The collagen hybridizing peptide (CHP) is a novel and unique peptide that specifically binds unfolded collagen chains, both in vitro and in vivo.^[1,2,3] By sharing the Gly-X-Y repeating sequence of natural collagen, CHP has a strong capability to hybridize with denatured collagen chains by reforming the triple helical structure, in a fashion similar to DNA fragments annealing to complementary DNA strands. CHP is extremely specific: it has negligible affinity to intact collagen molecules due to lack of binding sites, and it is inert towards non-specific binding because of its neutral and hydrophilic nature.

CHP is a powerful histopathology tool which enables straightforward detection of inflammation and tissue damage caused by a large variety of diseases, as well as tissue remodeling during development and aging.^[3] CHP robustly visualizes the pericellular matrix turnover caused by proteolytic migration of cancer cells within 3D collagen culture, without the use of synthetic fluorogenic matrices or genetically modified cells.^[4] CHP can measure and localize mechanical injury to collagenous tissue at the molecular level.^[5] It also enables assessment of collagen denaturation in decellularized extracellular matrix.^[6] In addition, CHP can be used to specifically visualize collagen bands in SDS-PAGE gels without the need for western blot.^[7]

B-CHP is labeled with biotin for avidin/streptavidin-mediated detection. B-CHP offers flexible detection options, such as non-green fluorescence and HRP-enzyme methods, to avoid background and enhance signal.

Specificity: CHP binds to the unfolded triple-helical chains of all collagen types (e.g., I, II, III, IV, etc).^[3,7]

Applications: immunofluorescence,^[3] immunohistochemistry^[3]

Specification

Features

• More informative, reliable and convenient than zymography, DQ collagen, SHG, and TEM
• High affinity and unparalleled specificity to collagen with essentially no nonspecific binding
• Applicable to all types of collagen from all species, relying on collagen's secondary structure instead of any defined sequence for binding
• Suitable for both frozen and paraffin-embedded sections with no need for antigen retrieval
• A non-antibody approach with no species restrictions against any co-staining antibody
• Small size (2% of IgG by MW) enabling facile tissue penetration and whole specimen staining without sectioning
• Stable in solution under 4 °C, eliminating the need to aliquot for storage

Special applications

B-CHP provides the flexibility for visualizing damaged collagen using any user-selected fluorophore (e.g., AlexaFluor dyes conjugated streptavidin), or a non-fluorescence method (e.g., through NeutrAvidin-HRP mediated DAB staining).

In addition, B-CHP and commercial streptavidin-conjugated gold nanoparticles can be used in combination to label unfolded collagen molecules under TEM: collagen fibers in an intact or mechanically overloaded rat tail tendon probed by B-CHP and streptavidin conjugated 10nm-sized gold nanoparticles (scale bar: 200 nm).

Key Publications

1. Targeting and mimicking collagens via triple helical peptide assemblies. Curr. Opin. Chem. Biol., 2013. [link]
2. Targeting collagen strands by photo-triggered triple-helix hybridization. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 2012. [link]
3. In situ imaging of tissue remodeling with collagen hybridizing peptides. ACS Nano, 2017. [link]
4. Visualizing collagen proteolysis by peptide hybridization: From 3D cell culture to in vivo imaging. Biomaterials, 2018. [link]
5. Molecular level detection and localization of mechanical damage in collagen enabled by collagen hybridizing peptides. Nat. Commun., 2017. [link]
6. Molecular assessment of collagen denaturation in decellularized tissues using the collagen hybridizing peptide. Acta Biomater., 2017. [link]
7. Direct detection of collagenous proteins by fluorescently labeled collagen mimetic peptides. Bioconjug. Chem., 2013. [link]

Additional information

CHP can slowly self-assemble into the triple helical structure in solution during storage. The trimeric CHP requires a simple heating step prior to usage. Please check the protocol for details: CHP User Guide.pdf

For research use only. Not intended or approved for diagnostic or therapeutic use.

Product Citations

1. Nikolaos Frangogiannis et al., Protective effects of activated myofibroblasts in the pressure-overloaded myocardium are mediated through Smad-dependent activation of a matrix-preserving program. Circulation Research (2019) more info
2. Christopher Fry et al., Anterior cruciate ligament tear promotes skeletal muscle myostatin expression, fibrogenic cell expansion, and a decline in muscle quality. The American Journal of Sports Medicine (2019) more info
3. Michele Marino et al., Molecular-level collagen damage explains softening and failure of arterial tissues: A quantitative interpretation of CHP data with a novel elasto-damage model. Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials (2019) more info
4. Jeffery Molkentin et al., An acute immune response underlies the benefit of cardiac adult stem cell therapy. bioRxiv (2019) more info
5. Xudong Li et al., Molecular detection and assessment of intervertebral disc degeneration via a collagen hybridizing peptide. ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering (2019) more info
6. Xudong Li et al., Microfluidic disc-on-a-chip device for mouse intervertebral disc—pitching a next-generation research platform to study disc degeneration. ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering (2019) more info
7. Karl Kadler et al., Protection of circadian rhythms by the protein folding chaperone, BiP. The FASEB Journal (2019) more info
8. Stephen Weiss et al., Divergent matrix-remodeling strategies distinguish developmental from neoplastic mammary epithelial cell invasion programs. Developmental Cell (2018) more info
9. Fiona Watt et al., Fibroblast state switching orchestrates dermal maturation and wound healing. Molecular Systems Biology (2018) more info
10. Fiona Watt et al., Loxl2 is dispensable for dermal development, homeostasis and tumour stroma formation. Plos One (2018) more info
11. Matthew Abramowitz et al., Skeletal muscle fibrosis is associated with decreased muscle inflammation and weakness in patients with chronic kidney disease. American Journal of Physiology-Renal Physiology (2018) more info
12. Kenneth Monson et al., Detection and characterization of molecular-level collagen damage in overstretched cerebral arteries. Acta Biomaterialia (2018) more info
13. Spencer Szczesny et al., Fatigue loading of tendon results in collagen kinking and denaturation but does not change local tissue mechanics. Journal of Biomechanics (2018) more info
14. Samuel Veres et al., In tendons, differing physiological requirements lead to functionally distinct nanostructures. Scientific Reports (2018) more info
15. Svenja Illien-Junger et al., Dietary advanced glycation end-product consumption leads to mechanical stiffening of murine intervertebral discs. Disease Models & Mechanisms (2018) more info
16. Mark Banaszak Holl et al., Fatigue failure mechanism of anterior cruciate ligament fracture. (2018) more info
17. Themis Kyriakides et al., Decellularized materials derived from TSP2-KO mice promote enhanced neovascularization and integration in diabetic wounds. Biomaterials (2018)
18. Per Fogelstrand et al., Systematic in vitro comparison of decellularization protocols for blood vessels. Plos One (2018) more info