The Antigenicity of Rat Collagen

Abstract

A study of collagen was initiated several years ago in relation to work on the pathogenesis of rheumatic fever since it is generally believed that the primary injury in this disease is to collagen, the ground substance, or both (1-5). The chemistry and structure of collagen have been studied extensively (6--19) but little is known of its biological properties. 1 The studies to be reported below relate primarily to the antigenicity of collagen. Review of Previous WorkNageotte (20,21) showed that when the tail tendons of the rat are placed in dilute acetic acid (1:25,000 dilution in distilled water) the collagen fibers slowly swell and over a period of time go into solution. He also demonstrated that fibers reconstituted from this acid solution by the addition of sodium chloride retain the tinctorial properties of native collagen. Wyckoff and Corey (22) demonstrated that the x-ray diffraction pattern of this reconstituted material was like that of the native tendon. Schmitt, Hall, and Jakus (9) and others (23, 24) have found that fibers reformed from dilute acid solutions either by neutralization or the addition of salt retain the characteristic striations of native collagen as observed in electron micrographs.It is generally agreed that gelatin, a soluble derivative of collagen, is non-antigenic (25, 26). Loiseleur and Urbain (27) reported complement-fixing antibodies in the sera of rabbits immunized with an acid solution of rat tail tendons prepared as described by Nageotte. Hopps (28) demonstrated antibodies to catgut and sheep intestine; however, there were cross-reactions with sheep serum. With highly purified preparations of sheep collagen obtained from Dr. F. O. Schmitt he reports agglutination with anticatgut rabbit serum in a dilution of 1:80; however, another sample of the highest

Nerve regeneration through allogenic nerve grafts in mice.

“…However, WATSON et al (1954) found that antibodies against type I collagan can be induced in rabbits, though low on titer, using acetic acid-solubilized collagen obtained from rat-tail tendon. STEFFEN et al (1970) also induced anti-type I collagen antiserum in rabbits using acid-solubilized human collagen.…”

Immunologic Relations Among Various Animal Collagens

“…The preparation of antisera and the technique of complement-fixation tests have been previously described (1). Anti-chicken collagen serum was absorbed with sheep erythrocytes to remove heterophile antibodies before either complement fixation or injection into animals.…”

“…After frozen sections were cut in a cryostat at --200C, they were treated with fluorescein-conjugated anti-rabbit globulin from ducks or goats. 1 The details of preparing the sections and examln~ng and photographing them under ultraviolet light have been reported previously (4). As controls for the specificity of the fluorescence, the blocking technique of Coons and Kaplan (7) and heterologous conjugated globulin were applied to adjacent sections.…”

Heberden Oration

“…However, there is good evidence that collagens from different mammalian species are different (Table II). This can be deduced with a high degree of probability from the careful amino acid analyses of Eastoe and Leach (1958), but in addition Watson, Rothbard, and Vanamee (1954) found that the complement fixation which can be produced in rabbits after injection of soluble collagen is specific with regard to species, but apparently not with respect to the tissue from which the collagen had been obtained. On the other hand, Pietz and Likins (1957) found relatively large differences in the hydroxylysine contents of collagens isolated from tissues such as bone, tendon, tail, and dentin of the rat (Table III).…”