Quantitative study of tissue collagen metabolism.

A procedure for the quantification of various parameters of metabolism of collagen in fibrotic mouse liver has been developed. The method involves derivatization of hydroxyproline, a marker of collagen, with dansyl chloride, high-performance liquid chromatography of the derivative on an octadecyl C-18 column, and its detection by fluorescence. This assay improves upon existing procedures in several respects: It extends the analysis so that not only the collagen content of the tissue but also the metabolism of collagen is determined at levels found intracellularly. It is sensitive enough to quantify 0.1-10 nmol of hydroxyproline, and it includes three major amino acids (hydroxyproline, glycine, and proline) of collagen and two assay controls; it generates information on both the purity and quantity of collagen in each assay. The determination of specific activity of intracellular free [14C]proline, which is the precursor of protein-bound hydroxyproline, defines the specific activity of [14C]hydroxyproline of collagen converted from precursor residues of [14C]proline by the action of prolyl hydroxylase. The specific activity of [14C]hydroxyproline can be used for the evaluation of collagen synthesis and secretion and intracellular and extracellular degradation of the newly synthesized and secreted collagen in the tissue. The determination of specific activities of [14C]hydroxyproline and [14C]proline and of the ratio of [14C]hydroxyproline to [14C]proline of newly secreted collagen provides information concerning the extent of hydroxylation of [14C]proline residues of newly synthesized collagen.