Lack of magainin-like activity in human cervical tissue.
OBJECTIVE
The cervix plays an integral role in innate immunity of the human reproductive tract. Magainins are antimicrobial and spermicidal peptides recently described in human submandibular glands. We investigated the human cervix for magainin-like peptides.


METHODS
Histologic sections of frozen and paraffin embedded cervical tissue from nine subjects were separately incubated with two rabbit, polyclonal, anti-magainin antibodies (CB-2 and CB-7) to investigate for magainin-like activity in the human cervix.


RESULTS
There was no specific staining of cervical columnar cells within the endocervical canal or in the endocervical crypts. Magainin-like immunoreactivity in the human submandibular gland confirmed previous observations.


CONCLUSIONS
Antigen related to magainin-like peptides were not discovered in the human cervix.
Hansen
K A
KA
Department of OB/GYN, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta 30912-3360.
Kilianski
J
J
Newhall
K
K
Wright
G
G
Stock
R J
RJ
Archer
D
D
D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000032:analysis*; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000032:analysis; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D054806:Magainins; D010455:Peptides / Q000032:analysis*; D011817:Rabbits; D012867:Skin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D013363:Submandibular Gland / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D029867:Xenopus Proteins; D014982:Xenopus laevis / Q000276:immunology*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D015415:Biomarkers; D054806:Magainins; D010455:Peptides; D029867:Xenopus Proteins; C053301:magainin 2 peptide, Xenopus; C053300:magainin 1 peptide, Xenopus