title: The neo-epitope specific PRO-C3 ELISA measures true formation of type III collagen associated with liver and muscle parameters.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study describes the assessment of true formation of type III collagen in different pathologies using a neo-epitope specific competitive Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) towards the N-terminal propeptide of type III collagen (PRO-C3).
  
  
  METHODS
  The monoclonal antibody was raised against the N-protease mediated cleavage site of the N-terminal propeptide of type III collagen and a competitive ELISA was developed using the selected antibody. The assay was evaluated in relation to neo-epitope specificity, technical performance, and as a marker for liver fibrosis and muscle mass using the rat carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) model and a study of immobilization induced muscle loss in humans, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The ELISA was neo-epitope specific, technically stable and can be assessed in serum and plasma samples. In the CCl4 liver fibrosis model it was observed that serum PRO-C3 were significantly elevated in rats with liver fibrosis as seen by histology (56% elevated in the highest quartile of total hepatic collagen compared to control rats, p<0.001) and correlated significantly to total hepatic collagen in the diseased rats (r=0.46, p<0.01) and not in control rats, suggesting the pathological origin of the epitope. Human plasma PRO-C3 correlated significantly to muscle mass at baseline (R(2)=0.44, p=0.036).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The developed neo-epitope specific serum ELISA for type III procollagen (PRO-C3) reflects true formation as it is specific for the propeptide cleaved off the intact collagen molecule. In a clinical and in a rodent study we showed that this marker was highly related to liver fibrosis and muscle mass.
authors: Nordic Bioscience, Fibrosis Biology and Biomarkers Herlev, Denmark.
authors: Mette J
authors: MJ
authors: Nielsen
authors: Anders F
authors: AF
authors: Nedergaard
authors: Shu
authors: S
authors: Sun
authors: Sanne S
authors: SS
authors: Veidal
authors: Lise
authors: L
authors: Larsen
authors: Qinlong
authors: Q
authors: Zheng
authors: Charlotte
authors: C
authors: Suetta
authors: Kim
authors: K
authors: Henriksen
authors: Claus
authors: C
authors: Christiansen
authors: Morten A
authors: MA
authors: Karsdal
authors: Diana J
authors: DJ
authors: Leeming
keywords: Biochemical markers; formation; liver fibrosis; muscle mass; neo-epitope; type III collagen
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