Nature of collagenolytic enzyme and inhibitor activities in crevicular fluid from healthy and inflamed periodontal tissues of beagle dogs

We have previously described the occurrence of collagenolytic enzyme activity in crevicular fluids from beagle dogs in which experimental conditions of gingivitis and periodontitis had been induced (Kryshtalskyj, Sodek & Ferrier 1986). In general, active collagenase activity was demonstrable in fluids from periodontitis sites, whereas in control and gingivitis sites various levels of latent collagenase and collagenase inhibitor activity were present. Analysis of the collagen digestion patterns by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) has shown that crevicular fluid samples with low collagenolytic activity generated ¾-α and ¼-α collagen fragments, typical of vertebrate collagenase. However, higher collagenolytic activity associated with periodontitis sites produced further degradation of the native collagen substrate. This activity was characterized by specific degradation products migrating between the ¾-α and ¼-α fragments. Similar digestion patterns are generated by enzymes in crevicular fluid from periodontitis sites in humans and by partially purified collagenase from osteoblastic cells (Otsuka, Sodek & Limeback 1984), but not by bacterial collagenase. Analysis of plaque, crevicular cell debris, saliva and serum indicated that the collagenolytic activity is derived from connective tissue and/or inflammatory cells, whereas collagenase inhibitor could also be derived from saliva and serum.