Assessing the collagen metabolism in experimental BCG-induced tuberculous inflammation

The paper presents the study results of the organs of mice without (control group) and with BCG-induced granulomatosis. The contents of hydroxyproline (Hyp) fractions (free, peptide-bound, and protein-bound) were measured in the liver, lungs, and spleen by our alkaline hydrolysis method. In mice with BCG-induced granulomatosis, an increased content of Hyp fractions, reflecting the collagen synthesis, was observed, while the content of free Hyp, characterizing the collagen degradation, did not differ from similar indicators of the control group. The analysis of the ratios of individual Hyp fractions showed a different fibrosis degree in the organs. It was high in the lungs, moderate in the liver and weak in the spleen, thus indicating the organ-specific fibrogenesis in tuberculous infection.