title: Identifying distinct nanoscopic features of native collagen fibrils towards early diagnosis of pelvic organ prolapse.
abstract: Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is characterized by weakening of the connective tissues and loss of support for the pelvic organs. Collagen is the predominant, load-bearing protein within pelvic floor connective tissues. In this study, we examined the nanoscopic structures and biomechanics of native collagen fibrils in surgical, vaginal wall connective tissues from healthy women and POP patients. Compared to controls, collagen fibrils in POP samples were bulkier, more uneven in width and stiffer with aberrant D-period. Additionally, the ratio of collagen I (COLI) and collagen III (COLIII) is doubled in POP with a concomitant reduction of the amount of total collagen. Thus, POP is characterized by abnormal biochemical composition and biophysical characteristics of collagen fibrils that form a loose and fragile fiber network accountable for the weak load-bearing capability. The study identifies nanoscale alterations in collagen as diagnostic markers that could enable pre-symptomatic or early diagnosis of POP.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) occurs due to abnormalities of the supporting connective tissues. The underlying alterations of collagen fibers in the connective tissues have not been studied extensively. In this article, the authors showed that collagen fibrils in POP patients were much different from normal controls. The findings may provide a framework for the diagnosis of other connective diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Taeyoung
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Indumathi
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sridharan
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Yin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Bofan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Naiwei
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chi
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kobak
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Rush University Medical School, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Jacob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rotmensch
authors.affiliation: Center for Molecular Study of Condensed Soft Matter, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Jay D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Schieber
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL, USA. Electronic address: wangr@iit.edu.
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D003238:Connective Tissue / Q000473:pathology; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D004548:Elasticity; D005260:Female; D024022:Fibrillar Collagens / Q000032:analysis* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D056887:Pelvic Organ Prolapse / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D014621:Vagina / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D024022:Fibrillar Collagens
keywords: Biomechanics; Collagen fibril; D-period; Pelvic organ prolapse