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Relaxin Stimulates Collagenase and Plasminogen Activator Secretion by Dispersed Human Amnion and Chorion Cells in Vitro

Departments of Biochemistry and Biophysics and Anatomy and Reproductive Biology, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii 9682

Dispersed cells from human arnnion and chorion were cultured with and without relaxin. The addition of this hormone caused an increased secretion of both collagenase and plasminogen activator into the culture medium over a 32 h period, but had no effect on proteoglycanase or β-glucuronidase secretion. The increase in plasminogen activator was dose-related to the amount of relaxin added in vitro. The results show that the fetal membranes are a novel target tissue for relaxin in the human, and suggest that relaxin in vivo may cause a similar release of collagenolytic enzymes, leading to the weakening and eventual rupture of the fetal membranes.

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