[Analysis of hydroxypyridine cross-links of collagen from human rib cartilage].

Ion-paired reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) has been used for the analysis of the content of mature collagen crosslinks--hydroxylysylpyridinoline (HP) and lysylpyridinoline (LP) in biopsy specimens of human rib cartilage from healthy donors (n = 14) and patients with inherited diseases of the connective tissue complicated with funnel chest (n = 17). Analysis of normal tissues reveal the presence of LP (alongside with HP) in embryonal rib cartilage. LP has been found in the rib cartilage of 4 out of 6 patients with funnel chest (FC) associated with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS); with no signs of this pathology detected in individuals with isolated FC. In rib cartilage of 2 patients with recurrent isolated FC LP has been discovered alongside with the presence of type I collagen. A significant increase of LP content in rib cartilage in a child with clinical phenotype of EDS type VI has been discovered.