In addition to the known 94-kd gelatinase (matrix metalloproteinase 9, MMP-9), HL-60 leukemia cells release a hither-to undescribed 45-kd metalloproteinase into the culture medium. This enzyme cleaves the synthetic substrate Pro-Gln-Gly-Ile-Ala-Gly-Gln-Arg, which represents the cleavage site for collagenases in collagen type I not between isoleucine and alanine--the typical cleavage site for collagenases--but between alanine and glycine. The enzymatic activity was purified through a combination of zinc-chelate-Sepharose column chromatography, precipitation with Fractogel TSK-AF Red and gelatin-Sepharose, and subsequent sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Microsequence analysis of the NH2-terminus of the purified 45-kd proteinase revealed the sequence Asp-Ile-Ser-Lys-Tyr-Thr-Thr-Thr-, which could not be found in other proteins when searched in several protein data bases. Incubation of the enzyme immobilized on nitrocellulose membranes with polyclonal antibodies to collagenase and stromelysin or gelatinases revealed no cross-reactivity. The proteolytic activity was not increased by treatment with trypsin, 8M urea, acid, or organomercurials. The proteinase, which was inhibited by chemical inhibitors of metalloproteinases, such as phenanthrolene or EDTA, is able to degrade several matrix constituents, such as collagen type IV, fibronectin, gelatin, and proteoglycans. In contrast to all known MMPs, the proteolytic activity of the 45-kd enzyme was not abolished upon incubation with recombinant tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases (TIMP) 1 or 2. Thus, the novel enzyme may influence extracellular matrix (ECM) turnover in vivo because its activity is not influenced by specific inhibitors of MMPs.