Development of
colonic diverticulosis is a function of age and declining colonic wall mechanical strength. The latter is partly a consequence of changes in the
collagen structure.
Collagen from unaffected human colons (n = 20, age range 20-80 years) and those with
colonic diverticulosis (n = 5, age range 67-80 years) were obtained at necropsy. The total
collagen content was measured as the
hydroxyproline content and cross linkage by
collagen solubility in weak
acid was studied. The colonic total
collagen content was constant with age (mean (SD) 15.8 (0.3) mg/100 mg wet weight of tissue). The
acid solubility of the
collagen, however, increased after the age of 40 years: at over 60 years,
colonic diverticulosis was associated with an increased
acid solubility ratio compared with values in unaffected colons (15.3 (0.2); compared with 9.2 (0.2), p < 0.001). The cross linking of colonic
collagen increases with age. These changes seem to be
a factor in the aetiology of
colonic diverticulosis.