Lathyrism: Aortic and Cutaneous Collagen in the Rat

In the rat the administration of lathyrogenic toxic agents at low doses over prolonged periods of time caused simultaneous alterations in aortic and cutaneous tissues. BAPN caused an increase in soluble collagen in the skin, but in aorta there was no increase in neutral salt soluble collagen, but an increase in the amount that could be solubilized with pepsin. Type III collagen was found to represent 7% in the control aorta samples and this level was not affected by BAPN. In skin Type III accounts for 11% of the extractable collagen in controls and 14% in lathyritic animals. Biochemical changes observed in this study show evidence for collagenous lesions by increases in solubility in both skin and aorta but in neither tissue was the percentage of Type III altered by lathyrism.