Interstitial collagenase (MMP-1) activity in human ovarian tissue

The collagen content and collagenase activity were estimated in human ovari an interstitial tissue devoid of all visible follicles in menstruating, fer tile as well as climacteric women. The mean total collagenase activity in o varian specimens taken during both follicular (n = 10, 3.97 +/- 0.58 U/g we t weight, ww) and luteal phase (n = 10, 3.39 +/- 1.24 U/g ww) of the normal menstrual cycle along with total collagen concentration (184.8 +/- 41.0 vs . 194.4 +/- 30.5 mu g/mg ww, respectively) did not differ. Total collagenas e activity of climacteric gonads (n = 5, 1.55 +/- 0.71 U/g ww) was lower th an in specimens collected during both follicular and luteal phase (p = 0.00 02 and p = 0.017, respectively). About 23% of the total collagenase activit y in follicular phase ovarian extracts and only about 1% in luteal phase ov arian preparations was found in the latent form. The percentage of latent c ollagenase in ovarian tissue during the follicular phase was negatively cor related with the day of the menstrual cycle (r = -0.93, p = 0.007). Extrace llular matrix remodelling in the human ovary can be correlated with the fun ctional status of the follicular unit.