Increased expression of alpha-enolase in cervico-vaginal fluid during labour.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was (i) to characterise differentially expressed proteins in cervico-vaginal fluid (CVF) at the time of preterm labour onset and (ii) to confirm these studies in human CVF samples taken from women before and during spontaneous labour.


METHODS
Preterm labour was induced in sheep (n = 5) via fetal dexamethasone infusion (1 mg/24 h). CVF samples were taken prior to dexamethasone infusion (0 h), 28 h after the start of dexamethasone infusion, and immediately prior to delivery. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and mass spectrometry (MS) were used to identify differentially expressed proteins. For the human studies, paired CVF samples were taken 5-9 days before labour and during spontaneous labour onset (n = 7).


RESULTS
There was a 4.2-fold increase in α-enolase protein expression in sheep CVF during labour. Likewise, α-enolase protein expression was significantly increased during spontaneous human labour at term.


CONCLUSIONS
Alpha-enolase is known to be bound to neutrophils and interact in the immune response, and thus may play a role in inflammation associated with human labour.
Dellios
Nicole L
NL
Translational Proteomics, Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia.
Lappas
Martha
M
Young
I Ross
IR
Palliser
Hannah K
HK
Hirst
Jonathan J
JJ
Oliva
Karen
K
Ayhan
Mustafa
M
Rice
Gregory E
GE
D000328:Adult; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002582:Cervix Mucus / Q000201:enzymology*; D015180:Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007743:Labor, Obstetric / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase / Q000032:analysis* / Q000502:physiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012756:Sheep; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization
D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase