Factors Affecing the Interactions of Collagen Molecules as Observed by in Vitro Fibril Formation

I. Effects of Small Molecules, Especially Saccharides

Abstract

Mono-, di-, and tri-saccharides were found to inhibit collagen fibril formation in vitro without denaturing collagen molecules. Polyalcohols such as ethylene glycol, glycerol, and mannitol also inhibited the fibril formation at higher concentrations than those of sugars. Urea and dioxane also inhibited the fibril formation, while acetone, dimethyl sulfoxide, and thiourea showed no inhibition.
Addition of sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) at a concentration of 0.004% stimulated the fibril formation and promoted recovery from inhibition by glucosamine, while SDS at concentrations higher than 0.05% inhibited the fibril formation because of its denaturing effect. The amount of SDS to stimulate collagen fibril formation was estimated as low as one SDS molecule to ten amino acid residues of a collagen molecule.
The action of glucose on collagen molecules was demonstrated different from those of NaCl and urea, suggesting that glucose weakened the intermolecular forces which stabilize the collagen molecules in the fibril, while urea tended to dissociate “ nuclei” in the process of collagen fibril formation.