Human polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) granule extract (25 mug of protein) released 60 percent of the available 35SO4 from labeled rabbit articular cartilage in 0.5 hour at neutral pH. N-acetyl-L-alanyl-L-alanyl-L-prolyl-L-alanine choloromethyl ketone (NAcAAPACK), a specific elastase inhibitor, was only minimally effective against whole granule extract, and N-alpha-tosyl-L-lysine chloromethyl ketone, which inhibits trypsin but not elastase, was completely ineffective. Preparative disc-gel electrophoresis of PMN granule extract revealed two separate regions with independent activity against 35SO4-labeled cartilage. One region contained elastases and when tested alone, was completely inhibited by NAcAAPACK. The other contained lysozyme and two esterases active against N-acetyl-L-phenylalanine-alpha-naphthol. Purified lysozyme proved inactive, suggesting that the chymotrypsin-like esterases were responsible for proteoglycan degradation by this region of the gel.