Summary
Collagenase from human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (neutrophil collagenase) attacks collagen type II in solution at a rate intermediate to those of type I and III collagens. This enzyme alone is not able to initiate degradation of native human articular cartilage. If the cartilage is first treated with leukocyte elastase, collagenase slowly degrades collagen.
Confirming earlier findings by other investigators, elastase has a dual action on cartilage: The enzyme removes proteoglycans, thus demasking collagen fibers and giving collagenase access to them, and solubilizes collagen at a sizable rate.
Although neutrophil collagenase cleaves collagen type II in solution at a high rate, the native, cross-linked status of collagen in cartilage makes it a relatively poor substrate for this enzyme. On a weight by weight scale, elastase and collagenase display about the same collagenolytic potential on human articular cartilage.
The elastase/collagenase system from human polymorphonuclear leukocytes could represent a cooperative proteolytic complex in the destruction of cartilage in rheumatoid arthritis.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Baggiolini M (1979) Die Freisetzung von Proteinasen aus Neutrophilen Leukozyten und Makrophagen. Bull Schweiz Akad Med Wiss 35:283–299
Dewald B, Rindler-Ludwig R, Bretz U, Baggiolini M (1975) Subcellular localisation and heterogeneity of neutral proteases in neutrophilic polymorphonuclear leucocytes. J Exp Med 141:709–723
Murphy G, Reynolds JJ, Bretz U, Baggiolini M (1977) Collagenase is a component of the specific granules of human neutrophil leucocytes. Biochem J 162:195–197
Fehr K, Baici A, Velvart M, Knöpfel M, Rauber M, Sommermeyer G, Salgam P, Cohen G, Böni A (1979) Die chronische Polyarthritis: Rolle der polymorphkernigen Leukozyten bei der Zerstörung von Pannus-freiem Gelenkknorpel. Bull Schweiz Akad Med Wiss 35:317–327
Cohen G, Baici A, Fehr K, Böni A (1980) Partial purification and characterization of the high molecular weight latent collagenase from human leukocytes. Scand J Rheumatol 9:44–48
Bauer EA, Jeffrey JJ, Eisen AZ (1971) Preparation of three vertebrate collagenases in pure form. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 44:813–818
Baici A, Cohen G, Fehr K, Böni A (1980) A handy assay for collagenase using reconstituted fluorescein-labeled collagen fibrils. Anal Biochem 108:230–232
Lowry OH, Rosebrough NJ, Farr AL, Randall RJ (1951) Protein measurement with the Folin phenol reagent. J Biol Chem 193:265–275
Baugh RJ, Travis J (1976) Human leukocyte granule elastase: Rapid isolation and characterization. Biochemistry 15:836–841
Baici A, Salgam P, Fehr K, Böni A (1981) Inhibition of human elastase from polymorphonuclear leukocytes by gold sodium thiomalate and pentosan polysulfate (SP-54®). Biochem Pharmacol 30:703–708
ChandraRajan J (1978) Separation of type III collagen from type I collagen and pepsin by differential denaturation and renaturation. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 83:180–186
Trelstadt RL, Catanese VM, Rubin DF (1976) Collagen fractionation: Separation of native types I, II and III by differential precipitation. Anal Biochem 71:114–118
Epstein EH Jr, Scott RD, Miller EJ, Piez KA (1971) Isolation and characterization of the peptides derived from soluble human and baboon skin collagen after cynogen bromide cleavage. J Biol Chem 246:1718–1724
Miller EJ, Lunde LG (1973) Isolation and characterization of the cyanogen bromide peptides from the α1 (II) chain of bovine and human cartilage collagen. Biochemistry 12:3153–3159
Chung E, Keele EM, Miller EJ (1974) Isolation and characterization of the cyanogen bromide peptides from the α1 (III) chain of human collagen. Biochemistry 13:3459–3464
Fehrnström H, Moberg U (1979) SDS and conventional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with LKB Multiphor. LKB-Produkter AB (Sweden), Application note 306
Stegemann H, Stalder K (1967) Determination of hydroxyproline. Clin Chim Acta 18:267–273
Bitter T, Muir HM (1962) A modified uronic acid carbazole reaction. Anal Biochem 4:330–334
Uitto VJ, Turto H, Huttunen A, Lindy S, Uitto J (1980) Activation of human leukocyte collagenase by compounds reacting with sulfhydryl groups. Biochim Biophys Acta 613:168–177
Burleigh MC, Werb Z, Reynolds JJ (1977) Evidence that species specificity and rate of collagen degradation are properties of collagen, not collagenase. Biochim Biophys Acta 494:198–208
Lane JM, Weis C (1975) Review of articular cartilage collagen research. Arthritis Rheum 18:553–562
Starkey PM, Barrett AJ, Burleigh MC (1977) The degradation of articular collagen by neutrophil proteinases. Biochim Biophys Acta 483:386–397
Woolley DE, Glanville RW, Lindberg KA, Bailey AJ, Evanson JM (1973) Action of human skin collagenase on cartilage collagen. FEBS Lett 34:267–269
Woolley DE, Lindberg KA, Glanville RW, Evanson JM (1975) Action of rheumatoid synovial collagenase on cartilage collagen. Different susceptibilities of cartilage and tendon collagen to collagenase attack. Eur J Biochem 50:437–444
Robertson PB, Miller EJ (1972) Cartilage collagen: Inability to serve as a substrate for collagenase active against skin and bone collagen. Biochim Biophys Acta 289:247–250
Burleigh MC (1977) Degradation of collagen by non-specific proteinases. In: Barrett AJ (ed) Proteinases in mammalian cells and tissues. Elsevier/North-Holland, Amsterdam, pp 285–309
Baici A (1980) Structure and breakdown of proteoglycans, collagen and elastin. In: Sträuli P, Barrett AJ, Baici A (eds) Proteinases and tumor invasion. Raven Press, New York, pp 17–47
Menninger H, Mohr W (1981) Neutrophile Granulozyten und ihre Enzyme bei der entzündlich-rheumatischen Knorpeldestruktion. Therapiewoche 31:2134–2148
Menninger H, Burkhardt H, Röske W, Ehlebracht W, Hering B, Gurr E, Mohr W, Mierau HD (1981) Lysosomal elastase: Effect on mechanical and biochemical properties of normal cartilage, inhibition by polysulfonated glycosaminoglycan, and binding to chondrocytes. Rheumatol Int 1:73–81
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Baici, A., Salgam, P., Cohen, G. et al. Action of collagenase and elastase from human polymorphonuclear leukocytes on human articular cartilage. Rheumatol Int 2, 11–16 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00541264
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00541264