Cytological and cytochemical investigations of vaginal secretion in relation with early detection of female genital malignancies, and physicochemical and bacteriological examinations of cervical secretion related to infertility have been extensively studied for these decades, but little attempt has been made to detect changes that occur in immunological and immunochemical reactivities of vaginal secretion in various vaginal lesions and in association with infertility. Recent studies ,on the body excretions including cervical mucus have demonstrated the prevalence of serum -proteins. Of these, special interest was focused on the finding of immunologic components immunoglobulins present in normal serum, and the analyses of the protein components of -cervical mucus was related with fertility problems. The possible occurrence of a biologic infertility caused by an immune reaction between spermic antigens and genital secretion antibodies has been reported.
The apparent presence of antibodies implies the existence ´of the immunogolbulin group of .serum proteins in that secretion. Therefore, it is of fundamental importance to denote the individual protein components of the genital secretion. In recent years the investigations on the protein components of the cervical mucus have been reported, at home and abroad, but little is undertaken .-on those of vaginal secretion.
The objective of this investigation is to analyze the serum protein components present in the -vaginal secretion and to compare with the results of the studies on the cervical mucus. For this -.purpose the sensitive and specific technique of immunoelectrophoresis, which is most suitable immunologic method for detecting proteins or glycoproteins in body excretion or tissue extract, -was employed.
The samples vaginal secretion were obtained from 30 Korean women. They were nonpregnant -and´ had normal menstrual cycles. Four cases of Trichomonal vaginitis, 4 cases of vaginal moniliasis, 7 cases, of manifest cervicitis with erosion, and 15 cases of gynecologically negative were inclu-ded. Normal cases were 8 cases of proliferative phase and 7 cases of secratory phase of the cyclye.
In all. cases, albumin, IgG and..transferrin were demonstrated. Alpha-1, alpha-2 globulins, prealbumin and IgA were not detected, which were present in the cervical mucus. The difference seemed to be due to low content and dilution in the vaginal secretion. Any significant difference was not noted between normal group and disease group, and between each phase of the menstrual cycle.
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