Cervical mucus immunoglobulins as an indicator of ovulation

Davis, K.; Maciulla, Gregory J.; Yannone, Michael E.; Gooch, Gary T.; Lox, Charles D.; Whetstone, Michael R.

doi:10.1097/00006250-198309000-00025

Cited by 18 publications

(6 citation statements)

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“…The levels of total IgA and total IgG in cervical secretions in this study were generally well within the ranges reported by others, in spite of differences in population (nonpregnant, stage of pregnancy), sampling methods (cervicovaginal washing, cervical aspiration, cervical wicks), and analyses (radial immunodiffusion, ELISA) used (8,12,13,25,57,58). Generally, physiological dilutions of antibodies should be interpreted in the light of total immunoglobulins in secretions (18).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

Colonization in the rectum and uterine cervix with group B streptococci may induce specific antibody responses in cervical secretions of pregnant women

et al. 1996

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We have studied the relationships between genital or rectal carriage of group B streptococci (GBS) with the levels of systemic and mucosal antibodies to GBS in 200 women at about week 17 of pregnancy. Secretions from the uterine cervix were collected with absorbent cylindrical wicks for quantification of antibody levels with whole cell enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. GBS were cultured from the cervix (with or without concomitant rectal colonization) of 13.5%, from the rectum (with or without concomitant cervical colonization) of 12%, and from both culture sites of 8.5% of the women. Serotypes Ia, II, and III were predominant. Compared with culture-negative women, the group of women colonized rectally had markedly elevated levels of both immunoglobulin A (IgA) and IgG antibodies to GBS in cervical secretions and also had a moderate but significant elevation of IgA antibodies in sera. Women colonized only in the cervix had increases of specific IgA and IgG antibodies in cervical secretions, but their serum antibody levels were not elevated. In cervical secretions, the increase in antibody levels in the groups of colonized women was most pronounced for the IgG isotype, indicating a mucosal immune response involving IgG as well as IgA. A close correlation was found among the levels of antibodies to each of the three GBS serotypes tested. Evidence for such cross-reacting antibodies to different serotypes of GBS, as well as to group A streptococci, was also obtained from absorption experiments. Altogether, our results show that undiluted secretions for antibody determination can be easily collected from the uterine cervix with absorbent wicks and demonstrate that colonization of GBS in the rectum and the uterine cervix may induce a systemic as well as a pronounced local immune response in the female genital tract. The findings may have implications for the development of a mucosal vaccine against GBS disease.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

Colonization in the rectum and uterine cervix with group B streptococci may induce specific antibody responses in cervical secretions of pregnant women

et al. 1996

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“…In the vaginal washes of normal subjects, the IgG/total IgA ratio was close to that in serum (i.e., -8) and differed significantly from the values (0.5 to 4) reported in previous studies (7,8,13,28,32,33), but it was in agreement with the results of a more recent study (31). These differences seem to be related to a higher estimation of IgG in our study, probably because the samples were centrifuged immediately after collection instead of being stored frozen without preliminary cell removal.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 82%

“…The presence of these antibodies in secretions is not correlated with the serum antibody level, and their induction by mucosal vaccination may be difficult. In vaginal secretions, the additional presence of significant levels of IgG has been reported (7,8,13,28,(31)(32)(33). This IgG might originate from local plasma cells (2,4,14,15,30) and/or transude from the circulation, as suggested by the low number of these cells in the mucosa (2,4).…”

mentioning

confidence: 92%

Immunoglobulin G antibodies in human vaginal secretions after parenteral vaccination

Bélec

Pirès

et al. 1994

Infect Immun

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“…Concerning cervical mucus from nonpregnant women, our immunoglobulin data are in agreement with results of several previous studies (8,13,31,35,41). These results and ours indicate that the concentration of IgA in nonpregnant cervical mucus is approximately 100-200 mg/ml, the level being partly dependent on the stage of the menstrual cycle.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

“…Thirty-one cervical mucus plugs from donors with a median age of 29 years and a median parity of II were studied. The donors were all healthy and delivered spontaneously at term (gestational weeks [37][38][39][40][41][42]. None had received any systemic or local treatment with antibiotics for 6 weeks prior to delivery.…”

Section: Collection Of Cervical Mucus Plugs and Cervical Mucus From Nmentioning

confidence: 99%

Immunoglobulin levels and phagocytes in the cervical mucus plug at term of pregnancy

Hein,

Petersen,

Helmig

et al. 2005

Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand

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Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand 2005; 84: 734-742. # Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand 84 2005Background. To characterize the potential for adaptive immune protection in cervical mucus plugs with respect to immunoglobulin isotypes and effector cells (phagocytes).Methods. Thirty-one cervical mucus plugs were collected from healthy women in labor at term. The cervical mucus plugs were allocated either to analysis of immunoglobulins by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), gel chromatography and Western blotting (n ¼ 20) or to microscopical, including immunocytochemical, analyses. The levels of immunoglobulin in the plugs were compared to the levels in 10 samples of ovulatory cervical mucus from nonpregnant women. Results. In the cervical mucus plugs, levels of immunoglobulin G (IgG) [median 3270 mg/ mL (100-14 500)] and IgA [540 (22-2820)], but not IgM [30.5 (1.0-160)], were significantly elevated compared to cervical mucus from nonpregnant women (p < 0.02 for IgG and IgA). The IgG : IgA ratio in the plugs was also elevated (p < 0.02). The proportion of secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA) relative to total IgA in the plugs ranged from 16 to 65% (n ¼ 5). IgA and IgG were largely intact. Microscopically, the vagina-proximal part of the cervical mucus plugs contained bacteria and was rich in cells, mainly phagocytes. Conversely, the uterine part contained few cells. Conclusion. The high immunoglobulin levels in combination with the presence of phagocytes suggest a potential for adaptive immune defense in the cervical mucus plug, which, together with innate immune factors, may act as an immunological gatekeeper protecting the fetomaternal unit against infection from the vagina.

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Cervical mucus immunoglobulins as an indicator of ovulation

Cited by 18 publications

References 0 publications

Colonization in the rectum and uterine cervix with group B streptococci may induce specific antibody responses in cervical secretions of pregnant women

Colonization in the rectum and uterine cervix with group B streptococci may induce specific antibody responses in cervical secretions of pregnant women

Immunoglobulin G antibodies in human vaginal secretions after parenteral vaccination

Immunoglobulin levels and phagocytes in the cervical mucus plug at term of pregnancy

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