Corticosteroid-collagen interaction in vitro: fibril formation from collagen solutions

Abstract

Abstract The disodium phosphate ester salts of betamethasone, prednisolone and hydrocortisone dissolved in a fibril initiating buffer accelerated the precipitation of fibrils from saline solutions of acid-soluble collagen at pH 7.0, when compared with the rate for the initiating buffer alone at the same pH. Without the initiating buffer these corticosteroids also precipitated collagen fibrils, but at a slower rate than when the initiating buffer was present. A relation has been found between the substitution of active groups on the basic steroid nucleus and the rate of collagen fibril formation from solution. Electron microscope examination of the fibrils precipitated by these corticosteroids showed that they corresponded to normal collagen fibrils in appearance and in having the characteristic repeat period of 60–70 nm.