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Type III collagen is a key regulator of the collagen fibrillar structure and biomechanics of articular cartilage and meniscus
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Type III collagen is a key regulator of the collagen fibrillar structure and biomechanics of articular cartilage and meniscus

Chao Wang, Becky K. Brisson, Masahiko Terajima, Qing Li, Kevt’her Hoxha, Biao Han, Abby M. Goldberg, X. Sherry Liu, Michele S. Marcolongo, Motomi Enomoto-Iwamoto, …
Matrix biology, v 85-86
Jan 2020
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matbio.2019.10.001
PMID: 31655293
Featured in Collection :   UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
url
https://europepmc.org/articles/pmc6501836View
Accepted (AM)Open Access (License Unspecified),  Open

Abstract

Aggrecan Atomic force microscopy Collagen fibrils Pericellular matrix Type III collagen
Despite the fact that type III collagen is the second most abundant collagen type in the body, its contribution to the physiologic maintenance and repair of skeletal tissues remains poorly understood. This study queried the role of type III collagen in the structure and biomechanical functions of two structurally distinctive tissues in the knee joint, type II collagen-rich articular cartilage and type I collagen-dominated meniscus. Integrating outcomes from atomic force microscopy-based nanomechanical tests, collagen fibril nanostructural analysis, collagen cross-link analysis and histology, we elucidated the impact of type III collagen haplodeficiency on the morphology, nanostructure and biomechanical properties of articular cartilage and meniscus in Col3a1+/− mice. Reduction of type III collagen leads to increased heterogeneity and mean thickness of collagen fibril diameter, as well as reduced modulus in both tissues, and these effects became more pronounced with skeletal maturation. These data suggest a crucial role of type III collagen in mediating fibril assembly and biomechanical functions of both articular cartilage and meniscus during post-natal growth. In articular cartilage, type III collagen has a marked contribution to the micromechanics of the pericellular matrix, indicating a potential role in mediating the early stage of type II collagen fibrillogenesis and chondrocyte mechanotransduction. In both tissues, reduction of type III collagen leads to decrease in tissue modulus despite the increase in collagen cross-linking. This suggests that the disruption of matrix structure due to type III collagen deficiency outweighs the stiffening of collagen fibrils by increased cross-linking, leading to a net negative impact on tissue modulus. Collectively, this study is the first to highlight the crucial structural role of type III collagen in both articular cartilage and meniscus extracellular matrices. We expect these results to expand our understanding of type III collagen across various tissue types, and to uncover critical molecular components of the microniche for regenerative strategies targeting articular cartilage and meniscus repair. •Collagen III regulates fibril structure and mechanics in both collagen II-rich cartilage and collagen I-dominated meniscus.•Collagen III affects the aggrecan network compression possibly by mediating the aggrecan and collagen network integration.•Collagen III regulates cartilage pericellular matrix micromechanics, potentially mediating chondrocyte mechanotransduction.•Disruption of structure due to reduced collagen III outweighs increase in collagen cross-linking, causing reduced modulus.

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90 citations in Web of Science
94 citations in Scopus

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UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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#3 Good Health and Well-Being

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Cell Biology
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