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High Levels of Serum Collagenase in Premature Labor-A Potential Biochemical Marker

Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Biochemistry, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida.

An improved sensitive assay for collagenase, which uses [₃Hltelopeptide-free collagen as a substrate, was used to measure changes in serum collagenase levels in 96 women and ten men (18–35 years old). Both latent and active forms of collagenase were detected in serum by molecular sieve chromatography; these forms had a relative molecular weight (M_r of 65,000 and 45,000, respectively. Only latent collagenase was detected in crude serum after destroying inhibitors by treatment with 3 M potassium thiocyanate. Collagenase levels in males were lower than in nongravid females (34 ± 5 versus 53 ± 5 U/dL; mean ± SEM; 1 unit = 1 pg collagen digested per minute at 30C). During pregnancy there was no significant change in serum collagenase levels until the onset of spontaneous labor in full-term pregnancies (37–42 weeks), at which point there was a 66% increase over the nongravid level to a value of 88 ± 5 U/dL. There was a further rise at one day postpartum, and high levels continued for at least four days. Women in premature labor (24–36 weeks) exhibited an eightfold increase in the level of serum collagenase to 405 ± 110 U/dL; 16 of 17 patients in this group had collagenase levels above the 95th percentile for women at 16–40 weeks but not in labor. This evaluation of serum collagenase may provide a key for detecting premature labor. It is suggested that the increase in serum collagenase arises from the lower uterine segment and cervix. (Obstet Gynecol69:179, 1987)

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