Rheumatology, Vol 38, 338-345, Copyright © 1999 by British Society for Rheumatology
SF Wotton, PA Dieppe and VC Duance
OBJECTIVES: To determine whether type IX collagen-related peptides can be
detected in the synovial fluids of arthritis patients and to assess their
potential as molecular markers of arthritis. PATIENTS/METHODS: Synovial
fluids from a set of carefully diagnosed arthritis patients and from
healthy volunteers were used. Hydroxyproline assays were carried out to
determine the content and concentration of collagen. Collagen cross-link
determinations were conducted by reversed-phase HPLC. SDS PAGE and
immunoblotting were used to identify the collagenous components, and
N-terminal sequencing was performed to confirm these identities. RESULTS:
All the synovial fluids were found to contain measurable amounts of
collagen at similar concentrations. This appeared to be mainly
high-molecular-weight material consisting of type I and type IX collagens,
but not type II collagen. However, other smaller molecular weight type IX
immunoreactive peptides were detected which were more apparent in the
synovial fluids from arthritis patients. These peptides were also found to
contain non-collagenous material. Collagen cross-links were also present in
the arthritis synovial fluids. CONCLUSION: Collagenous material can be
detected in all synovial fluids and the presence of pyridinoline
cross-links indicates that at least some of this is derived from a mature
collagen matrix. Type IX immunoreactive peptides were identified, but were
found to contain significant amounts of non-collagenous material, and their
presence, even at lower levels, in synovial fluids from normal subjects
limits their potential for use as molecular markers of disease.
Nevertheless, this is the first report of type IX collagen-related
fragments in synovial fluids.
ORIGINAL PAPERS
Type IX collagen immunoreactive peptides in synovial fluids from arthritis patients
Department of Clinical Veterinary Science, University of Bristol, Langford, UK.
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