Destruction of articular cartilage is a characteristic feature of osteoarthritis (OA). Collagen hydrolysates are mixtures of collagen peptides and have gained huge public attention as nutriceuticals used for prophylaxis of OA. Here, we evaluated for the first time whether different bovine collagen hydrolysate preparations indeed modulate the metabolism of collagen and proteoglycans from human O...

BACKGROUND After long-term treatment with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD), some patients may develop peritoneal fibrosis. Peritoneal mesothelial cells (PMCs) participate in the inflammatory reactions in the peritoneal cavity, and transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) and interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) are involved in peritoneal fibrosis. Diltiazem is used frequently in pat...

Type IV collagen-degrading enzyme activity was detected in human serum. Serum was preincubated with 4-aminophenylmercuric acetate and trypsin to activate the enzyme prior to assay. Type IV collagen, purified from human placentas and radiolabeled with [1-14C] acetic anhydride, was used as the substrate. The enzyme activity was measured at pH 7.5 and inhibited by treatment with ethylenediaminetet...

Quantitative collagen determinations demonstrate an increase of approximately 800 per cent in the collagen content of the human uterus at term as compared with the non-pregnant state. Following parturition, there is a rapid resorption of collagen. The amount of collagen which disappears from the post partum uterus is approximately 53 gm. By the 8th day post partum, the human uterus has lost app...

PURPOSE To localize endostatin and collagen type XVIII in human corneas and to characterize the enzymatic action of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in the cleavage of collagen type XVIII and generation of endostatin in the cornea. METHODS Anti-endostatin and anti-hinge antibodies were generated using peptide fragments corresponding to the endostatin region and the adjacent nonendostatin hing...

Aged human skin is fragile because of fragmentation and loss of type I collagen fibrils, which confer strength and resiliency. We report here that dermal fibroblasts express increased levels of collagen-degrading matrix metalloproteinases-1 (MMP-1) in aged (>80 years old) compared with young (21 to 30 years old) human skin in vivo. Transcription factor AP-1 and alpha2beta1 integrin, which are k...

Objective(s):Osteoarthritis (OA) is globally one of the most common diseases from the middle age onwards. Cartilage is an avascular tissue therefore it cannot be repaired in the body. Conservative treatments have failed as a good remedy and cell therapy as a decisive cure is needed. One of the best and easily accessible cell sources for this purpose is adipose-derived stem cells which can be di...