Collagenolytic enzyme activity in human ovary: an ovulatory enzyme system.

Collagenolytic enzyme activities presumed to play an important role in ovulation were investigated in the human follicular apex, base, and granulosa cell layer throughout the ovarian cycle. Those analyzed were human ovarian collagenase, 2,4-dinitrophenyl-Pro-Gln-Gly-Ile-Ala-Gly-Gln-D-Arg-OH peptidase, N-carbobenzoxy-Gly-Pro-Gly-Gly-Pro-Ala peptidase, and alpha-N-benzoyl-DL-arginine beta-naphthylamide hydrolase. Collagenase activity was also measured in human granulosa cell cultures. The activities of all four enzymes showed a marked preovulatory decrease in the apex. The activities in the apex were slightly higher than those in the base throughout the ovarian cycle. However, the activities in the granulosa cell layer and collagenase activity in the granulosa cell cultures increased toward preovulation and decreased after ovulation. These findings suggest that collagenase is synthesized in the granulosa cells maximally at preovulation and is consumed in the follicular apex at the same time, resulting in collagen degradation and disruption of the follicular wall in collaboration with other collagenolytic enzymes investigated here.