Collagen alpha-1(III) chain (COL3A1) (COL3A1)

Collagen alpha-1(III) chain, encoded by the COL3A1 gene, is a fibrillar collagen that forms homotrimeric triple helices, serving as a fundamental structural component of the extracellular matrix in extensible tissues like the vasculature, skin, and lungs (UniProt: P02461). It plays a pivotal role in embryogenesis, wound healing, and the maintenance of tissue integrity by providing tensile strength and facilitating cell adhesion and platelet aggregation (PubMed: 28223222). Pathologically, mutations in COL3A1 lead to vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, characterized by a high risk of spontaneous arterial or organ rupture (NIH: Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center). Furthermore, the dysregulated accumulation of type III collagen is a hallmark of fibrosis in various organs, including the liver and heart, making it a key target for anti-fibrotic therapies (PubMed: 30184444). Therapeutic strategies involve the use of collagenases for localized degradation or systemic inhibitors that target the TGF-beta pathway to reduce collagen synthesis (PubChem: Collagenase clostridium histolyticum).

Other names

Collagen type III alpha 1 chainAlpha-1 type III collagenFibrillar collagen type IIICOL3A1

Enzymatic degradation of collagen fibrils, inhibition of pro-collagen synthesis via TGF-beta pathway modulation, and reduction of fibroblast-to-myofibroblast differentiation.