Changes of collagen cross-links in vein graft disease

Abstract

Objectives: The cause of vein graft disease is widely unknown. Cross-linking of collagen molecules is an essential prerequisite for an appropriate biomechnaical capacity of tissues and organs. They can be divided in the hydroxylysine-derived (hyl) cross-links hydroxylysylpyridinoline (HP) and lysylpyridinoline (LP) and the lysine-derived (lys) cross-link histidinohydroxylysinonorleucine (HHL) according to the posttranslational modification of distinct lysyl residues of the collagen molecules. Recent reports provide evidence, that an increase of hyl-derived cross-links is a hallmark of organ fibrosis and the relation of HP/LP is predictor of biomechanical strength. We addressed the question, whether vein graft disease is accompanied by changes in the cross-link pattern.