Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:3.4.24.3 (collagenase)
 18,340 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Extracellular, membrane-bound vesicles are widely regarded to be the initial site of calcification in a variety of tissues under normal and pathological conditions. Alkaline phosphatase is believed to play a vital role in this process by hydrolysing ester phosphates or mineral inhibitors, e.g. inorganic phosphates. In the present study, matrix vesicles from normal and rachitic rat growth plates were compared with regard to specific activity of alkaline phosphatase, total vesicle protein and ultrastructural distribution of alkaline phosphatase activity. Matrix vesicles were released from normal or rachitic growth plates by collagenase digestion and isolated by differential centrifugation. Enzyme cytochemical localization involving a cerium capture method was performed on vesicles collected by vacuum filtration on Millipore filters. SDS gels and Western blots on fractions of both normal and rachitic matrix vesicles showed major proteins to be almost identical and confirmed the presence of alkaline phosphatase in both. Total matrix vesicle protein ((mg total matrix vesicle protein/rat) x 10(2)) per rat was significantly greater for the rachitic animals (9.0 +/- 2.0 vs. 4.0 +/- 1.0), P less than 0.0001. Alkaline phosphatase specific activity (units alkaline phosphatase/mg vesicle protein) in the rachitic and normal matrix vesicles was 25.29 +/- 9.36 and 18.78 +/- 3.37, respectively (0.05 less than P less than 0.1). Electron dense cerium phosphate deposits were localized to the outer membrane surface of matrix vesicles derived from both types of rats. This data, the first to quantify the relationship between rickets, matrix vesicle protein and alkaline phosphatase specific activity, suggests that matrix vesicles from rachitic and normal rats have biochemical and morphological similarity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
 ...
PMID:Increased matrix vesicle protein in rachitic rat epiphyseal growth plates. 165 31

Epiphyseal growth plate cartilages were removed from rats which had been maintained on normal laboratory chow or a rachitogenic diet. Chondrocytes were released from the growth plates by collagenase digestion and cultured in tissue chamber slides. After 7, 10 and 12 days of culture, the chondrocytes were removed as intact multilayers and processed for electron microscopical enzyme cytochemical studies. Alkaline phosphatase activity in the cultures was visualized by means of a cerium based capture method. Electron-dense cerium phosphate deposits were localized on the membrane of matrix vesicles and plasma membranes of chondrocytes derived from normal and rachitic animals. The appearance of first crystals within matrix vesicles was characterized by a concomitant decrease in alkaline phosphatase activity in the membrane of these structures. Calcification was initiated at approximately the same time in cultures of chondrocytes derived from normal or rachitic animals. The results suggest that rickets has no serious effects on the capacity of chondrocytes to support matrix calcification in vitro. Additionally, the evidence indicates that alkaline phosphatase-positive matrix vesicles play a significant role in the initiation of this process.
 ...
PMID:Enzyme cytochemical localization of alkaline phosphatase in cultures of chondrocytes derived from normal and rachitic rats. 225 11

In the transition from proliferating to hypertrophic cell zones in the growth plate, there is an increased in chondrocyte cell volume and a corresponding decrease in collagen content to allow for cell enlargement. To substantiate our hypothesis that collagenase is responsible for these changes, growth plates from rats treated with bisphosphonate (HEBP) were compared histologically and biochemically with growth plates from normal and vitamin D and phosphate deficient (-VDP) rats. HEBP-treated rats developed an expanded hypertrophic cell zone (HCZ) characterized by the presence of two distinct populations of hypertrophic cells. The proximal hypertrophic cells were only 2-fold enlarged compared to the proliferating cells, whereas 1/6 of the distal hypertrophic cells were enlarged almost 5-fold and appeared morphologically identical with hypertrophic cells from normal and -VDP rats. The HEBP growth plates were divided into cross-sectional thirds and analyzed for active and latent collagenase. The juxta-metaphyseal (lower 1/3) cartilage contained 100% of the fully enlarged hypertrophic cells and appeared identical to those found in normal and -VDP growth plates, along with 81% of the active and 77% of the total collagenase. Collagenase and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP) were measured in extracts of similarly divided tissues. The presence of true collagenas was confirmed by using [3H]-telopeptide-free collagen. TIMP levels were inversely related to the presence of active collagenase and cellular hypertrophy. Substantial levels of latent collagenase were found in the extracellular fluid at sites of active collagenolysis, but not in the fluid phase surrounding the 2-fold enlarged hypertrophic cells. It is postulated that increased amounts of active collagenase and insufficient levels of TIMP may account for the reduced collagen content seen in the lower HCZ of both -VDP and HEBP rickets. Unlike active collagenase, which remains localized by binding to collagen, latent enzyme is probably restricted in its mobility throughout the extracellular space by diffusion, itself, or the interstices of the extracellular matrix.
 ...
PMID:Association of collagenase and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP) with hypertrophic cell enlargement in the growth plate. 255 3

Drugs in the tetracycline family can inhibit mammalian tissue collagenase both in vitro and in vivo by a mechanism that is independent of antibiotic action. The epiphyseal cartilages of rachitic rats contain extremely high levels of collagenase (CGase), and we have used this model to study further the phenomenon of tetracycline inhibition of tissue CGase. Rickets was induced in rats by phosphate/vitamin D deficiency and parameters of gross bone morphology, bone chemistry, and serum chemistry were evaluated in both rachitic and nonrachitic animals with and without treatment with oral tetracyclines (TETs). Minocycline (or doxycycline) partially suppressed the appearance of many of the expected changes in the rachitic animals, including gross bone hardness, growth plate widening, long bone length, suppression of weight gain, and decreased bone ash content. The effects were dose dependent and were associated with marked suppression of the enhanced CGase activity. Examination of collagen breakdown products by SDS-PAGE documented that the rachitic enzyme behaved like other mammalian collagenases including in vitro inhibition with minocycline 10-20 micrograms/ml and with a nonantibiotic tetracycline. No evidence of TET osseous toxicity was noted, and, in fact, administration of TET to nonrachitic animals had a mildly favorable effect on growth and development. TET suppression of CGase can be demonstrated in a well defined model system and this form of pharmacologic enzyme inhibition can be a useful probe for delineating the role of the enzyme in connective tissue pathology.
 ...
PMID:Inhibition of epiphyseal cartilage collagenase by tetracyclines in low phosphate rickets in rats. 284 40

In the transition from proliferation to hypertrophic cell zones in the growth plate, there is an increase in chondrocyte volume and a corresponding decrease in collagen content to accommodate the enlarging cells. It is postulated that collagenase accounts for this collagen loss. To test this hypothesis, tibial growth plates were obtained from normal rats, rachitic rats deficient in vitamin D and phosphate, and rats after 48 and 72 h of healing from rickets. Collagenase was quantitated by a pellet assay based on the release of solubilized collagen from the endogenous insoluble collagen in the tissue homogenates. A fourfold greater collagen release and a concomitant sixfold greater hypertrophic cell volume were measured in rachitic growth plates compared with normal age-matched controls. During healing of rickets, collagenase activity and hypertrophic cell volume returned almost to control levels. Rachitic growth plates were dissected into the juxtaepiphyseal 1/3 and the juxtametaphyseal 2/3. The latter portion contained greater than 95% of the hypertrophic cells and 86% of the collagenase. The collagen-degrading activity was extracted from this region and was shown to be a true collagenase by its production of typical A fragments of tropocollagen produced by collagenase action. The enzyme was activated by aminophenylmercuric acetate and trypsin and was inhibited by EDTA, 1,10-phenanthroline, and a tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases from human articular cartilage. Inhibitors of aspartic, cysteine, and serine proteases had no effect. Micropuncture fluids aspirated from rachitic cartilage contained latent collagenase activity, indicating an extracellular localization. Negative tests for hemoglobin in the rachitic cartilage samples indicated that there was no contamination by capillaries and that this was not a source of collagenase. It is concluded that extracellular collagenase accounts for the loss of cartilage matrix in the hypertrophic zone, and that this process may be distinct from that of capillary invasion.
 ...
PMID:Localization of collagenase in the growth plate of rachitic rats. 299 64

Recent studies indicate that 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1alpha,25[OH]2D3) and 24R,25-dihydroxyvitamim D3 (24R,25[OH]2D3) differentially regulate proliferation, differentiation, and matrix synthesis of growth plate chondrocytes. To determine whether both metabolites play the same or different roles in vivo, we used the vitamin D-deficient rat as a model. Rickets was induced and then reversed by administering a single dose of ergocalciferol, 1alpha,25(OH)2D3, or 24R,25(OH)2D3 and euthanizing the animals after 4, 24, 48, or 72 h. Growth plates were either processed for histology and histomorphometry or extracted with buffered guanidine-HCl. Neutral metalloproteinase activity in the extracts was measured by use of aggrecan-containing beads, and collagenase activity was determined by use of radioactive type I collagen. The levels of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP) and plasminogen activator were also determined. The morphology of the growth plate varied as a function of treatment. While 24R,25(OH)2D3 appeared to affect cell maturation and 1alpha,25(OH)2D3 appeared to affect terminal differentiation and calcification, response to ergocalciferol was indicative of the combined responses to the individual metabolites. Enzyme activity was regulated in a differential manner. Treatment with ergocalciferol produced a rapid decline in both neutral metalloproteinase and collagenase activities that was statistically significant by 4 h. By contrast, 1alpha,25(OH)2D3 had no effect on neutral metalloproteinase activity but caused a significant decrease in both active and total collagenase activity by 4 h, while 24R,25(OH)2D3 decreased neutral metalloproteinase activity by 48 h and had no effect on collagenase activity. Ergocalciferol had no effect on TIMP levels at any time examined, whereas 1alpha,25(OH)2D3 caused an increase at 48 and 72 h and 24R,25(OH)2D3 completely blocked TIMP production at 4 and 24 h. By contrast, plasminogen activator activity by ergocalciferol was decreased at 4 h, increased by 1alpha,25(OH)2D3 at 4 and 24 h, and decreased by 24R,25(OH)2D3 at all time points examined. These in vivo results confirm our previous cell culture observations showing that growth plate chondrocytes are differentially regulated by 1alpha,25(OH)2D3 and 24R,25(OH)2D3. Moreover, they show definitively that these two vitamin D metabolites play distinct roles not only in regulating neutral metalloproteinase and collagenase activities in growth plate cartilage but in cell maturation and calcification of this tissue in vivo.
 ...
PMID:Effect of 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 and 24R,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 on metalloproteinase activity and cell maturation in growth plate cartilage in vivo. 1144 27