  
Hope Weiler ◽  
...  

OBJECTIVE: To analyze if female Wistar rats at 56 weeks of age are a suitable model to study osteoporosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Female rats with 6 and 36 weeks of age (n = 8 per group) were kept over a 20-week period and fed a diet for mature rodents complete in terms of Ca, phosphorous, and vitamin D. Excised femurs were measured for bone mass using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, morphometry, and biomechanical properties. The following serum mar-kers of bone metabolism were analyzed: parathyroid hormone (PTH), osteocalcin (OC), osteoprotegerin (OPG), receptor activator of nuclear factor Κappa B ligand (RANKL), C-terminal peptides of type I collagen (CTX-I), total calcium, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity. RESULTS: Rats at 56 weeks of age showed important bone metabolism differences when compared with the younger group, such as, highest diaphysis energy to failure, lowest levels of OC, CTX-I, and ALP, and elevated PTH, even with adequate dietary Ca. CONCLUSION: Rats at 26-week-old rats may be too young to study age-related bone loss, whereas the 56-week-old rats may be good models to represent the early stages of age-related changes in bone metabolism.


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