Changes in collagen with age—II. Modification of collagen structure by exposure to the gaseous phase of tobacco smoke

Abstract

The changes, which occur when soluble collagen is exposed to gaseous phase of tobacco smoke, are investigated by amino acid analyses, chromatography and electrophoresis. It is shown that a dose-dependent loss of lysine occurs, together with loss of solubility, and the formation of a new compound with co-chromatographs with α, ϵ-diaminopimelic acid. Similar exposure of trypsin indicates that the action of tobacco smoke on this compound also causes similar changes, together with a loss of enzymatic activity. These results are compared with the changes that occur in collagen as a function of age.