title: Some observations on the subfibrillar structure of collagen fibrils as noted during treatment with NKISK and cathepsin G with mechanical agitation.
abstract: We observed the structure of collagen fibrils in rat tail tendons after treatment with NKISK and cathepsin G. NKISK is a pentapeptide that has been previously shown to bind fibronectin, while cathepsin G is a serine protease that cleaves fibronectin but not type I collagen. In tendons treated with NKISK, fibrils were seen to extensively dissociate into smaller-diameter subfibrils. These subfibrils were homogeneous in diameter with an average diameter of 26.3 ± 5.8 nm. Similar, although less extensive, dissociation into subfibrils was found in tendons treated with cathepsin G. The average diameter of these subfibrils was 24.8 ± 4.9 nm. The ability of NKISK and cathepsin G to release subfibrils at physiological pH without harsh denaturants may enhance the study of the subfibrillar structure of collagen fibrils.
authors.affiliation: University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
authors.forename: Tailun
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Paul S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Weinhold
authors.forename: Nicole Y
authors.initials: NY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Laurence E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Dahners
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D056649:Cathepsin G / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003094:Collagen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000201:enzymology; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning / Q000379:methods; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013623:Tail / Q000502:physiology; D013710:Tendons / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure*
chemical_list: C529852:NKISK peptide; D009842:Oligopeptides; D003094:Collagen; D056649:Cathepsin G