The proteolytic profile of prelabour ruptured amnion at term: a case-control study.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate whether prelabour ruptured membranes at term display increased proteolytic activity and to determine whether regional structural alterations within membranes are reflective of regional variations in proteolytic activity.


METHODS
Multiple amnion samples were collected from 37 women with prelabour membrane rupture and 37 women whose membranes ruptured spontaneously during labour. In all cases the gestation was greater than 37 weeks. Substrate zymography was used to qualitatively assess gelatinase and serine protease involvement. General protease activity (metallo, serine, acid and sulfhydryl) was measured quantitatively by fluorescent substrate cleavage.


RESULTS
Substrate zymography revealed no active gelatinases or serine proteases. Fluorescent studies of general protease activity showed no significant difference between the groups and no significant regional variation.


CONCLUSIONS
Gelatinase and serine protease activity do not play a major role in the formation of a membrane rupture initiation site or in prelabour membrane rupture at term.
Stuart
Emma L
EL
Human Nutrition Unit, University of Sheffield, Northern General Hospital, Coleridge House, Herries Road, Sheffield S5 7AU, UK.
Evans
Gareth S
GS
Powers
Hilary J
HJ
D000328:Adult; D000650:Amnion / Q000201:enzymology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005260:Female; D005322:Premature Rupture of Fetal Membranes / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000209:etiology; D005453:Fluorescence; D018093:Gelatinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D006801:Humans; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D010447:Peptide Hydrolases; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D018093:Gelatinases