title: Factor XIII of blood coagulation decreases the susceptibility of collagen precursors to proteolysis.
abstract: Factor XIII, the transglutaminase of blood coagulation, was found to reduce the susceptibility of collagen precursors synthesized by skin fibroblasts in vitro to proteolytic activity. Several hypotheses for the mechanism of action of FXIII are proposed. One of them is the self-association of collagen precursors as well as their association with other proteins present in the serum or synthesized by fibroblasts to form a high molecular weight complex. This complex contains, among others, collagen I and partially processed precursors (alpha 1, alpha 2, pN-alpha 1, and pN-alpha 2 chains), collagen III and its precursors (alpha 1 and pN-alpha 1 chains), fibronectin and FXIII. This study indicates that FXIII modifies the structural organisation of the synthesized products of fibroblasts and may partially protect them against proteolytic degradation.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Experimental Dermatology CHU Sart Tilman, University of Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Paye
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nusgens
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Lapière
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism*; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008970:Molecular Weight; D010434:Pepsin A / Q000378:metabolism; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000378:metabolism*; D011503:Transglutaminases / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D011498:Protein Precursors; D003094:Collagen; D011503:Transglutaminases; D010434:Pepsin A