Collagen breakdown by gingival collagenase and elastase.

The granule fraction of human polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMNs), the concentrated product of gingival washing from 2 human volunteers and the culture fluid of samples of human gingiva were incubated with neutral salt soluble collagen from rat skin and the patterns of collagen degradation were studied by SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Collagenase from human gingiva cleaved the collagen molecules in a fashion similar to that of the PMN granule fraction. Collagen was also attacked by elastase from human PMNs and, to a lesser extent, by elastase from the gingival washings.