Mechanism of Hyaluronidase Action in Skin

Abstract

Exptl. evidence showed that the spreading caused by hyaluronidase was not only dependent upon enzyme concn. but was also directly related to the increase of interstitial pressure produced by the injured fluid. Spreading in shaved rabbit abdominal skin was measured with methemoglobin as an indicator. The induction of spreading by purified bovine testis hyaluronidase was limited to the first 10 min. after intradermal injn. Thereafter, the rates of spreading in hyaluronidase-treated and control areas were identical. There was a quantit. relation between enzyme eoncn. and spreading in the low-dosage range. With higher doses, maximal effects were obtained with a particular enzyme concn. The lack of correspondence between high dosages and spread was ascribed to the presence in skin of an active mechanism for spreading factor inactivation but no evidence for such inhibition was obtained. Hyaluronidase induced spreading only when localized interstitial pressure and vol. in the skin were increased by fluid admn.