Effect of oxy radicals on several types of collagen.

Fibrils of collagen reconstituted in vitro by dialysis against sodium formate are exposed to free oxy radicals generated by three different systems: (i) xanthine oxidase + hypoxanthine, (ii) gamma-rays originating from a cobalt bomb; (iii) pulse radiolysis in a particle accelerator. A degradation of the collagen fibres is demonstrated by determination of the amount of hydroxyproline-containing peptides in the supernatant after incubation. Types I and III collagen are sensitive to the effect, whereas type V collagen is not. The effect persists when collagen is specially delipidated.