Studies on collagenolytic cathepsin activity in rats with experimental collagen-like syndrome

Collagenolytic cathepsin activity was determined in the heart muscle, liver, kidney spleen, skin samples and leukocytes of normal and hydrazinophthalazine treated rats Isolated collagen susceptibility to the crude liver enzyme action was estimated as well The products of enzymatic degradation were analyzed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. An increase of enzyme activity in all studied organs and leukocytes was observed. It has also been found that the crude liver enzyme is able to degrade the polymeric collagen gamma-chains.