A PILOT-STUDY IDENTIFYING TYPE-V COLLAGENOLYTIC ACTIVITY IN HUMAN AMNIOTIC-FLUID

Amniorrhexis complicates pregnancies ii it occurs in a preterm pregnan cy or remote from the onset of labor in a term pregnancy. There are di fferent collagen types (I-V) that create the extracellular matrix of t he amnion. Collagenases specific to these collagen types, with the exc eption of type V collagen, are found in human amniotic fluid, fibrobla sts, polymorphonuclear leukocytes, and bacteria. Type V collagen is a major component of the amniotic basement membrane and is responsible f or maintaining a barrier to bacteria and to the loss of amniotic fluid . We sought to find evidence of type V collagenolytic activity in huma n amniotic fluid obtained from pregnancies in different clinical state s.