In recent years considerable interest has been focused on the role of cervical secretion in the biologic or immunologic infertility, microbiology, exfoliative cytology, and immunologic oncology of the female genital organs. However, the exact details of the composition, ,properties, and role of this cervical mucus remain still obscure. It is of fundamental importance to determine and denote the individual protein components of cervical mucus to understand its properties and role.
Recently some authors reported the presence and identification of several serum fractions, including albumin, gamma globulin, two alpha-2 globulin, three beta-1 globulin, and two beta-2 globulins, and prealbumin, in the normal cervical mucus by means of agar gel electrophoresis and immunoelectrophoresis.
The objective of this paper is to observe the changes of the contents of individual protein fractions in the cervical mucus according to each phase of menstrual cycle and each period of pregnancy. For this purpose the sensitive and specific technique of Oudin´s capillary tube agar diffusion method has been employed on 120 cases of non pregnant group?36 cases of proliferative phase, 30 cases of ovulatory phase and 54 cases of secretory phase?and 51 cases of pregnant group?27 , cases of the .earlier half and 24 cases of the latter half of gestation period. As an eluting buffer solution of the solid cervical mucus. 0.02M Sodium phosphate?0.5M Saline buffer was used to make serum proteins contained in the cervical mucus into soluble proteins. Specific antiserum and standard serum Albumin, IgG and IgA were supplied by Hyland Laboratory. The capillary tubes used were Kimax and Scientific Products.
The. following results were obtained:
1) Contents, of Albumin per Gm of cervical mucus were:
non pregnant group -
Proliferative phase 2.40±1.15mg/Gm C.M.
ovulatory phase 2.91±1.83 "
secretory phase 3.62±1.84 "
average 3.12±1.73 "
Pregnant group
first half 3.41±2.73mg/Gm CM
latter half 4.34±1.76 "
average 4.20±1.60
Mean of both groups 3.30±1.78mg/cm c.m,
2) Contents of W. per Gm of cervical mucus were:
non pregnant group
proliferative phase 1.50±1.00mg/c.m.
ovulatory phase 2.31±2.38 "
secretory phase 2.40±1.48 "
average 2.6±1.54 "
Pregnant group
first half 2.40±1.70mg/gm c.m
latter half 4.99±3.07 "
average 4.15±2.53 "
Mean of both groups 2.51±1.88mg/gm c.m
3) Contents of IgA per Gm of cervical mucus were:
non pregnant group
proliferativephase 1.21±0.08mg/gm c.m
ovulatory phase 0.94±0.64mg/gm c.m
secretory phase 2.60±1.66 "
average 1.54±1.04 "
Pregnant group
first half 2.53±1.87mg/gm c.m
latter half 2.94±2.38 "
average 2.70±2.04 "
Mean of both groups 1.70±1.27mg/gm c.m.
4) Three (Albumin, IgG & IgA) values showed all increasing tendency in pregnant group more than non pregnant group, difference being most significant in the values of albumin and IgG (p <0.02).
5) Among the non pregnant groups, all the three values showed in increaing amounts in the following order proliferative, ovulatory, and secretory phases, significant differences being noted between proliferative and secretory phases (albumin & IgA), and between ovulatory and secretory phases (IgA) (p <0.02).
6) Among pregnant groups, all the three values were also more increase in the first half priod than the latter half, difference being significant in the IgG value (p<0.02).
7) The possible role of the immunoglobulins of the cervical mucus in immunological function of the female genital organs was discussed in relation with the fact-that secretion of immunoglobulins into cervical mucus was increased in the post-ovulatory phase and the latter half period of gestation.
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