1
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Sabeh F, Li XY, Olson AW, Botvinick E, Kurup A, Gimenez LE, Cho JS, Weiss SJ. Mmp14-dependent remodeling of the pericellular-dermal collagen interface governs fibroblast survival. J Cell Biol 2024; 223:e202312091. [PMID: 38990714 PMCID: PMC11244150 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202312091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Dermal fibroblasts deposit type I collagen, the dominant extracellular matrix molecule found in skin, during early postnatal development. Coincident with this biosynthetic program, fibroblasts proteolytically remodel pericellular collagen fibrils by mobilizing the membrane-anchored matrix metalloproteinase, Mmp14. Unexpectedly, dermal fibroblasts in Mmp14-/- mice commit to a large-scale apoptotic program that leaves skin tissues replete with dying cells. A requirement for Mmp14 in dermal fibroblast survival is recapitulated in vitro when cells are embedded within, but not cultured atop, three-dimensional hydrogels of crosslinked type I collagen. In the absence of Mmp14-dependent pericellular proteolysis, dermal fibroblasts fail to trigger β1 integrin activation and instead actuate a TGF-β1/phospho-JNK stress response that leads to apoptotic cell death in vitro as well as in vivo. Taken together, these studies identify Mmp14 as a requisite cell survival factor that maintains dermal fibroblast viability in postnatal dermal tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farideh Sabeh
- Division of Genetic Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Xiao-Yan Li
- Division of Genetic Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Adam W. Olson
- Division of Genetic Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Elliot Botvinick
- The Henry Samueli School of Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Abhishek Kurup
- The Henry Samueli School of Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Luis E. Gimenez
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Jung-Sun Cho
- Division of Genetic Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Stephen J. Weiss
- Division of Genetic Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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2
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Grünewald TA, Liebi M, Birkedal H. Crossing length scales: X-ray approaches to studying the structure of biological materials. IUCRJ 2024; 11:708-722. [PMID: 39194257 PMCID: PMC11364038 DOI: 10.1107/s2052252524007838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 08/08/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024]
Abstract
Biological materials have outstanding properties. With ease, challenging mechanical, optical or electrical properties are realised from comparatively `humble' building blocks. The key strategy to realise these properties is through extensive hierarchical structuring of the material from the millimetre to the nanometre scale in 3D. Though hierarchical structuring in biological materials has long been recognized, the 3D characterization of such structures remains a challenge. To understand the behaviour of materials, multimodal and multi-scale characterization approaches are needed. In this review, we outline current X-ray analysis approaches using the structures of bone and shells as examples. We show how recent advances have aided our understanding of hierarchical structures and their functions, and how these could be exploited for future research directions. We also discuss current roadblocks including radiation damage, data quantity and sample preparation, as well as strategies to address them.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marianne Liebi
- Photon Science DivisionPaul Scherrer InstituteVilligenPSI5232Switzerland
- Institute of MaterialsÉcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne1015 LausanneSwitzerland
| | - Henrik Birkedal
- Department of Chemistry & iNANOAarhus UniversityGustav Wieds Vej 14Aarhus8000Denmark
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3
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Kamml J, Acevedo C, Kammer DS. Mineral and cross-linking in collagen fibrils: The mechanical behavior of bone tissue at the nano-scale. J Mech Behav Biomed Mater 2024; 159:106697. [PMID: 39182252 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2024.106697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2024] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 08/18/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024]
Abstract
The mineralized collagen fibril is the main building block of hard tissues and it directly affects the macroscopic mechanics of biological tissues such as bone. The mechanical behavior of the fibril itself is determined by its structure: the content of collagen molecules, minerals, and cross-links, and the mechanical interactions and properties of these components. Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) form cross-links between tropocollagen molecules within the collagen fibril and are one important factor that is believed to have a major influence on the tissue. For instance, it has been shown that brittleness in bone correlates with increased AGEs densities. However, the underlying nano-scale mechanisms within the mineralized collagen fibril remain unknown. Here, we study the effect of mineral and AGEs cross-linking on fibril deformation and fracture behavior by performing destructive tensile tests using coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations. Our results demonstrate that after exceeding a critical content of mineral, it induces stiffening of the collagen fibril at high strain levels. We show that mineral morphology and location affect collagen fibril mechanics: The mineral content at which this stiffening occurs depends on the mineral's location and morphology. Further, both, increasing AGEs density and mineral content lead to stiffening and increased peak stresses. At low mineral contents, the mechanical response of the fibril is dominated by the AGEs, while at high mineral contents, the mineral itself determines fibril mechanics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Kamml
- Institute for Building Materials, ETH Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Claire Acevedo
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - David S Kammer
- Institute for Building Materials, ETH Zurich, Switzerland.
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4
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Roth J, Hoop C, Williams JK, Nanda V, Baum J. Real-time single-molecule observation of incipient collagen fibrillogenesis and remodeling. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2401133121. [PMID: 39102538 PMCID: PMC11331128 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2401133121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The hierarchic assembly of fibrillar collagen into an extensive and ordered supramolecular protein fibril is critical for extracellular matrix function and tissue mechanics. Despite decades of study, we still know very little about the complex process of fibrillogenesis, particularly at the earliest stages where observation of rapidly forming, nanoscale intermediates challenges the spatial and temporal resolution of most existing microscopy methods. Using video rate scanning atomic force microscopy (VRS-AFM), we can observe details of the first few minutes of collagen fibril formation and growth on a mica surface in solution. A defining feature of fibrillar collagens is a 67-nm periodic banding along the fibril driven by the organized assembly of individual monomers over multiple length scales. VRS-AFM videos show the concurrent growth and maturation of small fibrils from an initial uniform height to structures that display the canonical banding within seconds. Fibrils grow in a primarily unidirectional manner, with frayed ends of the growing tip latching onto adjacent fibrils. We find that, even at extremely early time points, remodeling of growing fibrils proceeds through bird-caging intermediates and propose that these dynamics may provide a pathway to mature hierarchic assembly. VRS-AFM provides a unique glimpse into the early emergence of banding and pathways for remodeling of the supramolecular assembly of collagen during the inception of fibrillogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Roth
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ08854
| | - Cody Hoop
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ08854
| | - Jonathan K. Williams
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ08854
| | - Vikas Nanda
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ08854
- Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ08854
| | - Jean Baum
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ08854
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5
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Vassaux M. Heterogeneous Structure and Dynamics of Water in a Hydrated Collagen Microfibril. Biomacromolecules 2024; 25:4809-4818. [PMID: 38975936 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.4c00183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/09/2024]
Abstract
Collagen type I is well-known for its outstanding mechanical properties which it inherits from its hierarchical structure. Collagen type I fibrils may be viewed as a heterogeneous material made of protein, macromolecules (such as glycosaminoglycans and proteoglycans) and water. Water content modulates the properties of these fibrils. Yet, the properties of water and the fine interactions of water with the protein constituent of these heterofibrils have only received limited attention. Here, we propose to model collagen type I fibrils as a hydrated structure made of tropocollagen molecules assembled in a microfibril crystal. We perform large-scale all-atom molecular dynamics simulations of the hydration of collagen fibrils beyond the onset of disassembly. We found that the structural and dynamic properties of water vary strongly with the level of hydration of the microfibril. More importantly, we found that the properties vary spatially within the 67 nm D-spacing periodic structure. Alteration of the structural and dynamical properties of the collagen microfibril occur first in the gap region. Overall, we identify that the change in the role of water molecules from glue to lubricant between tropocollagen molecules arises around 100% hydration while the microfibril begins to disassemble beyond 130% water content. Our findings are supported by a decrease in hydrogen bonding, recovery of bulk water properties and amorphization of the tropocollagen molecules packing. Our simulations reveal the structure and dynamics of hydrated collagen fibrils with unprecedented spatial resolution from physiological conditions to disassembly. Beyond the process of self-assembly and the emergence of mechanical properties of collagen type I fibrils, our results may also provide new insights into mineralization of collagen fibrils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxime Vassaux
- Univ. Rennes, CNRS, IPR - UMR 6251, Rennes, 35000, France
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6
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Debnath B, Narasimhan BN, Fraley SI, Rangamani P. Modeling collagen fibril degradation as a function of matrix microarchitecture. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.08.10.607470. [PMID: 39185199 PMCID: PMC11343160 DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.10.607470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/27/2024]
Abstract
Collagenolytic degradation is a process fundamental to tissue remodeling. The microarchitecture of collagen fibril networks changes during development, aging, and disease. Such changes to microarchitecture are often accompanied by changes in matrix degradability. In vitro , collagen matrices of the same concentration but different microarchitectures also vary in degradation rate. How do different microarchitectures affect matrix degradation? To answer this question, we developed a computational model of collagen degradation. We first developed a lattice model that describes collagen degradation at the scale of a single fibril. We then extended this model to investigate the role of microarchitecture using Brownian dynamics simulation of enzymes in a multi-fibril three dimensional matrix to predict its degradability. Our simulations predict that the distribution of enzymes around the fibrils is non-uniform and depends on the microarchitecture of the matrix. This non-uniformity in enzyme distribution can lead to different extents of degradability for matrices of different microarchitectures. Our model predictions were tested using in vitro experiments with synthesized collagen gels of different microarchitectures. Experiments showed that indeed degradation of collagen depends on the matrix architecture and fibril thickness. In summary, our study shows that the microarchitecture of the collagen matrix is an important determinant of its degradability.
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7
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Xi Y, Deng X, Shu Z, Yang C. Probing nanoscale structural response of collagen fibril in human Achilles tendon during loading using in situ SAXS. J Mech Behav Biomed Mater 2024; 156:106599. [PMID: 38820710 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2024.106599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
The specific viscoelastic mechanical properties of the human Achilles tendon are strongly dependent on the structural characteristics of collagen. Although research on the deformation mechanisms of the Achilles tendon in various animals is extensive, understanding of these mechanisms in the human Achilles tendon remains largely empirical and macroscopic. In this work, the evolution of D-space, orientation, and average length of voids between fibers are investigated during the stretching using SAXS techniques. Initially, the void length increases marginally, while the misorientation breadth decreased rapidly as the D-space steadily increased. In the second region, D-space and the void length increase sharply under rising stress, even though misorientation width decreased. During the third region, the increases in void length and D-space decelerate, but the misorientation width widens, suggesting the onset of irreversible microscopic fibril failure in the Achilles tendon. In the final region, the fibers undergo macroscopic failure, with D-space and void length returning to their initial states. The macroscopic alterations are elucidated by the nanoscale structural responses, providing a fundamental understanding of the mechanisms driving the complex biomechanics, tissue structural organization, and Achilles tendon regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Xi
- Department of Radiology, Shanghai TCM-Integrated Hospital, Shanghai University of TCM, 200082, China
| | - Xiaofei Deng
- Department of Radiology, Shanghai TCM-Integrated Hospital, Shanghai University of TCM, 200082, China.
| | - Zheng Shu
- Department of Radiology, Shanghai TCM-Integrated Hospital, Shanghai University of TCM, 200082, China.
| | - Chunming Yang
- Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201204, China.
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8
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Xiao X, Huang J. Enzyme-Responsive Supramolecular Self-Assembly in Small Amphiphiles. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2024. [PMID: 39018035 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.4c01762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/18/2024]
Abstract
Enzyme-responsive molecular assemblies have recently made remarkable progress, owing to their widespread applications. As a class of catalysts with high specificity and efficiency, enzymes play a critical role in producing new molecules and maintaining metabolic stability in living organisms. Therefore, the study of enzyme-responsive assembly aids in understanding the origin of life and the physiological processes occurring within living bodies, contributing to further advancements across various disciplines. In this Review, we summarize three kinds of enzyme-responsive assembly systems in amphiphiles: enzyme-triggered assembly, disassembly, and structural transformation. Furthermore, motivated by the fact that biological macromolecules and complex structures all originated with small molecules, our focus lies on the small amphiphiles (e.g., peptides, surfactants, fluorescent molecules, and drug molecules). We also provide an outlook on the potential of enzyme-responsive assembly systems for biomimetic development and hope this Review will attract more attention to this emerging research branch at the intersection of assembly chemistry and biological science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816, PR China
| | - Jianbin Huang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, PR China
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9
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Garcia-Sacristan C, Gisbert VG, Klein K, Šarić A, Garcia R. In Operando Imaging Electrostatic-Driven Disassembly and Reassembly of Collagen Nanostructures. ACS NANO 2024; 18:18485-18492. [PMID: 38958189 PMCID: PMC11256892 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.4c03839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2024] [Revised: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
Collagen is the most abundant protein in tissue scaffolds in live organisms. Collagen can self-assemble in vitro, which has led to a number of biotechnological and biomedical applications. To understand the dominant factors that participate in the formation of collagen nanostructures, here we study in real time and with nanoscale resolution the disassembly and reassembly of collagens. We implement a high-speed force microscope, which provides in situ high spatiotemporal resolution images of collagen nanostructures under changing pH conditions. The disassembly and reassembly are dominated by the electrostatic interactions among amino-acid residues of different molecules. Acidic conditions favor disassembly by neutralizing negatively charged residues. The process sets a net repulsive force between collagen molecules. A neutral pH favors the presence of negative and positively charged residues along the collagen molecules, which promotes their electrostatic attraction. Molecular dynamics simulations reproduce the experimental behavior and validate the electrostatic-based model of the disassembly and reassembly processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Garcia-Sacristan
- Instituto
de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid, CSIC, c/Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz 3, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Victor G. Gisbert
- Instituto
de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid, CSIC, c/Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz 3, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Kevin Klein
- Institute
of Science and Technology Austria, Klosterneuburg 3400, Austria
- Department
of Physics and Astronomy, University College
London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Anđela Šarić
- Institute
of Science and Technology Austria, Klosterneuburg 3400, Austria
| | - Ricardo Garcia
- Instituto
de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid, CSIC, c/Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz 3, 28049 Madrid, Spain
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10
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Ravazzano L, Colaianni G, Tarakanova A, Xiao YB, Grano M, Libonati F. Multiscale and multidisciplinary analysis of aging processes in bone. NPJ AGING 2024; 10:28. [PMID: 38879533 PMCID: PMC11180112 DOI: 10.1038/s41514-024-00156-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/19/2024]
Abstract
The world population is increasingly aging, deeply affecting our society by challenging our healthcare systems and presenting an economic burden, thus turning the spotlight on aging-related diseases: exempli gratia, osteoporosis, a silent disease until you suddenly break a bone. The increase in bone fracture risk with age is generally associated with a loss of bone mass and an alteration in the skeletal architecture. However, such changes cannot fully explain increased fragility with age. To successfully tackle age-related bone diseases, it is paramount to comprehensively understand the fundamental mechanisms responsible for tissue degeneration. Aging mechanisms persist at multiple length scales within the complex hierarchical bone structure, raising the need for a multiscale and multidisciplinary approach to resolve them. This paper aims to provide an overarching analysis of aging processes in bone and to review the most prominent outcomes of bone aging. A systematic description of different length scales, highlighting the corresponding techniques adopted at each scale and motivating the need for combining diverse techniques, is provided to get a comprehensive description of the multi-physics phenomena involved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Ravazzano
- Center for Nano Science and Technology@PoliMi, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Rubattino 81, Milano, 20134, Italy
| | - Graziana Colaianni
- Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area (DiMePRe-J), University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, Bari, 70124, Italy
| | - Anna Tarakanova
- School of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Connecticut, 191 Auditorium Road, Unit 3139, Storrs, 06269, CT, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Connecticut, 260 Glenbrook Road, Unit 3247, CT, 06269, Storrs, USA
| | - Yu-Bai Xiao
- School of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Connecticut, 191 Auditorium Road, Unit 3139, Storrs, 06269, CT, USA
| | - Maria Grano
- Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area (DiMePRe-J), University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, Bari, 70124, Italy
| | - Flavia Libonati
- Center for Nano Science and Technology@PoliMi, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Rubattino 81, Milano, 20134, Italy.
- Department of Mechanical, Energy, Management and Transport Engineering - DIME, University of Genova, Via all'Opera Pia 15, Genova, 16145, Italy.
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11
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Zheng K, Zhong J, Hu J, Nebbiolo E, Sanchez-Weatherby J, Tang T, Landis WJ, Chen J, Winlove P, Sherlock BE, Bell J. Effects of mineralization on the hierarchical organization of collagen-a synchrotron X-ray scattering and polarized second harmonic generation study. Interface Focus 2024; 14:20230046. [PMID: 39081623 PMCID: PMC11285761 DOI: 10.1098/rsfs.2023.0046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The process of mineralization fundamentally alters collagenous tissue biomechanics. While the structure and organization of mineral particles have been widely studied, the impact of mineralization on collagen matrix structure, particularly at the molecular scale, requires further investigation. In this study, synchrotron X-ray scattering (XRD) and polarization-resolved second harmonic generation microscopy (pSHG) were used to study normally mineralizing turkey leg tendon in tissue zones representing different stages of mineralization. XRD data demonstrated statistically significant differences in collagen D-period, intermolecular spacing, fibril and molecular dispersion and relative supramolecular twists between non-mineralizing, early mineralizing and late mineralizing zones. pSHG analysis of the same tendon zones showed the degree of collagen fibril organization was significantly greater in early and late mineralizing zones compared to non-mineralizing zones. The combination of XRD and pSHG data provide new insights into hierarchical collagen-mineral interactions, notably concerning possible cleavage of intra- or interfibrillar bonds, occlusion and reorganization of collagen by mineral with time. The complementary application of XRD and fast, label-free and non-destructive pSHG optical measurements presents a pathway for future investigations into the dynamics of molecular scale changes in collagen in the presence of increasing mineral deposition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keke Zheng
- Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
- Institute for Mechanical Process and Energy Engineering, School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Jingxiao Zhong
- School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Jingrui Hu
- Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Eve Nebbiolo
- Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | | | - Tengteng Tang
- Materials Science & Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - William J. Landis
- Preventive and Restorative Dental Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Junning Chen
- Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Peter Winlove
- Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Benjamin E. Sherlock
- Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - James Bell
- School of Optometry and Vision Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
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12
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Yang Y, He X, Li F, He S, Liu M, Li M, Xia F, Su W, Liu G. Animal-derived food allergen: A review on the available crystal structure and new insights into structural epitope. Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf 2024; 23:e13340. [PMID: 38778570 DOI: 10.1111/1541-4337.13340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated food allergy is a rapidly growing public health problem. The interaction between allergens and IgE is at the core of the allergic response. One of the best ways to understand this interaction is through structural characterization. This review focuses on animal-derived food allergens, overviews allergen structures determined by X-ray crystallography, presents an update on IgE conformational epitopes, and explores the structural features of these epitopes. The structural determinants of allergenicity and cross-reactivity are also discussed. Animal-derived food allergens are classified into limited protein families according to structural features, with the calcium-binding protein and actin-binding protein families dominating. Progress in epitope characterization has provided useful information on the structural properties of the IgE recognition region. The data reveals that epitopes are located in relatively protruding areas with negative surface electrostatic potential. Ligand binding and disulfide bonds are two intrinsic characteristics that influence protein structure and impact allergenicity. Shared structures, local motifs, and shared epitopes are factors that lead to cross-reactivity. The structural properties of epitope regions and structural determinants of allergenicity and cross-reactivity may provide directions for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of food allergies. Experimentally determined structure, especially that of antigen-antibody complexes, remains limited, and the identification of epitopes continues to be a bottleneck in the study of animal-derived food allergens. A combination of traditional immunological techniques and emerging bioinformatics technology will revolutionize how protein interactions are characterized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Yang
- College of Ocean Food and Biological Engineering, Jimei University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
- College of Environment and Public Health, Xiamen Huaxia University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Xinrong He
- College of Ocean Food and Biological Engineering, Jimei University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Fajie Li
- College of Ocean Food and Biological Engineering, Jimei University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Shaogui He
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Meng Liu
- College of Ocean Food and Biological Engineering, Jimei University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
- College of Marine Biology, Xiamen Ocean Vocational College, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Mengsi Li
- College of Ocean Food and Biological Engineering, Jimei University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
- School of Food Engineering, Zhangzhou Institute of Technology, Zhangzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Fei Xia
- College of Ocean Food and Biological Engineering, Jimei University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Wenjin Su
- College of Ocean Food and Biological Engineering, Jimei University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Guangming Liu
- College of Ocean Food and Biological Engineering, Jimei University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
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13
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Li S, Mei L, He C, Cai X, Wu H, Wu X, Liu Y, Feng Y, Song J. Identification of a family with van der Hoeve's syndrome harboring a novel COL1A1 mutation and generation of patient-derived iPSC lines and CRISPR/Cas9-corrected isogenic iPSCs. Hum Cell 2024; 37:817-831. [PMID: 38379122 DOI: 10.1007/s13577-024-01028-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
Van der Hoeve's syndrome, also known as osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), is a genetic connective tissue disorder characterized by fragile, fracture-prone bone and hearing loss. The disease is caused by a gene mutation in one of the two type I collagen genes COL1A1 or COL1A2. In this study, we identified a novel frameshift mutation of the COL1A1 gene (c.1607delG) in a family with OI using whole-exome sequencing, bioinformatics analysis and Sanger sequencing. This mutation may lead to the deletion of a portion of exon 23 and the generation of a premature stop codon in the COL1A1 gene. To further investigate the impact of this mutation, we established two induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of OI patients carrying a novel mutation in the COL1A1 gene. Osteoblasts (OB) derived from OI-iPSCs exhibited reduced production of type I collagen and diminished ability to differentiate into osteoblasts. Using a CRISPR-based homology-directed repair strategy, we corrected the OI disease-causing COL1A1 novel mutations in iPSCs generated from an affected individual. Our results demonstrated that the diminished expression of type I collagen and osteogenic potential were enhanced in OB induced from corrected OI-iPSCs compared to those from OI-iPSCs. Overall, our results provide new insights into the genetic basis of Van der Hoeve's syndrome and highlight the potential of iPSC technology for disease modeling and therapeutic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- SiJun Li
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Otolaryngology Major Disease Research Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Clinical Research Center for Pharyngolaryngeal Diseases and Voice Disorders in Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Lingyun Mei
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Otolaryngology Major Disease Research Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Clinical Research Center for Pharyngolaryngeal Diseases and Voice Disorders in Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Chufeng He
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Otolaryngology Major Disease Research Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Clinical Research Center for Pharyngolaryngeal Diseases and Voice Disorders in Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Xinzhang Cai
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Otolaryngology Major Disease Research Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Clinical Research Center for Pharyngolaryngeal Diseases and Voice Disorders in Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Hong Wu
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Otolaryngology Major Disease Research Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Clinical Research Center for Pharyngolaryngeal Diseases and Voice Disorders in Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - XueWen Wu
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Otolaryngology Major Disease Research Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Clinical Research Center for Pharyngolaryngeal Diseases and Voice Disorders in Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yalan Liu
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Otolaryngology Major Disease Research Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Clinical Research Center for Pharyngolaryngeal Diseases and Voice Disorders in Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yong Feng
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, The Affiliated Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Hunan Province, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Changsha, Hunan, China.
- MOE Key Lab of Rare Pediatric Diseases and Institute of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of South China, Changsha, Hunan, China.
| | - Jian Song
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
- Otolaryngology Major Disease Research Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan, China.
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Department of Geriatrics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
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14
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Serwanja J, Wieland AC, Haubenhofer A, Brandstetter H, Schönauer E. A conserved strategy to attack collagen: The activator domain in bacterial collagenases unwinds triple-helical collagen. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2321002121. [PMID: 38593072 PMCID: PMC11032491 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2321002121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacterial collagenases are important virulence factors, secreted by several pathogenic Clostridium, Bacillus, Spirochaetes, and Vibrio species. Yet, the mechanism by which these enzymes cleave collagen is not well understood. Based on biochemical and mutational studies we reveal that collagenase G (ColG) from Hathewaya histolytica recognizes and processes collagen substrates differently depending on their nature (fibrillar vs. soluble collagen); distinct dynamic interactions between the activator and peptidase domain are required based on the substrate type. Using biochemical and circular dichroism studies, we identify the presumed noncatalytic activator domain as the single-domain triple helicase that unwinds collagen locally, transiently, and reversibly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamil Serwanja
- Department of Biosciences and Medical Biology, Paris-Lodron University of Salzburg, SalzburgA-5020, Austria
- Center for Tumor Biology and Immunology (CTBI), Paris-Lodron University of Salzburg, SalzburgA-5020, Austria
| | - Alexander C. Wieland
- Department of Biosciences and Medical Biology, Paris-Lodron University of Salzburg, SalzburgA-5020, Austria
- Center for Tumor Biology and Immunology (CTBI), Paris-Lodron University of Salzburg, SalzburgA-5020, Austria
| | - Astrid Haubenhofer
- Department of Biosciences and Medical Biology, Paris-Lodron University of Salzburg, SalzburgA-5020, Austria
- Center for Tumor Biology and Immunology (CTBI), Paris-Lodron University of Salzburg, SalzburgA-5020, Austria
| | - Hans Brandstetter
- Department of Biosciences and Medical Biology, Paris-Lodron University of Salzburg, SalzburgA-5020, Austria
- Center for Tumor Biology and Immunology (CTBI), Paris-Lodron University of Salzburg, SalzburgA-5020, Austria
| | - Esther Schönauer
- Department of Biosciences and Medical Biology, Paris-Lodron University of Salzburg, SalzburgA-5020, Austria
- Center for Tumor Biology and Immunology (CTBI), Paris-Lodron University of Salzburg, SalzburgA-5020, Austria
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15
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Shen D, Zhou Z, Xu Y, Shao C, Shi Y, Zhao W, Tang R, Pan H, Yu M, Hannig M, Fu B. Reversion of ACP Nanoparticles into Prenucleation Clusters via Surfactant for Promoting Biomimetic Mineralization: A Physicochemical Understanding of Biosurfactant Role in Biomineralization Process. Adv Healthc Mater 2024; 13:e2303488. [PMID: 38265149 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202303488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Amphiphilic biomolecules are abundant in mineralization front of biological hard tissues, which play a vital role in osteogenesis and dental hard tissue formation. Amphiphilic biomolecules function as biosurfactants, however, their biosurfactant role in biomineralization process has never been investigated. This study, for the first time, demonstrates that aggregated amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) nanoparticles can be reversed into dispersed ultrasmall prenucleation clusters (PNCs) via breakdown and dispersion of the ACP nanoparticles by a surfactant. The reduced surface energy of ACP@TPGS and the electrostatic interaction between calcium ions and the pair electrons on oxygen atoms of C-O-C of D-α-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol succinate (TPGS) provide driving force for breakdown and dispersion of ACP nanoparticles into ultrasmall PNCs which promote in vitro and in vivo biomimetic mineralization. The ACP@TPGS possesses excellent biocompatibility without any irritations to oral mucosa and dental pulp. This study not only introduces surfactant into biomimetic mineralization field, but also excites attention to the neglected biosurfactant role during biomineralization process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongni Shen
- Stomatology Hospital, School of Stomatology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedical Research of Zhejiang Province, Cancer Center of Zhejiang University, Engineering Research Center of Oral Biomaterials and Devices of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310000, China
| | - Zihuai Zhou
- Stomatology Hospital, School of Stomatology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedical Research of Zhejiang Province, Cancer Center of Zhejiang University, Engineering Research Center of Oral Biomaterials and Devices of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310000, China
| | - Yuedan Xu
- Stomatology Hospital, School of Stomatology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedical Research of Zhejiang Province, Cancer Center of Zhejiang University, Engineering Research Center of Oral Biomaterials and Devices of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310000, China
| | - Changyu Shao
- Stomatology Hospital, School of Stomatology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedical Research of Zhejiang Province, Cancer Center of Zhejiang University, Engineering Research Center of Oral Biomaterials and Devices of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310000, China
| | - Ying Shi
- Stomatology Hospital, School of Stomatology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedical Research of Zhejiang Province, Cancer Center of Zhejiang University, Engineering Research Center of Oral Biomaterials and Devices of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310000, China
| | - Weijia Zhao
- Stomatology Hospital, School of Stomatology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedical Research of Zhejiang Province, Cancer Center of Zhejiang University, Engineering Research Center of Oral Biomaterials and Devices of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310000, China
| | - Ruikang Tang
- Center for Biomaterials and Biopathways, Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310000, China
| | - Haihua Pan
- Qiushi Academy for Advanced Studies, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310000, China
| | - Mengfei Yu
- Stomatology Hospital, School of Stomatology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedical Research of Zhejiang Province, Cancer Center of Zhejiang University, Engineering Research Center of Oral Biomaterials and Devices of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310000, China
| | - Matthias Hannig
- Clinic of Operative Dentistry, Periodontology and Preventive Dentistry, Saarland University, 66424, Homburg, Saarland, Germany
| | - Baiping Fu
- Stomatology Hospital, School of Stomatology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedical Research of Zhejiang Province, Cancer Center of Zhejiang University, Engineering Research Center of Oral Biomaterials and Devices of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310000, China
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16
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Deymier AC, Deymier PA. Open-system force-elongation relationship of collagen in chemo-mechanical equilibrium with water. J Mech Behav Biomed Mater 2024; 152:106464. [PMID: 38367533 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2024.106464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/19/2024]
Abstract
A significant deformation mechanism of collagen at low loads is molecular uncoiling and rearrangement. Although the effect of hydration and cross-linking has been investigated at larger loads when collagen undergoes molecular sliding, their effects on collagen molecular reorganization remain unclear. Here we develop two thermodynamic models that use the notion of open-system elasticity to elucidate the effect of swelling due to water uptake during deformation of collagen networks under low and high cross-linking conditions. With low crosslinking, entropic contributions dominate resulting in rejection of solvent from the polymer network leading to reduced collagen stiffness with increased loads. Contrarily, high cross-linking inhibits initial coiling and structural kinking and the mechanical behavior is dominated by elastic energy. In this configuration, the solvent content depends on the sign of the applied load resulting in a non-linear open-system stress-strain relationship. The models provide insight on the parameters that impact the stress-strain relationships of hydrated collagen and can inform the way collagenous matrices are treated both in medical and laboratory settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- A C Deymier
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, USA.
| | - P A Deymier
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
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17
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Darula Z, McCabe MC, Barrett A, Schmitt LR, Maslanka MD, Saviola AJ, Orgel J, Burlingame A, Staab-Weijnitz CA, Stenmark K, Weaver V, Chalkley RJ, Hansen KC. Assessing Heterogeneity in the N-Telopeptides of Type I Collagen by Mass Spectrometry. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.31.587441. [PMID: 38585857 PMCID: PMC10996605 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.31.587441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Collagen cross-links created by the lysyl oxidase and lysyl hydroxylase families of enzymes are a significant contributing factor to the biomechanical strength and rigidity of tissues, which in turn influence cell signaling and ultimately cell phenotype. In the clinic, the proteolytically liberated N-terminal cross-linked peptide of collagen I (NTX) is used as a biomarker of bone and connective tissue turnover, which is altered in several disease processes. Despite the clinical utility of these collagen breakdown products, the majority of the cross-linked peptide species have not been identified in proteomic datasets. Here we evaluate several parameters for the preparation and identification of these peptides from the collagen I-rich Achilles tendon. Our refined approach involving chemical digestion for protein solubilization coupled with mass spectrometry allows for the identification of the NTX cross-links in a range of modification states. Based on the specificity of the enzymatic cross-linking reaction we utilized follow-up variable modification searches to facilitate identification with a wider range of analytical workflows. We then applied a spectral library approach to identify differences in collagen cross-links in bovine pulmonary hypertension. The presented method offers unique opportunities to understand extracellular matrix remodeling events in development, aging, wound healing, and fibrotic disease that modulate collagen architecture through lysyl-hydroxylase and lysyl-oxidase enzymes.
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18
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Magerle R, Zech P, Dehnert M, Bendixen A, Otto A. Rate-independent hysteretic energy dissipation in collagen fibrils. SOFT MATTER 2024; 20:2831-2839. [PMID: 38456340 DOI: 10.1039/d3sm01625k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Nanoindentation cycles measured with an atomic force microscope on hydrated collagen fibrils exhibit a rate-independent hysteresis with return point memory. This previously unknown energy dissipation mechanism describes in unified form elastoplastic indentation, capillary adhesion, and surface leveling at indentation velocities smaller than 1 μm s-1, where viscous friction is negligible. A generic hysteresis model, based on force-distance data measured during one large approach-retract cycle, predicts the force (output) and the dissipated energy for arbitrary indentation trajectories (input). While both quantities are rate independent, they do depend nonlinearly on indentation history and on indentation amplitude.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Magerle
- Fakultät für Naturwissenschaften, Technische Universität Chemnitz, 09107 Chemnitz, Germany.
| | - Paul Zech
- Fakultät für Naturwissenschaften, Technische Universität Chemnitz, 09107 Chemnitz, Germany.
| | - Martin Dehnert
- Fakultät für Naturwissenschaften, Technische Universität Chemnitz, 09107 Chemnitz, Germany.
| | - Alexandra Bendixen
- Fakultät für Naturwissenschaften, Technische Universität Chemnitz, 09107 Chemnitz, Germany.
| | - Andreas Otto
- Fakultät für Naturwissenschaften, Technische Universität Chemnitz, 09107 Chemnitz, Germany.
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19
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Kamml J, Acevedo C, Kammer DS. Mineral and cross-linking in collagen fibrils: The mechanical behavior of bone tissue at the nano-scale. ARXIV 2024:arXiv:2403.11753v1. [PMID: 38562451 PMCID: PMC10984003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
The mineralized collagen fibril is the main building block of hard tissues and it directly affects the macroscopic mechanics of biological tissues such as bone. The mechanical behavior of the fibril itself is determined by its structure: the content of collagen molecules, minerals, and cross-links, and the mechanical interactions and properties of these components. Advanced-Glycation-Endproducts (AGEs) cross-linking between tropocollagen molecules within the collagen fibril is one important factor that is believed to have a major influence on the tissue. For instance, it has been shown that brittleness in bone correlates with increased AGEs densities. However, the underlying nano-scale mechanisms within the mineralized collagen fibril remain unknown. Here, we study the effect of mineral and AGEs cross-linking on fibril deformation and fracture behavior by performing destructive tensile tests using coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations. Our results demonstrate that after exceeding a critical content of mineral, it induces stiffening of the collagen fibril at high strain levels. We show that mineral morphology and location affect collagen fibril mechanics: The mineral content at which this stiffening occurs depends on the mineral's location and morphology. Further, both, increasing AGEs density and mineral content lead to stiffening and increased peak stresses. At low mineral contents, the mechanical response of the fibril is dominated by the AGEs, while at high mineral contents, the mineral itself determines fibril mechanics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Kamml
- Institute for Building Materials, ETH Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Claire Acevedo
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
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20
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Suhail A, Banerjee A, Rajesh R. Dissipation and recovery in collagen fibrils under cyclic loading: A molecular dynamics study. Phys Rev E 2024; 109:024411. [PMID: 38491641 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.109.024411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
The hysteretic behavior exhibited by collagen fibrils, when subjected to cyclic loading, is known to result in both dissipation as well as accumulation of residual strain. On subsequent relaxation, partial recovery has also been reported. Cross-links have been considered to play a key role in overall mechanical properties. Here, we modify an existing coarse-grained molecular dynamics model for collagen fibril with initially cross-linked collagen molecules, which is known to reproduce the response to uniaxial strain, by incorporating reformation of cross-links to allow for possible recovery of the fibril. Using molecular dynamics simulations, we show that our model successfully replicates the key features observed in experimental data, including the movement of hysteresis loops, the time evolution of residual strains and energy dissipation, as well as the recovery observed during relaxation. We also show that the characteristic cycle number, describing the approach toward steady state, has a value similar to that in experiments. We also emphasize the vital role of the degree of cross-linking on the key features of the macroscopic response to cyclic loading.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amir Suhail
- The Institute of Mathematical Sciences, CIT Campus, Taramani, Chennai 600113, India
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Training School Complex, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai 400094, India
| | | | - R Rajesh
- The Institute of Mathematical Sciences, CIT Campus, Taramani, Chennai 600113, India
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Training School Complex, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai 400094, India
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21
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Gahlawat S, Nanda V, Shreiber DI. Designing collagens to shed light on the multi-scale structure-function mapping of matrix disorders. Matrix Biol Plus 2024; 21:100139. [PMID: 38186852 PMCID: PMC10765305 DOI: 10.1016/j.mbplus.2023.100139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Collagens are the most abundant structural proteins in the extracellular matrix of animals and play crucial roles in maintaining the structural integrity and mechanical properties of tissues and organs while mediating important biological processes. Fibrillar collagens have a unique triple helix structure with a characteristic repeating sequence of (Gly-X-Y)n. Variations within the repetitive sequence can cause misfolding of the triple helix, resulting in heritable connective tissue disorders. The most common variations are single-point missense mutations that lead to the substitution of a glycine residue with a bulkier amino acid (Gly → X). In this review, we will first discuss the importance of collagen's triple helix structure and how single Gly substitutions can impact its folding, structure, secretion, assembly into higher-order structures, and biological functions. We will review the role of "designer collagens," i.e., synthetic collagen-mimetic peptides and recombinant bacterial collagen as model systems to include Gly → X substitutions observed in collagen disorders and investigate their impact on structure and function utilizing in vitro studies. Lastly, we will explore how computational modeling of collagen peptides, especially molecular and steered molecular dynamics, has been instrumental in probing the effects of Gly substitutions on structure, receptor binding, and mechanical stability across multiple length scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonal Gahlawat
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Vikas Nanda
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA
- Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - David I. Shreiber
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA
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22
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Hui WH, Chen YL, Chang SW. Effects of aging and diabetes on the deformation mechanisms and molecular structural characteristics of collagen fibrils under daily activity. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 254:127603. [PMID: 37871726 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.127603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Crosslinking plays an important role in collagen-based tissues since it affects mechanical behavior and tissue metabolism. Aging and diabetes affect the type and density of crosslinking, effectively altering tissue properties. However, most studies focus on these effects under large stress rather than daily activities. We focus on the deformation mechanisms and structural change at the binding sites for integrins, proteoglycans, and collagenase in collagen fibrils using a fully atomistic model. We show that high-connectivity enzymatic crosslinking (our "HC" model, representing normal tissues) and advanced-glycation end-products (our "Glucosepane" model, which increase in diabetes) result in uniform deformation under daily activity, but low-connectivity enzymatic crosslinking (our "LC" model, representing aging tissues) does not. In particular, the HC model displays more sliding, which may explain the ability of healthy tissues to absorb more strain energy. In contrast, AGEs induce instability in the structures near the binding sites, which would affect the tissue metabolism of the collagen molecule. Our results provide important insights into the molecular mechanisms of collagen and a possible explanation for the role of crosslinking in tissues undergoing daily activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Han Hui
- Department of Civil Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Yen-Lin Chen
- Department of Civil Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Shu-Wei Chang
- Department of Civil Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei City, Taiwan; Department of Biomedical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei City, Taiwan.
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23
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Micheletti C, Shah FA, Palmquist A, Grandfield K. Ultrastructure and Nanoporosity of Human Bone Shown with Correlative On-Axis Electron and Spectroscopic Tomographies. ACS NANO 2023; 17:24710-24724. [PMID: 37846873 PMCID: PMC10753897 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c04633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
Mineralized collagen fibrils are the building block units of bone at the nanoscale. While it is known that collagen fibrils are mineralized both inside their gap zones (intra-fibrillar mineralization) and on their outer surfaces (extra-fibrillar mineralization), a clear visualization of this architecture in three dimensions (3D), combining structural and compositional information over large volumes, but without compromising the resolution, remains challenging. In this study, we demonstrate the use of on-axis Z-contrast electron tomography (ET) with correlative energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) tomography to examine rod-shaped samples with diameters up to 700 nm prepared from individual osteonal lamellae in the human femur. Our work mainly focuses on two aspects: (i) low-contrast nanosized circular spaces ("holes") observed in sections of bone oriented perpendicular to the long axis of a long bone, and (ii) extra-fibrillar mineral, especially in terms of morphology and spatial relationship with respect to intra-fibrillar mineral and collagen fibrils. From our analyses, it emerges quite clearly that most "holes" are cross-sectional views of collagen fibrils. While this had been postulated before, our 3D reconstructions and reslicing along meaningful two-dimensional (2D) cross-sections provide a direct visual confirmation. Extra-fibrillar mineral appears to be composed of thin plates that are interconnected and span over several collagen fibrils, confirming that mineralization is cross-fibrillar, at least for the extra-fibrillar phase. EDX tomography shows mineral signatures (Ca and P) within the gap zones, but the signal appears weaker than that associated with the extra-fibrillar mineral, pointing toward the existence of dissimilarities between the two types of mineralization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Micheletti
- Department
of Materials Science and Engineering, McMaster
University, Hamilton L8S 4L7, Ontario, Canada
- Department
of Biomaterials, Sahlgrenska Academy, University
of Gothenburg, Göteborg 40530, Sweden
| | - Furqan A. Shah
- Department
of Biomaterials, Sahlgrenska Academy, University
of Gothenburg, Göteborg 40530, Sweden
| | - Anders Palmquist
- Department
of Biomaterials, Sahlgrenska Academy, University
of Gothenburg, Göteborg 40530, Sweden
| | - Kathryn Grandfield
- Department
of Materials Science and Engineering, McMaster
University, Hamilton L8S 4L7, Ontario, Canada
- School
of Biomedical Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton L8S 4L7, Ontario, Canada
- Brockhouse
Institute for Materials Research, McMaster
University, Hamilton L8S 4L7, Ontario, Canada
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24
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Kamml J, Acevedo C, Kammer DS. Advanced-Glycation Endproducts: How cross-linking properties affect the collagen fibril behavior. J Mech Behav Biomed Mater 2023; 148:106198. [PMID: 37890341 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2023.106198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
Advanced-Glycation-Endproducts (AGEs) are known to be a major cause of impaired tissue material properties. In collagen fibrils, which constitute a major building component of human tissue, these AGEs appear as fibrillar cross-links. It has been shown that when AGEs accumulate in collagen fibrils, a process often caused by diabetes and aging, the mechanical properties of the collagen fibril are altered. However, current knowledge about the mechanical properties of different types of AGEs, and their quantity in collagen fibrils is limited owing to the scarcity of available experimental data. Consequently, the precise relationship between the nano-scale cross-link properties, which differ from type to type, their density in collagen fibrils, and the mechanical properties of the collagen fibrils at larger scales remains poorly understood. In our study, we use coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations and perform destructive tensile tests on collagen fibrils to evaluate the effect of different cross-link densities and their mechanical properties on collagen fibril deformation and fracture behavior. We observe that the collagen fibril stiffens at high strain levels when either the AGEs density or the loading energy capacity of AGEs are increased. Based on our results, we demonstrate that this stiffening is caused by a mechanism that favors energy absorption via stretching rather than inter-molecular sliding. Hence, in these cross-linked collagen fibrils, the absorbed energy is stored rather than dissipated through friction, resulting in brittle fracture upon fibrillar failure. Further, by varying multiple AGEs nano-scale parameters, we show that the AGEs loading energy capacity is, aside from their density in the fibril, the unique factor determining the effect of different types of AGEs on the mechanical behavior of collagen fibrils. Our results show that knowing AGEs properties is crucial for a better understanding of the nano-scale origin of impaired tissue behavior. We further suggest that future experimental investigations should focus on the quantification of the loading energy capacity of AGEs as a key property for their influence on collagen fibrils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Kamml
- Institute for Building Materials, ETH Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Claire Acevedo
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - David S Kammer
- Institute for Building Materials, ETH Zurich, Switzerland.
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25
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Luo X, Niu J, Su G, Zhou L, Zhang X, Liu Y, Wang Q, Sun N. Research progress of biomimetic materials in oral medicine. J Biol Eng 2023; 17:72. [PMID: 37996886 PMCID: PMC10668381 DOI: 10.1186/s13036-023-00382-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Biomimetic materials are able to mimic the structure and functional properties of native tissues especially natural oral tissues. They have attracted growing attention for their potential to achieve configurable and functional reconstruction in oral medicine. Though tremendous progress has been made regarding biomimetic materials, significant challenges still remain in terms of controversy on the mechanism of tooth tissue regeneration, lack of options for manufacturing such materials and insufficiency of in vivo experimental tests in related fields. In this review, the biomimetic materials used in oral medicine are summarized systematically, including tooth defect, tooth loss, periodontal diseases and maxillofacial bone defect. Various theoretical foundations of biomimetic materials research are reviewed, introducing the current and pertinent results. The benefits and limitations of these materials are summed up at the same time. Finally, challenges and potential of this field are discussed. This review provides the framework and support for further research in addition to giving a generally novel and fundamental basis for the utilization of biomimetic materials in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyu Luo
- Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, School and Hospital of Stomatology, China Medical University, No. 117 Nanjing North Street, Shenyang, 110001, China
| | - Jiayue Niu
- Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, School and Hospital of Stomatology, China Medical University, No. 117 Nanjing North Street, Shenyang, 110001, China
| | - Guanyu Su
- Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, School and Hospital of Stomatology, China Medical University, No. 117 Nanjing North Street, Shenyang, 110001, China
| | - Linxi Zhou
- Department of Orthodontics, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
- College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200011, China.
- National Center for Stomatology, Shanghai, 200011, China.
- National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai, 200011, China.
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai, 200011, China.
| | - Xue Zhang
- Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, School and Hospital of Stomatology, China Medical University, No. 117 Nanjing North Street, Shenyang, 110001, China
| | - Ying Liu
- Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, School and Hospital of Stomatology, China Medical University, No. 117 Nanjing North Street, Shenyang, 110001, China
| | - Qiang Wang
- Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, School and Hospital of Stomatology, China Medical University, No. 117 Nanjing North Street, Shenyang, 110001, China
| | - Ningning Sun
- Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, School and Hospital of Stomatology, China Medical University, No. 117 Nanjing North Street, Shenyang, 110001, China.
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26
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DiCecco LA, Gao R, Gray JL, Kelly DF, Sone ED, Grandfield K. Liquid Transmission Electron Microscopy for Probing Collagen Biomineralization. NANO LETTERS 2023; 23:9760-9768. [PMID: 37669509 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.3c02344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/07/2023]
Abstract
Collagen biomineralization is fundamental to hard tissue assembly. While studied extensively, collagen mineralization processes are not fully understood, with the majority of theories derived from electron microscopy (EM) under static, dehydrated, or frozen conditions, unlike the liquid phase environment where mineralization occurs. Herein, novel liquid transmission EM (TEM) strategies are presented, in which collagen mineralization was explored in liquid for the first time via TEM. Custom thin-film enclosures were employed to visualize the mineralization of reconstituted collagen fibrils in a calcium phosphate and polyaspartic acid solution to promote intrafibrillar mineralization. TEM highlighted that at early time points precursor mineral particles attached to collagen and progressed to crystalline mineral platelets aligned with fibrils at later time points. This aligns with observations from other techniques and validates the liquid TEM approach. This work provides a new liquid imaging approach for exploring collagen biomineralization, advancing toward understanding disease pathogenesis and remineralization strategies for hard tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liza-Anastasia DiCecco
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802-4400, United States
| | - Ruixin Gao
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G9, Canada
| | - Jennifer L Gray
- Materials Research Institute, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Deborah F Kelly
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802-4400, United States
- Materials Research Institute, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
- Center for Structural Oncology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Eli D Sone
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G9, Canada
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3E4, Canada
- Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1X3, Canada
| | - Kathryn Grandfield
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
- School of Biomedical Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
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Faruqui N, Williams DS, Briones A, Kepiro IE, Ravi J, Kwan TO, Mearns-Spragg A, Ryadnov MG. Extracellular matrix type 0: From ancient collagen lineage to a versatile product pipeline - JellaGel™. Mater Today Bio 2023; 22:100786. [PMID: 37692377 PMCID: PMC10491728 DOI: 10.1016/j.mtbio.2023.100786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Extracellular matrix type 0 is reported. The matrix is developed from a jellyfish collagen predating mammalian forms by over 0.5 billion years. With its ancient lineage, compositional simplicity, and resemblance to multiple collagen types, the matrix is referred to as the extracellular matrix type 0. Here we validate the matrix describing its physicochemical and biological properties and present it as a versatile, minimalist biomaterial underpinning a pipeline of commercialised products under the collective name of JellaGelTM. We describe an extensive body of evidence for folding and assembly of the matrix in comparison to mammalian matrices, such as bovine collagen, and its use to support cell growth and development in comparison to known tissue-derived products, such as Matrigel™. We apply the matrix to co-culture human astrocytes and cortical neurons derived from induced pluripotent stem cells and visualise neuron firing synchronicity with correlations indicative of a homogenous extracellular material in contrast to the performance of heterogenous commercial matrices. We prove the ability of the matrix to induce spheroid formation and support the 3D culture of human immortalised, primary, and mesenchymal stem cells. We conclude that the matrix offers an optimal solution for systemic evaluations of cell-matrix biology. It effectively combines the exploitable properties of mammalian tissue extracts or top-down matrices, such as biocompatibility, with the advantages of synthetic or bottom-up matrices, such as compositional control, while avoiding the drawbacks of the two types, such as biological and design heterogeneity, thereby providing a unique bridging capability of a stem extracellular matrix.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nilofar Faruqui
- National Physical Laboratory, Hampton Road, Teddington, TW11 0LW, UK
| | | | - Andrea Briones
- National Physical Laboratory, Hampton Road, Teddington, TW11 0LW, UK
| | - Ibolya E. Kepiro
- National Physical Laboratory, Hampton Road, Teddington, TW11 0LW, UK
| | - Jascindra Ravi
- National Physical Laboratory, Hampton Road, Teddington, TW11 0LW, UK
| | - Tristan O.C. Kwan
- National Physical Laboratory, Hampton Road, Teddington, TW11 0LW, UK
| | | | - Maxim G. Ryadnov
- National Physical Laboratory, Hampton Road, Teddington, TW11 0LW, UK
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28
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Yaghoobi H, Clarke A, Kerr G, Frampton J, Kreplak L. Multifilament Collagen Fiber Bundles with Tendon-like Structure and Mechanical Performance. Macromol Rapid Commun 2023; 44:e2300204. [PMID: 37291949 DOI: 10.1002/marc.202300204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Collagen multifilament bundles comprised of thousands of monofilaments are prepared by multipin contact drawing of an entangled polymer solution consisting of collagen and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO). The multifilament bundles are hydrated in graded concentrations of PEO and phosphate buffered saline (PBS) to promote assembly of collagen fibrils within each monofilament while preserving the structure of the multifilament bundle. Multiscale structural characterization reveals that the hydrated multifilament bundle contains properly folded collagen molecules packed in collagen fibrils containing microfibrils, staggered by exactly one-sixth of the microfibril D-band spacing to produce a periodicity of 11 nm. Sequence analysis predicts that in this structure, phenylalanine residues are close enough within and between microfibrils to become ultraviolet C (UVC) crosslinked. In agreement with this analysis, the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and Young's modulus of the hydrated collagen multifilament bundles crosslinked by UVC radiation increase nonlinearly with total UVC energy to reach values in the range of native tendons without damage to the collagen molecules. This fabrication method recapitulates the structure of a tendon across multiple length scales and offers tunability in tensile properties using only collagen molecules and no other chemical additives in addition to PEO, which is almost entirely removed during the hydration process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hessameddin Yaghoobi
- Department of Physics & Atmospheric Science, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 4R2, Canada
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Alison Clarke
- Department of Physics & Atmospheric Science, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Gavin Kerr
- Department of Physics & Atmospheric Science, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - John Frampton
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 4R2, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Laurent Kreplak
- Department of Physics & Atmospheric Science, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 4R2, Canada
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 4R2, Canada
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Kamml J, Acevedo C, Kammer DS. Advanced-Glycation Endproducts: How cross-linking properties affect the collagen fibril behavior. ARXIV 2023:arXiv:2308.05514v1. [PMID: 37608934 PMCID: PMC10441443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
Advanced-Glycation-Endproducts (AGEs) are known to be a major cause of impaired tissue material properties. In collagen fibrils, which constitute a major building component of human tissue, these AGEs appear as fibrillar cross-links. It has been shown that when AGEs accumulate in collagen fibrils, a process often caused by diabetes and aging, the mechanical properties of the collagen fibril are altered. However, current knowledge about the mechanical properties of different types of AGEs, and their quantity in collagen fibrils is limited owing to the scarcity of available experimental data. Consequently, the precise relationship between the nano-scale cross-link properties, which differ from type to type, their density in collagen fibrils, and the mechanical properties of the collagen fibrils at larger scales remains poorly understood. In our study, we use coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations and perform destructive tensile tests on collagen fibrils to evaluate the effect of different cross-link densities and their mechanical properties on collagen fibril deformation and fracture behavior. We observe that the collagen fibril stiffens at high strain levels when either the AGEs density or the loading energy capacity of AGEs are increased. Based on our results, we demonstrate that this stiffening is caused by a mechanism that favors energy absorption via stretching rather than inter-molecular sliding. Hence, in these cross-linked collagen fibrils, the absorbed energy is stored rather than dissipated through friction, resulting in brittle fracture upon fibrillar failure. Further, by varying multiple AGEs nano-scale parameters, we show that the AGEs loading energy capacity is, aside from their density in the fibril, the unique factor determining the effect of different types of AGEs on the mechanical behavior of collagen fibrils. Our results show that knowing AGEs properties is crucial for a better understanding of the nano-scale origin of impaired tissue behavior. We further suggest that future experimental investigations should focus on the quantification of the loading energy capacity of AGEs as a key property for their influence on collagen fibrils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Kamml
- Institute for Building Materials, ETH Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Claire Acevedo
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
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30
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Menni A, Tzikos G, Sarafis A, Ververi A, Chatziantoniou G, Rafailidis V, Panidis S, Goulas P, Karlafti E, Apostolidis S, Giouleme O, Michalopoulos A, Paramythiotis D. Bowel Perforation in Vascular Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome: Case Report and Comprehensive Review. J Pers Med 2023; 13:1247. [PMID: 37623497 PMCID: PMC10455523 DOI: 10.3390/jpm13081247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 08/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS) comprise a rare variety of genetic disorders, affecting all types of collagen. Herein, we describe a case of the vascular type of EDS, with coexisting segmental absence of intestinal musculature, while simultaneously performing a narrative review of the existing literature. CASE PRESENTATION A 23-year-old male patient with a history of multiple abdominal operations due to recurrent bowel perforations and the presence of a high-output enterocutaneous fistula was admitted to our surgical department for further evaluation and treatment. After detailed diagnostic testing, the diagnosis of vascular-type EDS (vEDS) was made and a conservative therapeutic approach was adopted. In addition, a comprehensive review of the international literature was carried out by applying the appropriate search terms. RESULTS The diagnosis of vEDS was molecularly confirmed by means of genetic testing. The patient was treated conservatively, with parenteral nutrition and supportive methods. Thirty-four cases of bowel perforation in vEDS have been reported so far. Interestingly, this case is the second one ever to report co-existence of vEDS with Segmental Absence of Intestinal Musculature. CONCLUSIONS Establishing the diagnosis of vEDS promptly is of vital significance in order to ensure that patients receive appropriate treatment. Due to initial non-specific clinical presentation, EDS should always be included in the differential diagnoses of young patients with unexplained perforations of the gastrointestinal tract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Menni
- 1st Propaedeutic Department of Surgery, AHEPA University Hospital, Aristotle’s University of Thessaloniki, 54636 Thessaloniki, Greece; (G.T.); (A.S.); (G.C.); (S.P.); (P.G.); (S.A.); (A.M.); (D.P.)
| | - Georgios Tzikos
- 1st Propaedeutic Department of Surgery, AHEPA University Hospital, Aristotle’s University of Thessaloniki, 54636 Thessaloniki, Greece; (G.T.); (A.S.); (G.C.); (S.P.); (P.G.); (S.A.); (A.M.); (D.P.)
| | - Alexandros Sarafis
- 1st Propaedeutic Department of Surgery, AHEPA University Hospital, Aristotle’s University of Thessaloniki, 54636 Thessaloniki, Greece; (G.T.); (A.S.); (G.C.); (S.P.); (P.G.); (S.A.); (A.M.); (D.P.)
| | - Athina Ververi
- Genetic Unit, 1st Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Aristotle’s University of Thessaloniki, Papageorgiou University Hospital, 56429 Thessaloniki, Greece;
| | - George Chatziantoniou
- 1st Propaedeutic Department of Surgery, AHEPA University Hospital, Aristotle’s University of Thessaloniki, 54636 Thessaloniki, Greece; (G.T.); (A.S.); (G.C.); (S.P.); (P.G.); (S.A.); (A.M.); (D.P.)
| | - Vasileios Rafailidis
- Department of Radiology, AHEPA University Hospital, Aristotle’s University of Thessaloniki, 54636 Thessaloniki, Greece;
| | - Stavros Panidis
- 1st Propaedeutic Department of Surgery, AHEPA University Hospital, Aristotle’s University of Thessaloniki, 54636 Thessaloniki, Greece; (G.T.); (A.S.); (G.C.); (S.P.); (P.G.); (S.A.); (A.M.); (D.P.)
| | - Patroklos Goulas
- 1st Propaedeutic Department of Surgery, AHEPA University Hospital, Aristotle’s University of Thessaloniki, 54636 Thessaloniki, Greece; (G.T.); (A.S.); (G.C.); (S.P.); (P.G.); (S.A.); (A.M.); (D.P.)
| | - Eleni Karlafti
- Emergency Department, AHEPA University Hospital, Aristotle’s University of Thessaloniki, 54634 Thessaloniki, Greece;
| | - Stylianos Apostolidis
- 1st Propaedeutic Department of Surgery, AHEPA University Hospital, Aristotle’s University of Thessaloniki, 54636 Thessaloniki, Greece; (G.T.); (A.S.); (G.C.); (S.P.); (P.G.); (S.A.); (A.M.); (D.P.)
| | - Olga Giouleme
- 2nd Propedeutic Department of Internal Medicine, Aristotle’s University of Thessaloniki, Hippokration University Hospital, 54642 Thessaloniki, Greece;
| | - Antonios Michalopoulos
- 1st Propaedeutic Department of Surgery, AHEPA University Hospital, Aristotle’s University of Thessaloniki, 54636 Thessaloniki, Greece; (G.T.); (A.S.); (G.C.); (S.P.); (P.G.); (S.A.); (A.M.); (D.P.)
| | - Daniel Paramythiotis
- 1st Propaedeutic Department of Surgery, AHEPA University Hospital, Aristotle’s University of Thessaloniki, 54636 Thessaloniki, Greece; (G.T.); (A.S.); (G.C.); (S.P.); (P.G.); (S.A.); (A.M.); (D.P.)
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Kamml J, Ke CY, Acevedo C, Kammer DS. The influence of AGEs and enzymatic cross-links on the mechanical properties of collagen fibrils. J Mech Behav Biomed Mater 2023; 143:105870. [PMID: 37156073 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2023.105870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Collagen, one of the main building blocks for various tissues, derives its mechanical properties directly from its structure of cross-linked tropocollagen molecules. The cross-links are considered to be a key component of collagen fibrils as they can change the fibrillar behavior in various ways. For instance, enzymatic cross-links (ECLs), one particular type of cross-links, are known for stabilizing the structure of the fibril and improving material properties, while cross-linking AGEs (Advanced-Glycation Endproducts) have been shown to accumulate and impair the mechanical properties of collageneous tissues. However, the reasons for whether and how a given type of cross-link improves or impairs the material properties remain unknown, and the exact relationship between the cross-link properties and density, and the fibrillar behavior is still not well understood. Here, we use coarse-grained steered molecular models to evaluate the effect of AGEs and ECLs cross-links content on the deformation and failure properties of collagen fibrils. Our simulations show that the collagen fibrils stiffen at high strain levels when the AGEs content exceeds a critical value. In addition, the strength of the fibril increases with AGEs accumulation. By analyzing the forces within the different types of cross-links (AGEs and ECLs) as well as their failure, we demonstrate that a change of deformation mechanism is at the origin of these observations. A high AGEs content reinforces force transfer through AGEs cross-links rather than through friction between sliding tropocollagen molecules, which leads to failure by breaking of bonds within the tropocollagen molecules. We show that this failure mechanism, which is associated with lower energy dissipation, results in more abrupt failure of the collagen fibril. Our results provide a direct and causal link between increased AGEs content, inhibited intra-fibrillar sliding, increased stiffness, and abrupt fibril fracture. Therefore, they explain the mechanical origin of bone brittleness as commonly observed in elderly and diabetic populations. Our findings contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying impaired tissue behavior due to elevated AGEs content and could enable targeted measures regarding the reduction of specific collagen cross-linking levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Kamml
- Institute for Building Materials, ETH Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Chun-Yu Ke
- Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Claire Acevedo
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - David S Kammer
- Institute for Building Materials, ETH Zurich, Switzerland.
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Harvey M, Cisek R, Alizadeh M, Barzda V, Kreplak L, Tokarz D. High numerical aperture imaging allows chirality measurement in individual collagen fibrils using polarization second harmonic generation microscopy. NANOPHOTONICS 2023; 12:2061-2071. [PMID: 37215945 PMCID: PMC10193268 DOI: 10.1515/nanoph-2023-0177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Second harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy is a commonly used technique to study the organization of collagen within tissues. However, individual collagen fibrils, which have diameters much smaller than the resolution of most optical systems, have not been extensively investigated. Here we probe the structure of individual collagen fibrils using polarization-resolved SHG (PSHG) microscopy and atomic force microscopy. We find that longitudinally polarized light occurring at the edge of a focal volume of a high numerical aperture microscope objective illuminated with linearly polarized light creates a measurable variation in PSHG signal along the axis orthogonal to an individual collagen fibril. By comparing numerical simulations to experimental data, we are able to estimate parameters related to the structure and chirality of the collagen fibril without tilting the sample out of the image plane, or cutting tissue at different angles, enabling chirality measurements on individual nanostructures to be performed in standard PSHG microscopes. The results presented here are expected to lead to a better understanding of PSHG results from both collagen fibrils and collagenous tissues. Further, the technique presented can be applied to other chiral nanoscale structures such as microtubules, nanowires, and nanoribbons.
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Affiliation(s)
- MacAulay Harvey
- Department of Chemistry, Saint Mary’s University, 923 Robie Street, Halifax, NS, B3H 3C3Canada
| | - Richard Cisek
- Department of Chemistry, Saint Mary’s University, 923 Robie Street, Halifax, NS, B3H 3C3Canada
| | - Mehdi Alizadeh
- Department of Chemical and Physical Sciences, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada
- Department of Physics, University of Toronto, 60 St. George St, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A7, Canada
- Laser Research Center, Faculty of Physics, Vilnius University, Sauletekio Av. 9, LT-10222Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Virginijus Barzda
- Department of Chemical and Physical Sciences, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada
- Department of Physics, University of Toronto, 60 St. George St, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A7, Canada
- Laser Research Center, Faculty of Physics, Vilnius University, Sauletekio Av. 9, LT-10222Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Laurent Kreplak
- Department of Physics and Atmospheric Science and School of Biomedical Engineering, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, B3H 4J5, Canada
| | - Danielle Tokarz
- Department of Chemistry, Saint Mary’s University, 923 Robie Street, Halifax, NS, B3H 3C3Canada
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Bhattacharya S, Dubey DK. Insights into the role of water concentrations on nanomechanical behavior of type I collagen-hyaluronan interfaces in annulus fibrosus: A molecular dynamics investigation. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING 2023:e3713. [PMID: 37073776 DOI: 10.1002/cnm.3713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Multi-faceted deformation capabilities of Annulus Fibrosus (AF) results from an intricate mechanical design by nature. Wherein, organization and interactions between the constituents, collagen type I (CI), collagen type II (C2), hyaluronan, aggrecan, and water are instrumental. However, mechanisms by which such interactions influence AF mechanics at tissue-scale is not well understood. This work investigates nanoscale interfacial interactions between CI and hyaluronan (CI-H) and presents insights into their influence on tissue-scale mechanics of AF. For this, three-dimensional molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of tensile and compressive deformation are conducted on atomistic model of CI-H interface at 0%, 65%, and 75% water concentrations (WC). Results show hyaluronan lowers local hydration around CI component of interface, owing to its hydrophilic nature. Analyses show that increase in WC from 65% to 75% leads to increased interchain sliding in hyaluronan, which further lowers tensile modulus of the interface from 2.1 GPa to 660 MPa, contributing to softening observed from outer to inner AF. Furthermore, increase in WC from 65% to 75%, shifts compressive deformation from buckling-dominant to non-buckling-dominant which contributes towards lower radial bulge at inner AF. Findings provide deeper insights into mechanistic interactions and mechanisms at fundamental length-scale which influence the AF structure-mechanics at tissue-scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shambo Bhattacharya
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi, India
| | - Devendra K Dubey
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi, India
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Rennekamp B, Karfusehr C, Kurth M, Ünal A, Monego D, Riedmiller K, Gryn'ova G, Hudson DM, Gräter F. Collagen breaks at weak sacrificial bonds taming its mechanoradicals. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2075. [PMID: 37045839 PMCID: PMC10097693 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37726-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Collagen is a force-bearing, hierarchical structural protein important to all connective tissue. In tendon collagen, high load even below macroscopic failure level creates mechanoradicals by homolytic bond scission, similar to polymers. The location and type of initial rupture sites critically decide on both the mechanical and chemical impact of these micro-ruptures on the tissue, but are yet to be explored. We here use scale-bridging simulations supported by gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry to determine breakage points in collagen. We find collagen crosslinks, as opposed to the backbone, to harbor the weakest bonds, with one particular bond in trivalent crosslinks as the most dominant rupture site. We identify this bond as sacrificial, rupturing prior to other bonds while maintaining the material's integrity. Also, collagen's weak bonds funnel ruptures such that the potentially harmful mechanoradicals are readily stabilized. Our results suggest this unique failure mode of collagen to be tailored towards combatting an early onset of macroscopic failure and material ageing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benedikt Rennekamp
- Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies, Schloss-Wolfsbrunnenweg 35, 69118, Heidelberg, Germany
- Interdisciplinary Center for Scientific Computing, Heidelberg University, INF 205, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- Max Planck School Matter to Life, Jahnstrasse 29, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christoph Karfusehr
- Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies, Schloss-Wolfsbrunnenweg 35, 69118, Heidelberg, Germany
- Max Planck School Matter to Life, Jahnstrasse 29, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- Physics Department and ZNN, Technical University Munich, Coulombwall 4a, 85748, Garching, Germany
| | - Markus Kurth
- Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies, Schloss-Wolfsbrunnenweg 35, 69118, Heidelberg, Germany
- Interdisciplinary Center for Scientific Computing, Heidelberg University, INF 205, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Aysecan Ünal
- Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies, Schloss-Wolfsbrunnenweg 35, 69118, Heidelberg, Germany
- Interdisciplinary Center for Scientific Computing, Heidelberg University, INF 205, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- Max Planck School Matter to Life, Jahnstrasse 29, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Debora Monego
- Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies, Schloss-Wolfsbrunnenweg 35, 69118, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kai Riedmiller
- Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies, Schloss-Wolfsbrunnenweg 35, 69118, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ganna Gryn'ova
- Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies, Schloss-Wolfsbrunnenweg 35, 69118, Heidelberg, Germany
- Interdisciplinary Center for Scientific Computing, Heidelberg University, INF 205, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - David M Hudson
- Department of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Frauke Gräter
- Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies, Schloss-Wolfsbrunnenweg 35, 69118, Heidelberg, Germany.
- Interdisciplinary Center for Scientific Computing, Heidelberg University, INF 205, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
- Max Planck School Matter to Life, Jahnstrasse 29, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
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Groetsch A, Gourrier A, Casari D, Schwiedrzik J, Shephard JD, Michler J, Zysset PK, Wolfram U. The elasto-plastic nano- and microscale compressive behaviour of rehydrated mineralised collagen fibres. Acta Biomater 2023; 164:332-345. [PMID: 37059408 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2023.03.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023]
Abstract
The hierarchical design of bio-based nanostructured materials such as bone enables them to combine unique structure-mechanical properties. As one of its main components, water plays an important role in bone's material multiscale mechanical interplay. However, its influence has not been quantified at the length-scale of a mineralised collagen fibre. Here, we couple in situ micropillar compression, and simultaneous synchrotron small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) with a statistical constitutive model. Since the synchrotron data contain statistical information on the nanostructure, we establish a direct connection between experiment and model to identify the rehydrated elasto-plastic micro- and nanomechanical fibre behaviour. Rehydration led to a decrease of 65%-75% in fibre yield stress and compressive strength, and 70% in stiffness with a 3x higher effect on stresses than strains. While in agreement with bone extracellular matrix, the decrease is 1.5-3x higher compared to micro-indentation and macro-compression. Hydration influences mineral more than fibril strain with the highest difference to the macroscale when comparing mineral and tissue levels. The effect of hydration seems to be strongly mediated by ultrastructural interfaces while results provide insights towards mechanical consequences of reported water-mediated structuring of bone apatite. The missing reinforcing capacity of surrounding tissue for an excised fibril array is more pronounced in wet than dry conditions, mainly related to fibril swelling. Differences leading to higher compressive strength between mineralised tissues seem not to depend on rehydration while the lack of kink bands supports the role of water as an elastic embedding influencing energy-absorption mechanisms. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Characterising structure-property-function relationships in hierarchical biological materials helps us to elucidate mechanisms that enable their unique properties. Experimental and computational methods can advance our understanding of their complex behaviour with the potential to inform bio-inspired material development. In this study, we close a gap for bone's fundamental mechanical building block at micro- and nanometre length scales. We establish a direct connection between experiments and simulations by coupling in situ synchrotron tests with a statistical model and quantify the behaviour of rehydrated single mineralised collagen fibres. Results suggest a high influence of hydration on structural interfaces, and the role of water as an elastic embedding by outlining important differences between wet and dry elasto-plastic properties of mineral nanocrystals, fibrils and fibres.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Groetsch
- Institute of Mechanical, Process & Energy Engineering, School of Engineering & Physical Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK
| | | | - Daniele Casari
- Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Thun, Switzerland
| | - Jakob Schwiedrzik
- Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Thun, Switzerland
| | - Jonathan D Shephard
- Institute of Photonics and Quantum Sciences, School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Johann Michler
- Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Thun, Switzerland
| | - Philippe K Zysset
- ARTORG Centre for Biomedical Engineering Research, University of Bern, Switzerland
| | - Uwe Wolfram
- Institute of Mechanical, Process & Energy Engineering, School of Engineering & Physical Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK.
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36
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Jenkinson E, Alexander AJ, Camp PJ. Measurements of large optical rotary dispersion in the adipose eyelid of Atlantic mackerel ( Scomber scombrus). J R Soc Interface 2023; 20:20230025. [PMID: 37015263 PMCID: PMC10072936 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2023.0025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Collagen is the most prevalent of Nature's structural proteins, and is found in the extracellular matrices of animals. The structures of collagen molecules and aggregates are chiral, which leads to the rotation of transmitted, plane-polarized light. Here, it is shown that the concentrations of chiral molecules and aggregates in the optically transparent, adipose eyelid of Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus) can be so high, that plane-polarized light in the visible spectrum is rotated by tens to hundreds of degrees, depending on wavelength (the optical rotatory dispersion (ORD)). This gives rise to intensely coloured images of eyelid samples when illuminated with white light and viewed between crossed polarizers. The ORD in the visible spectrum is measured with monochromatic light sources, and using this dispersion, the variation of optical thickness within a sample (proportional to collagen concentration and path length) is determined. The agreement between observed and simulated white-light images is almost perfect. While collagen provides vital mechanical rigidity to animal tissue, it might also possess optical properties that are useful for vision and camouflage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Euan Jenkinson
- School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, David Brewster Road, Edinburgh EH9 3FJ, Scotland
| | - Andrew J Alexander
- School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, David Brewster Road, Edinburgh EH9 3FJ, Scotland
| | - Philip J Camp
- School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, David Brewster Road, Edinburgh EH9 3FJ, Scotland
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37
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Yu LT, Hancu MC, Kreutzberger MAB, Henrickson A, Demeler B, Egelman EH, Hartgerink JD. Hollow Octadecameric Self-Assembly of Collagen-like Peptides. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:5285-5296. [PMID: 36812303 PMCID: PMC10131286 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c12931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
The folding of collagen is a hierarchical process that starts with three peptides associating into the characteristic triple helical fold. Depending on the specific collagen in question, these triple helices then assemble into bundles reminiscent of α-helical coiled-coils. Unlike α-helices, however, the bundling of collagen triple helices is very poorly understood with almost no direct experimental data available. In order to shed light on this critical step of collagen hierarchical assembly, we have examined the collagenous region of complement component 1q. Thirteen synthetic peptides were prepared to dissect the critical regions allowing for its octadecameric self-assembly. We find that short peptides (under 40 amino acids) are able to self-assemble into specific (ABC)6 octadecamers. This requires the ABC heterotrimeric composition as the self-assembly subunit, but does not require disulfide bonds. Self-assembly into this octadecamer is aided by short noncollagenous sequences at the N-terminus, although they are not entirely required. The mechanism of self-assembly appears to begin with the very slow formation of the ABC heterotrimeric helix, followed by rapid bundling of triple helices into progressively larger oligomers, terminating in the formation of the (ABC)6 octadecamer. Cryo-electron microscopy reveals the (ABC)6 assembly as a remarkable, hollow, crown-like structure with an open channel approximately 18 Å at the narrow end and 30 Å at the wide end. This work helps to illuminate the structure and assembly mechanism of a critical protein in the innate immune system and lays the groundwork for the de novo design of higher order collagen mimetic peptide assemblies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Le Tracy Yu
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005, United States
| | - Maria C. Hancu
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005, United States
| | - Mark A. B. Kreutzberger
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia Box 800733, Charlottesville, VA 22908, United States
| | - Amy Henrickson
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta T1K 3M4, Canada
| | - Borries Demeler
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta T1K 3M4, Canada
| | - Edward H. Egelman
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia Box 800733, Charlottesville, VA 22908, United States
| | - Jeffrey D. Hartgerink
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005, United States
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005, United States
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38
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Pei Y, Yang W, Tang K, Kaplan DL. Collagen processing with mesoscale aggregates as templates and building blocks. Biotechnol Adv 2023; 63:108099. [PMID: 36649798 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2023.108099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Collagen presents a well-organized hierarchical multilevel structure. Microfibers, fibers, and fiber bundles are the aggregates of natural collagen; which achieve an ideal balance of mechanical strength and toughness at the mesoscopic scale for biological tissue. These mesostructured aggregates of collagen isolated from biological tissues retain these inherent organizational features to enable their use as building blocks for constructing new collagen materials with ideal mechanical performance, thermal and dimensional stability. This strategy is distinct from the more common bottom-up or molecular-level design and assembly approach to generating collagen materials. The present review introduces the hierarchical structure of biological collagen with a focus on mesostructural features. Isolation strategies for these collagen aggregates (CAs) are summarized. Recent progress in the use of these mesostructural components for the construction of new collagen materials with emerging applications is reviewed, including in catalysis, environmental applications, biomedicine, food packaging, electrical energy storage, and flexible sensors. Finally, challenges and prospects are assessed for controllable production of CAs as well as material designs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Pei
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China.
| | - Wen Yang
- Institute of Physics, Henan Academy of Sciences, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Keyong Tang
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China.
| | - David L Kaplan
- Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, MA 02155, United States
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39
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Grünewald TA, Johannes A, Wittig NK, Palle J, Rack A, Burghammer M, Birkedal H. Bone mineral properties and 3D orientation of human lamellar bone around cement lines and the Haversian system. IUCRJ 2023; 10:189-198. [PMID: 36786504 PMCID: PMC9980387 DOI: 10.1107/s2052252523000866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Bone is a complex, biological tissue made up primarily of collagen fibrils and biomineral nanoparticles. The importance of hierarchical organization in bone was realized early on, but the actual interplay between structural features and the properties on the nanostructural and crystallographic level is still a matter of intense discussion. Bone is the only mineralized tissue that can be remodeled and, at the start of the formation of new bone during this process, a structure called a cement line is formed on which regular bone grows. Here, the orientational relationship of nanostructural and crystallographic constituents as well as the structural properties of both nanostructural and crystallographic constituents around cement lines and the Haversian system in human lamellar bone are investigated. A combination of small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering tensor tomography is employed together with diffraction tomography and synchrotron computed tomography to generate a multi-modal image of the sample. This work shows that the mineral properties vary as a function of the distance to the Haversian canal and, importantly, shows that the cement line has differing mineral properties from the surrounding lamellar bone, in particular with respect to crystallite size and degree of orientation. Cement lines make up a significant portion of the bone matrix despite their small size, hence the reported findings on an altered mineral structure, together with the spatial modulation around the Haversian canal, have implications for the formation and mechanics of bone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tilman A. Grünewald
- The European Synchrotron, Avenue des Martyrs 71, Grenoble 38000, France
- Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, Centrale Marseille, Institut Fresnel, Marseille 13013, France
- Correspondence e-mail: ,
| | - Andreas Johannes
- The European Synchrotron, Avenue des Martyrs 71, Grenoble 38000, France
| | - Nina K. Wittig
- Department of Chemistry and iNANO, Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds vej 14, Aarhus 8000, Denmark
| | - Jonas Palle
- Department of Chemistry and iNANO, Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds vej 14, Aarhus 8000, Denmark
| | - Alexander Rack
- The European Synchrotron, Avenue des Martyrs 71, Grenoble 38000, France
| | | | - Henrik Birkedal
- Department of Chemistry and iNANO, Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds vej 14, Aarhus 8000, Denmark
- Correspondence e-mail: ,
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40
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Unraveling the molecular mechanism of collagen flexibility during physiological warmup using molecular dynamics simulation and machine learning. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2023; 21:1630-1638. [PMID: 36860343 PMCID: PMC9969283 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2023.02.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2022] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Physiological warmup plays an important role in reducing the injury risk in different sports. In response to the associated temperature increase, the muscle and tendon soften and become easily stretched. In this study, we focused on type I collagen, the main component of the Achilles tendon, to unveil the molecular mechanism of collagen flexibility upon slight heating and to develop a model to predict the strain of collagen sequences. We used molecular dynamics approaches to simulate the molecular structures and mechanical behavior of the gap and overlap regions in type I collagen at 307 K, 310 K, and 313 K. The results showed that the molecular model in the overlap region is more sensitive to temperature increases. Upon increasing the temperature by 3 degrees Celsius, the end-to-end distance and Young's modulus of the overlap region decreased by 5% and 29.4%, respectively. The overlap region became more flexible than the gap region at higher temperatures. GAP-GPA and GNK-GSK triplets are critical for providing molecular flexibility upon heating. A machine learning model developed from the molecular dynamics simulation results showed good performance in predicting the strain of collagen sequences at a physiological warmup temperature. The strain-predictive model could be applied to future collagen designs to obtain desirable temperature-dependent mechanical properties.
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41
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Alia A, Gao F, Mitchell JC, Gasiorowski J, Ciancio M, Kuppast B, Pfeifer C, Carrilho MR. Dentin primer based on a highly functionalized gelatin-methacryloyl hydrogel. Dent Mater 2023; 39:192-203. [PMID: 36641338 DOI: 10.1016/j.dental.2022.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Gelatin-methacryloyl hydrogels (GelMA) have demonstrated their utility as scaffolds in a variety of tissue engineering applications. OBJECTIVES In this study, a highly functionalized GelMA hydrogel was synthesized and assessed for degree of functionalization. As the proposed GelMA hydrogel was coupled to a visible-light photoinitiator, we hypothesized it might serve as base to formulate a model dentin primer for application in restorative dentistry. METHODS GelMA was mixed with photoinitiator lithium phenyl-2,4,6-trimethylbenzoylphosphinate (LAP), photopolymerized for 0-40 s using a dental light-curing device and tested for extrudability, degree of photo-crosslinking (DPxlink), water sorption/solubility/swelling (WS/SL/SW) and apparent modulus of elasticity (AE). Model dentin primer was prepared by mixing GelMA+LAP with a primer of a commercial three-step etch-and-rinse adhesive. After application of GelMA-based primer to acid-etched dentin, samples were bonded with correspondent adhesive agent, photopolymerized and had their immediate bond strength compared to control samples primed and bonded with the same commercial material. RESULTS Extrudability of hydrogel was confirmed using a microsyringe to write the acronym "CDMI". DPxlink of GelMA+LAP changed significantly as a function of photopolymerization time (20 s < 30 s ≤ 40 s). WS, SL and SW were significantly reduced in hydrogels polymerized for 30 and 40 s. AE of hydrogels varied significantly as a function of photopolymerization time (20 s < 30 s ≤ 40 s; 20 s ‡ 40 s). Bond strength of dentin primed with GelMA-based primer was lower (∼29.3 MPa) but not significantly of that of control (∼34.6 MPa). CONCLUSIONS Optimization of a GelMA-based dentin primers can lead to the development of promising biomimetic adhesives for dentin rehabilitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ala Alia
- Midwestern University, College of Graduate Studies, Biomedical Sciences Program, Downers Grove, IL, USA; Midwestern University, College of Dental Medicine-Illinois, Downers Grove, IL, USA
| | - Feng Gao
- Midwestern University, College of Dental Medicine-Illinois, Downers Grove, IL, USA
| | - John C Mitchell
- Midwestern University, College of Dental Medicine-Illinois, Downers Grove, IL, USA; Midwestern University, College of Dental Medicine-Arizona, Glendale, IL, USA
| | - Joshua Gasiorowski
- Midwestern University, College of Graduate Studies, Biomedical Sciences Program, Downers Grove, IL, USA
| | - Mae Ciancio
- Midwestern University, College of Graduate Studies, Biomedical Sciences Program, Downers Grove, IL, USA
| | - Bhimanna Kuppast
- Midwestern University, Chicago College of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Downers Grove, IL, USA
| | - Carmem Pfeifer
- Oregon Health & Science University, School of Dentistry, Biomaterials and Biomechanics, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Marcela R Carrilho
- Midwestern University, College of Dental Medicine-Illinois, Downers Grove, IL, USA.
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42
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Ryou H, Tay FR, Ossa A, Arola D. Preparation of collagen fibrils from mineralized tissues and evaluation by atomic force microscopy. J Mech Behav Biomed Mater 2023; 138:105624. [PMID: 36543081 PMCID: PMC9845140 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2022.105624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Mineralized tissues like bone and dentin are materials that support the distribution of mechanical loads through the body of humans and other animals. While their organic content plays a critical role on the structural behavior of these materials, investigations that quantify the structural properties of collagen fibrils in mineralized tissues at the nanoscale are rather limited. We report a new experimental methodology to prepare samples of dentinal collagen fibrils for evaluation by atomic force microscopy and characterize their mechanical behavior. Specifically, a Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) of the collagen fibrils was performed to study their viscoelastic behavior. The capacity for viscous dampening in the fibrils was characterized in terms of measures of the energy dissipation, phase angle and loss modulus in both the peak and trough regions of the fibrils. According to the phase angle and the loss modulus, the peak regions of the fibrils exhibit significantly greater stiffness and capacity for dampening than the trough regions. This new approach will help in exploring the role of collagen fibrils in the mechanical behavior of dentin and other mineralized tissues as well as help to understand the potential effects from changes in fibril confirmation with tissue treatments, aging or that result from chronic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heonjune Ryou
- U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC, 20375, USA
| | - Franklin R Tay
- The Dental College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Alex Ossa
- School of Applied Sciences and Engineering, Universidad Eafit, Medellin, Colombia
| | - Dwayne Arola
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Restorative Dentistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Oral Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
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43
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Kamml J, Ke CY, Acevedo C, Kammer DS. The influence of AGEs and enzymatic cross-links on the mechanical properties of collagen fibrils. ARXIV 2023:arXiv:2301.13010v1. [PMID: 36776815 PMCID: PMC9915749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/14/2023]
Abstract
Cross-links are considered to be a key component of collagen fibrils as they can change the fibrillar behavior in various ways. Advanced-Glycation Endproducts (AGEs), one particular type of cross-links, have been shown to accumulate and impair the mechanical properties of collageneous tissues, whereas enzymatic cross-links (ECLs) are known for stabilizing the structure of the fibril. However, the reasons for whether a given type of cross-link improves or impairs the material properties remain unknown. Here, we use coarse-grained steered molecular models to evaluate the effect of AGEs and ECLs cross-links content on the deformation and failure properties of collagen fibrils. Our simulations show that the collagen fibrils stiffen at high strain levels when the AGEs content exceeds a critical value. In addition, the strength of the fibril increases with AGEs accumulation. By analyzing the forces within the different types of cross-links (AGEs and ECLs) as well as their failure, we demonstrate that a change of deformation mechanism is at the origin of these observations. A high AGEs content reinforces force transfer through AGEs cross-links rather than through friction between sliding tropocollagen molecules. We show that this failure mechanism, which is associated with lower energy dissipation, results in more abrupt failure of the collagen fibril. Our results provide a direct and causal link between increased AGEs content, inhibited intra-fibrillar sliding, increased stiffness, and abrupt fibril fracture. Therefore, they explain the mechanical origin of bone brittleness as commonly observed in elderly and diabetic populations. Our findings contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying impaired tissue behaviour due to elevated AGEs content and could enable targeted measures regarding the reduction of specific collagen cross-linking levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Kamml
- Institute for Building Materials, ETH Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Chun-Yu Ke
- Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Claire Acevedo
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
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44
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The Role of Membrane-Type 1 Matrix Metalloproteinase-Substrate Interactions in Pathogenesis. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032183. [PMID: 36768503 PMCID: PMC9917210 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
A protease is an enzyme with a proteolytic activity that facilitates the digestion of its substrates. Membrane-type I matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP), a member of the broader matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) family, is involved in the regulation of diverse cellular activities. MT1-MMP is a very well-known enzyme as an activator of pro-MMP-2 and two collagenases, MMP-8 and MMP-13, all of which are essential for cell migration. As an anchored membrane enzyme, MT1-MMP has the ability to interact with a diverse group of molecules, including proteins that are not part of the extracellular matrix (ECM). Therefore, MT1-MMP can regulate various cellular activities not only by changing the extra-cellular environment but also by regulating cell signaling. The presence of both intracellular and extra-cellular portions of MT1-MMP can allow it to interact with proteins on both sides of the cell membrane. Here, we reviewed the MT1-MMP substrates involved in disease pathogenesis.
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45
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de Alcântara ACS, Felix LC, Galvão DS, Sollero P, Skaf MS. The Role of the Extrafibrillar Volume on the Mechanical Properties of Molecular Models of Mineralized Bone Microfibrils. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2023; 9:230-245. [PMID: 36484626 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.2c00728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Bones are responsible for body support, structure, motion, and several other functions that enable and facilitate life for many different animal species. They exhibit a complex network of distinct physical structures and mechanical properties, which ultimately depend on the fraction of their primary constituents at the molecular scale. However, the relationship between structure and mechanical properties in bones are still not fully understood. Here, we investigate structural and mechanical properties of all-atom bone molecular models composed of type-I collagen, hydroxyapatite (HA), and water by means of fully atomistic molecular dynamics simulations. Our models encompass an extrafibrillar volume (EFV) and consider mineral content in both the EFV and intrafibrillar volume (IFV), consistent with experimental observations. We investigate solvation structures and elastic properties of bone microfibril models with different degrees of mineralization, ranging from highly mineralized to weakly mineralized and nonmineralized models. We find that the local tetrahedral order of water is lost in similar ways in the EFV and IFV regions for all HA containing models, as calcium and phosphate ions are strongly coordinated with water molecules. We also subject our models to tensile loads and analyze the spatial stress distribution over the nanostructure of the material. Our results show that both mineral and water contents accumulate significantly higher stress levels, most notably in the EFV, thus revealing that this region, which has been only recently incorporated in all-atom molecular models, is fundamental for studying the mechanical properties of bones at the nanoscale. Furthermore, our results corroborate the well-established finding that high mineral content makes bone stiffer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amadeus C S de Alcântara
- Department of Computational Mechanics, School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Campinas, Campinas13083-860, SPBrazil.,Center for Computing in Engineering & Sciences, CCES, University of Campinas, Campinas13083-861, SPBrazil
| | - Levi C Felix
- Center for Computing in Engineering & Sciences, CCES, University of Campinas, Campinas13083-861, SPBrazil.,Department of Applied Physics, Gleb Wataghin Institute of Physics, University of Campinas, Campinas13083-859, SPBrazil
| | - Douglas S Galvão
- Center for Computing in Engineering & Sciences, CCES, University of Campinas, Campinas13083-861, SPBrazil.,Department of Applied Physics, Gleb Wataghin Institute of Physics, University of Campinas, Campinas13083-859, SPBrazil
| | - Paulo Sollero
- Department of Computational Mechanics, School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Campinas, Campinas13083-860, SPBrazil.,Center for Computing in Engineering & Sciences, CCES, University of Campinas, Campinas13083-861, SPBrazil
| | - Munir S Skaf
- Center for Computing in Engineering & Sciences, CCES, University of Campinas, Campinas13083-861, SPBrazil.,Institute of Chemistry, University of Campinas, Campinas13083-970, SPBrazil
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46
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Tavakol M, Vaughan TJ. A coarse-grained molecular dynamics investigation of the role of mineral arrangement on the mechanical properties of mineralized collagen fibrils. J R Soc Interface 2023; 20:20220803. [PMID: 36695019 PMCID: PMC9874270 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2022.0803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Mineralized collagen fibrils (MCFs) comprise collagen molecules and hydroxyapatite (HAp) crystals and are considered universal building blocks of bone tissue, across different bone types and species. In this study, we developed a coarse-grained molecular dynamics (CGMD) framework to investigate the role of mineral arrangement on the load-deformation behaviour of MCFs. Despite the common belief that the collagen molecules are responsible for flexibility and HAp minerals are responsible for stiffness, our results showed that the mineral phase was responsible for limiting collagen sliding in the large deformation regime, which helped the collagen molecules themselves undergo high tensile loading, providing a substantial contribution to the ultimate tensile strength of MCFs. This study also highlights different roles for the mineralized and non-mineralized protofibrils within the MCF, with the mineralized groups being primarily responsible for load carrying due to the presence of the mineral phase, while the non-mineralized groups are responsible for crack deflection. These results provide novel insight into the load-deformation behaviour of MCFs and highlight the intricate role that both collagen and mineral components have in dictating higher scale bone biomechanics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahdi Tavakol
- Biomedical Engineering and Biomechanics Research Centre, School of Engineering, College of Science and Engineering, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Ted J. Vaughan
- Biomedical Engineering and Biomechanics Research Centre, School of Engineering, College of Science and Engineering, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
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Silva Barreto I, Pierantoni M, Hammerman M, Törnquist E, Le Cann S, Diaz A, Engqvist J, Liebi M, Eliasson P, Isaksson H. Nanoscale characterization of collagen structural responses to in situ loading in rat Achilles tendons. Matrix Biol 2023; 115:32-47. [PMID: 36435426 DOI: 10.1016/j.matbio.2022.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The specific viscoelastic mechanical properties of Achilles tendons are highly dependent on the structural characteristics of collagen at and between all hierarchical levels. Research has been conducted on the deformation mechanisms of positional tendons and single fibrils, but knowledge about the coupling between the whole tendon and nanoscale deformation mechanisms of more commonly injured energy-storing tendons, such as Achilles tendons, remains sparse. By exploiting the highly periodic arrangement of tendons at the nanoscale, in situ loading of rat Achilles tendons during small-angle X-ray scattering acquisition was used to investigate the collagen structural response during load to rupture, cyclic loading and stress relaxation. The fibril strain was substantially lower than the applied tissue strain. The fibrils strained linearly in the elastic region of the tissue, but also exhibited viscoelastic properties, such as an increased stretchability and recovery during cyclic loading and fibril strain relaxation during tissue stress relaxation. We demonstrate that the changes in the width of the collagen reflections could be attributed to strain heterogeneity and not changes in size of the coherently diffracting domains. Fibril strain heterogeneity increased with applied loads and after the toe region, fibrils also became increasingly disordered. Additionally, a thorough evaluation of radiation damage was performed. In conclusion, this study clearly displays the simultaneous structural response and adaption of the collagen fibrils to the applied tissue loads and provide novel information about the transition of loads between length scales in the Achilles tendon.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maria Pierantoni
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Malin Hammerman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lund University, Lund, Sweden; Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Elin Törnquist
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Sophie Le Cann
- CNRS, Univ Paris Est Creteil, Univ Gustave Eiffel, UMR 8208, MSME, Créteil F-94010, France
| | - Ana Diaz
- Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen PSI, Switzerland
| | - Jonas Engqvist
- Division of Solid Mechanics, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Marianne Liebi
- Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen PSI, Switzerland; Department of Physics, Chalmers University, Gothenburg, Sweden; Center of X-ray Analytics, Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, St.Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Pernilla Eliasson
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden; Department of Orthopaedics, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Hanna Isaksson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
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Tai A, Landao-Bassonga E, Chen Z, Tran M, Allan B, Ruan R, Calder D, Goonewardene M, Ngo H, Zheng MH. Systematic evaluation of three porcine-derived collagen membranes for guided bone regeneration. BIOMATERIALS TRANSLATIONAL 2023; 4:41-50. [PMID: 37206304 PMCID: PMC10189808 DOI: 10.12336/biomatertransl.2023.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Guided bone regeneration is one of the most common surgical treatment modalities performed when an additional alveolar bone is required to stabilize dental implants in partially and fully edentulous patients. The addition of a barrier membrane prevents non-osteogenic tissue invasion into the bone cavity, which is key to the success of guided bone regeneration. Barrier membranes can be broadly classified as non-resorbable or resorbable. In contrast to non-resorbable membranes, resorbable barrier membranes do not require a second surgical procedure for membrane removal. Commercially available resorbable barrier membranes are either synthetically manufactured or derived from xenogeneic collagen. Although collagen barrier membranes have become increasingly popular amongst clinicians, largely due to their superior handling qualities compared to other commercially available barrier membranes, there have been no studies to date that have compared commercially available porcine-derived collagen membranes with respect to surface topography, collagen fibril structure, physical barrier property, and immunogenic composition. This study evaluated three commercially available non-crosslinked porcine-derived collagen membranes (Striate+TM, Bio-Gide® and CreosTM Xenoprotect). Scanning electron microscopy revealed similar collagen fibril distribution on both the rough and smooth sides of the membranes as well as the similar diameters of collagen fibrils. However, D-periodicity of the fibrillar collagen is significantly different among the membranes, with Striate+TM membrane having the closest D-periodicity to native collagen I. This suggests that there is less deformation of collagen during manufacturing process. All collagen membranes showed superior barrier property evidenced by blocking 0.2-16.4 μm beads passing through the membranes. To examine the immunogenic agents in these membranes, we examined the membranes for the presence of DNA and alpha-gal by immunohistochemistry. No alpha-gal or DNA was detected in any membranes. However, using a more sensitive detection method (real-time polymerase chain reaction), a relatively strong DNA signal was detected in Bio-Gide® membrane, but not Striate+TM and CreosTM Xenoprotect membranes. Our study concluded that these membranes are similar but not identical, probably due to the different ages and sources of porcine tissues, as well as different manufacturing processes. We recommend further studies to understand the clinical implications of these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Tai
- Centre for Orthopaedic Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
- Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Euphemie Landao-Bassonga
- Centre for Orthopaedic Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
- Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Ziming Chen
- Centre for Orthopaedic Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Minh Tran
- UWA Dental School, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Brent Allan
- Centre for Orthopaedic Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
- UWA Dental School, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
- Oral and Maxillofacial Department, St John of God Subiaco Hospital, Subiaco, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Rui Ruan
- Centre for Orthopaedic Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Dax Calder
- UWA Dental School, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Mithran Goonewardene
- UWA Dental School, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Hien Ngo
- UWA Dental School, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Ming Hao Zheng
- Centre for Orthopaedic Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
- Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
- Corresponding authors: Ming Hao Zheng,
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49
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Andriotis OG, Nalbach M, Thurner PJ. Mechanics of isolated individual collagen fibrils. Acta Biomater 2022; 163:35-49. [PMID: 36509398 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2022.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Collagen fibrils are the fundamental structural elements in vertebrate animals and compose a framework that provides mechanical support to load-bearing tissues. Understanding how these fibrils initially form and mechanically function has been the focus of a myriad of detailed investigations over the last few decades. From these studies a great amount of knowledge has been acquired as well as a number of new questions to consider. In this review, we examine the current state of our knowledge of the mechanical properties of extant fibrils. We emphasize on the mechanical response and related deformation of collagen fibrils upon tension, which is the predominant load imposed in most collagen-rich tissues. We also illuminate the gaps in knowledge originating from the intriguing results that the field is still trying to interpret. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: : Collagen is the result of millions of years of biological evolution and is a unique family of proteins, the majority of which provide mechanical support to biological tissues. Cells produce collagen molecules that self-assemble into larger structures, known as collagen fibrils. As simple as they appear under an optical microscope, collagen fibrils display a complex ultrastructural architecture tuned to the external forces that are imposed upon them. Even more complex is the way collagen fibrils deform under loading, and the nature of the mechanisms that drive their formation in the first place. Here, we present a cogent synthesis of the state-of-knowledge of collagen fibril mechanics. We focus on the information we have from in vitro experiments on individual, isolated from tissues, collagen fibrils and the knowledge available from in silico tests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orestis G Andriotis
- Institute for Lightweight Design and Structural Biomechanics, TU Wien, Vienna, A-1060, Austria
| | - Mathis Nalbach
- Institute for Lightweight Design and Structural Biomechanics, TU Wien, Vienna, A-1060, Austria
| | - Philipp J Thurner
- Institute for Lightweight Design and Structural Biomechanics, TU Wien, Vienna, A-1060, Austria.
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50
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Verma N, Sharma P, Jayabal H, Dingari NN, Gupta R, Rai B. Multiscale modeling of skin mechanical Behavior: Effect of dehydrating agent on Collagen's mechanical properties. J Biomech 2022; 145:111361. [PMID: 36347117 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2022.111361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
The dermis, second layer of human skin, is mainly responsible for mechanical response of the skin. The unique viscoelastic nature of this layer arises from the characteristic hierarchical structure of collagen at various length scales. The effect of topical formulation on skin's mechanical properties of great importance for several personal-care applications. Understanding the transport of an active ingredient across skin layer and its effects on the structure of collagen assembly is crucial for successful design of these applications. In this study, we report a multiscale modelling framework mimicking the skin's mechanical behavior. The framework captures the details from the nanoscale (tropocollagen) to microscale (fibers). At first, atomistic molecular dynamics simulations (MDS) of tropocollagen (TC) molecules of various lengths (∼100 nm) were performed to obtain the molecular modulus of TC. The stress-strain response data obtained from these simulations, were utilized in macroscopic models of fibrils and fibers. The modulus obtained from the mentioned framework was in good agreement with earlier reported experimental data. Further, we have utilized this framework to show the effect of dehydrating agent on skin's mechanical response. The hydration effect is utilized in many anti-ageing strategies to improve the overall mechanical property of skin. We showed that on incorporation of hydrating agent, the collagen structure changes significantly at molecular scale which effects the overall response of the skin at macroscopic scale. The reported multiscale framework can further be explored to gain insights into interlinked properties of collagen at much larger scales without extensive molecular simulations and detailed experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nitu Verma
- Physical Sciences Research Area, TCS Research, Pune 411013, India
| | - Paramveer Sharma
- Physical Sciences Research Area, TCS Research, Pune 411013, India
| | | | | | - Rakesh Gupta
- Physical Sciences Research Area, TCS Research, Pune 411013, India.
| | - Beena Rai
- Physical Sciences Research Area, TCS Research, Pune 411013, India
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