Effect of adjuvant arthritis on collagenase and certain lysosomal enzymes in relation to the catabolism of collagen.

The activity of collagenase, cathepsin B1, cathepsin D and Hyaluronidase was determined in skin, bone, liver, kidney, spleen and serum of adjuvant induced arthritic rats during the acute and chronic phase of the disease. Collagenase was assayed directly in tissue extract by a solution method using radioactive labelled substrate. The activity of collagenase, cathepsin B1 and D was found to increase significantly at both phases of the disease. The activity of hyaluronidase decreased significantly in liver, kidney and spleen of arthritic rats, while in skin, bone and serum no significant change was observed. The results are discussed with respect to catabolism of collagen in adjuvant induced arthritis. Prednisolone and L-thyroxine were administered to arthritic rats and the activity of collagenase, cathepsin B1, cathepsin D and hyaluronidase was determined in the treated groups during the acute and chronic phase of the disease. Prednisolone was found to suppress the development of arthritis which, in turn, decreased the increased activity of collagenase and lysosomal enzymes cathepsin B1 and D in tissues and serum of arthritic rats. L-Thyroxine was found to slowly diminish the development of inflammation and its beneficial action was found in mesenchymal tissues and skin of arthritic rats but not in bone.