Tissue expression analysis of cervical mucus proteome

Česká verzia

Authors: J. Vodička ¹ ; J. Dostál ¹ ; D. Holub ² ; Radovan Pilka ¹ ; P. Džubák ² ; M. Hajdúch ² ; T. Oždian ²
Authors place of work: Porodnicko-gynekologická klinika LF UP a FN Olomouc ¹; Ústav molekulární a translační medicíny, LF UP v Olomouci ²
Published in the journal: Ceska Gynekol 2023; 88(1): 4-12
Category: Original Article
doi: https://doi.org/10.48095/cccg20234

Summary

Cervical mucus is a viscous fluid functioning as a cervix plug. Products of the endometrial and cervical glands can be detected in the cervical mucus. Cervical mucus is further enriched with transudate originating from the fallopian tubes and proteins originating from the ovaries, peritoneum and distant tissues. With increasing levels of ovarian estrogens, the properties of cervical mucus for possible collection and processing change appropriately. For these reasons, we chose a group of 10 patients treated in the center of assisted reproduction by controlled ovarian stimulation for in vitro fertilization. This study focuses on the proteomic characterization of cervical mucus and localizes the possible sources of the identified proteins. The most abundant proteins were extracellular proteins, mainly mucins; however, most of the identified proteins, present usually in lower quantities, were of intracellular origin. The tissue analysis revealed that proteins from female reproductive organs are also expressed in other tissues in addition to female reproductive organs, but also proteins specific to the testis, liver, placenta, retina, and cerebellum. This study confirms the suitability and high potential of cervical mucus as a source of proteomic biomarkers not only for the diagnosis of the female reproductive tract.

Keywords:

proteomics – cervical mucus – tissue expression

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