During pregnancy and chronic relaxin administration to nonpregnant rats (for days), vascular MMP (matrix metalloproteinase)-2 is increased and mediates renal vasodilation, hyperfiltration, and inhibition of myogenic reactivity of small renal arteries. However, the renal vasodilatory actions of relaxin also occur after only several hours of hormone administration to nonpregnant rats, and we hypothesized a pivotal role for vascular MMP-2. Accordingly, we used gelatin zymography, which reveals not only vascular MMP-2, but also MMP-9 activity in small renal arteries isolated from rats administered recombinant human relaxin (rhRLX) or vehicle for 4 -6 h. Furthermore, we tested whether myogenic reactivity is inhibited, and if so, whether the inhibition is mediated by increased vascular MMP-2. Surprisingly, we detected no significant difference in either pro or active MMP-2 in small renal arteries isolated from rhRLX and vehicle control treatment groups. In contrast, vascular MMP-9 was up-regulated by 70% (P < 0.0005 vs. vehicle). These results were completely unexpected and novel. MMP-9 protein expression was confined to the vascular smooth muscle. MMP-9, but not MMP-2 activity, was also increased in mesenteric arteries after shortterm rhRLX administration (P < 0.005 and >0.05 vs. vehicle, respectively). Myogenic reactivity was inhibited in small renal arteries isolated from nonpregnant rats treated with rhRLX for 4 -6 h (P < 0.01 vs. vehicle) and was completely restored by incubation with MMP-9, but not MMP-2 neutralizing antibodies in vitro. Conclusion: In contrast to chronic rhRLX administration, MMP-9 rather than MMP-2 plays a central role in the vasodilatory effect of short-term relaxin administration. (Endocrinology 148: 189 -197, 2007) O NE OF THE earliest and most dramatic adaptations to pregnancy is dilation of the maternal vasculature. The gravid rat model has been used extensively to investigate this circulatory adaptation that is comparable to human pregnancy (1-3). Pregnancy mediates renal vasodilation, hyperfiltration and reduced myogenic reactivity via the endothelial ET B (endothelin) receptor subtype-nitric oxide pathway (4 -6). During pregnancy, the ovarian hormone, relaxin (RLX) stimulates this vasodilatory pathway and when chronically administered to nonpregnant rats mimics the pregnant condition (7-11).We have recently shown that relaxin up-regulates vascular gelatinase activity during pregnancy, thereby mediating renal vasodilation, hyperfiltration, and loss of myogenic reactivity in small renal arteries through processing of big ET to ET 1-32 , which activates the endothelial ET B receptor-nitric oxide pathway (12). During pregnancy and after chronic (5 d) relaxin administration to nonpregnant rats, vascular matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 is specifically implicated in these renal circulatory changes (12). Vascular MMP-2 activity is increased in these small renal and mesenteric arteries as a consequence of increased MMP-2 mRNA and protein expression (13).To mimic the renal hemodynamic change...