Our previous reports showed that cultured human cells secrete non-disulfide-bonded non-helical alpha1(IV) and alpha2(IV) chains under physiological conditions. In the present report we show that the alpha(IV) chains in non-helical form were reactive to lectin ABA (Agaricus bisporus agglutinin), whereas the alpha(IV) chains secreted in triple-helical form were not. These results indicate that ABA could be used to distinguish the two conformational isomers of type IV collagen polypeptides. An alpha1(IV) chain isolated from human placenta with an antibody-coupled column showed a positive reaction to ABA, indicating that gelatin form of the type IV collagen alpha(IV) chain is produced and retained in the tissue in vivo. A possible significance of the gelatin form is discussed from the finding that the non-helical alpha(IV) chain purified with EDTA-free buffer contained degraded polypeptides including NCl-size domain and showed an apparent inhibition against activated pro-MMP-9. This is the first report to show that a gelatin form of protein exists in vivo. (C) 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.