title: Aminoterminal propeptides of type III procollagen in human cerebrospinal fluid.
abstract: The concentrations of aminoterminal propeptides of procollagen type III were determined by radioimmunoassay in the cerebrospinal fluids of 64 patients with various neurological disorders, including 4 infant patients (less than 1 year). In cerebrospinal fluids of adult patients with normal composition (protein, glucose, cell count), adult patients with pathologic composition, and infant patients the peptide levels (mean value +/- S.D.) were 4.07 +/- 1.26 micrograms/l, 8.15 +/- 6.78 micrograms/l, and 56.9 +/- 31.0 micrograms/l, respectively. The concentrations ranged from 1.96 to 265 micrograms/l and were independent of the respective serum propeptide levels. No statistic correlation with other parameters was found. Gel chromatography revealed a high degree of molecular weight heterogeneity, a substantial portion of immunoreactive material was eluted even with the void volume of Sephacryl S 300. Different slopes of radioimmunoinhibition curves indicate heterogenous antigenicity among the propeptides from various patients. Interaction of the propeptides with fibronectin and/or heparin is probably not responsible for the heterogeneity. The diagnostic potential of cerebrospinal fluid propeptide levels for local connective tissue (collagen) turnover remains to be elucidated.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002621:Chemistry; D005353:Fibronectins; D006493:Heparin; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008970:Molecular Weight; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D011347:Procollagen / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay
chemical_list: D005353:Fibronectins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011347:Procollagen; D006493:Heparin