Collagenase activity of rat kidney with immune complex glomerulonephritis

By means of a biological assay the collagenolytic activity of kidneys from rats with experimental immune complex glomerulonephritis and control animals was tested. We detected collagenolysis in both panels but found quantitative differences in the collagenase activity. The enzymatic collagenolysis was significantly increased (P less than 0.001) in the nephritic kidneys. From the fact that the chelating agent EDTA inhibited potentially the released enzyme it can be concluded that the origin is the polymorphonuclear granules.