title: Application of a novel human cervical mucin-based assay demonstrates the absence of increased mucinase activity in bacterial vaginosis.
abstract: Enzymes produced in bacterial vaginosis (BV) have been proposed as possible mediators of pre-term birth. Most studies have concentrated on mid-trimester measurements of enzyme activity, and utilize synthetic substrates to measure enzyme activity, which may not accurately represent mucinase activity in vivo. We have developed a novel ELISA mucinase assay using biotinylated human cervical mucin as a substrate. The assay is rapid, sensitive and can be used to screen large numbers of samples. The new assay has been used to assess vaginal mucinase activities in 92 women <14 weeks gestational age with and without BV. No differences in mucinase activity were detected between normal and BV groups while significant elevation of sialidase and other glycosidases was confirmed as reported before. This study shows that significant mucinase activity is a normal event in the mucus barrier, but does not reflect changes identified for individual enzyme activities associated with BV.
authors.affiliation: University Division of Medicine, Bristol Royal Infirmary BS2 8HW, UK.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wiggins
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Millar
authors.forename: P W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Soothill
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Hicks
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Corfield
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002582:Cervix Mucus / Q000201:enzymology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006026:Glycoside Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D013379:Substrate Specificity / Q000502:physiology; D014621:Vagina / Q000201:enzymology / Q000382:microbiology; D016585:Vaginosis, Bacterial / Q000150:complications / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D006026:Glycoside Hydrolases