Dietary ascorbic acid normalizes diabetes-induced underhydroxylation of nascent type I collagen molecules

Nascent collagen alpha chains (types I and III) isolated from diabetic rat skin were shown to be underhydroxylated, an underhydroxylation normalized (type I) or partially corrected (Type III) by dietary ascorbic acid. Increased hydroxylation occurred concomitantly with reduced intracellular procollagen degradation and increased production of nascent collagen molecules, both contributing to an increased total skin collagen mass. Overall, by correcting a defect (underhydroxylation) in a posttranslational event and by increasing collagen production, dietary ascorbic acid improved the collagen status of a diabetes-perturbed connective tissue.