Relaxin increases elastase activity and protease inhibitors in smooth muscle cells from the myometrium compared with cells from leiomyomas.

We investigated the effect of relaxin on extracellular matrix remodeling in cultured myometrial compared with leiomyoma smooth muscle cells. Relaxin increases elastase activity and protease inhibitor expressions in myometrial smooth muscle cells, but no effect was observed in leiomyoma cells.