Abstract
Glycation (non-enzymatic glycosylation) sites in the axial unit cell of diabetic tendon collagen were investigated by neutron diffraction. Samples of diabetic and control tendon were reacted with sodium borodeuteride and sodium cyanoborodeuteride. This facilitated deuteration at aldimine, aldol or ketoimine groups in the molecule. These are natural collagen cross-links and sites where non-enzymatic glycation had occurred. The introduction of a deuteron at specific locations allowed the diabetic glycation collagen to be treated as multiple isomorphous derivatives for neutron fibre diffraction. Neutron diffraction was conducted at the Institut Laue Langevin, Grenoble. Standard crystallographic refinement techniques (modified for axial projections) were used to determine the structure of the control (non-diabetic) and diabetic samples. The results are shown as difference maps, these indicate that glycation takes place at different rates within the collagen axial unit cell. The position of glycation correlates well with the position of hydroxylysine residues. The reactions of periodate with enzymatically attached sugars, proteoglycan, natural cross-links and glycation products lead to complications in map interpretation.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
