Studies on collagenase from rheumatoid synovium in tissue culture

John M. Evanson; John J. Jeffrey; Stephen M. Krane

doi:10.1172/JCI105947

Published December 1, 1968 - More info

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Abstract

Fragments of synovium from patients with rheumatoid arthritis survive in defined tissue culture medium in the absence of added serum and, after 3-4 days, release into the medium enzyme capable of degrading undenatured collagen. Maximal activity is observed at pH 7-9 but the enzyme is inactive at pH 5. At temperatures of 20° and 27°C, collagen molecules in solution are cleaved into 3/4 and 1/4 length fragments with minimal loss of negative optical rotation, but with loss in specific viscosity of approximately 60%. Above 30°C the fragments begin to denature and denaturation is complete at 37°C. If the enzyme is not inhibited at this stage the large fragments are broken down further to polypeptides of low molecular weight. Reconstituted collagen fibrils and native fibers at 37°C are cleaved to the low molecular weight fragments, although the fibrils are resistant to breakdown at lower temperatures (20°-27°C). It is proposed that the production of such an enzyme by inflamed and proliferating rheumatoid synovium may be responsible for some of the destruction of collagenous structures that accompanies rheumatoid arthritis.

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