title: Trefoil factor peptide 3 is positively correlated with the viscoelastic properties of the cervical mucus plug.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The viscoelastic properties of the cervical mucus plug are considered essential for the occlusion of the cervical canal and thereby for protection against ascending infections during pregnancy. Factors controlling this property are virtually unknown. This study explores a possible role of trefoil factor peptides 1, 2 and 3 (TFF1-3); peptides believed to influence mucus viscosity.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study is based on spontaneously shed cervical mucus plugs from 14 women in active labor. The viscoelastic properties; the elastic modulus (G') and the viscous modulus (G") were determined by an oscillatory rheometer. The concentrations of TFF1-3 were measured by an in-house enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Associations were analyzed by random-effects generalized least-squares regression analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median (range) concentrations of TFF1, TFF2 and TFF3 were 3.1 (1.2-8.6), 1.1 (<0.006-3.7) and 1000 (170-5300) nmol/g cervical mucus plug, respectively. The TFF3 concentration was associated with G' (regression coefficient 11.7 Pa/Log nm; 95% CI 3.0-20.4, p = 0.009) and G" (regression coefficient 3.2 Pa/Log nm; 95% CI 1.5-5.0, p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We suggest that TFF3 plays a role in the viscoelastic properties of the cervical mucus plug.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
authors.forename: Sara K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Bastholm
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
authors.forename: Mie H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Samson
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Genetics, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
authors.forename: Naja
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Becher
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
authors.forename: Lea K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.affiliation: Food Production Engineering Research Group, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark.
authors.forename: Peter R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Stubbe
authors.affiliation: Nano-BioScience Research Group, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark.
authors.forename: Ioannis S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Chronakis
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
authors.forename: Ebba
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nexo
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
authors.forename: Niels
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Uldbjerg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002582:Cervix Mucus / Q000737:chemistry*; D055119:Elastic Modulus; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016018:Least-Squares Analysis; D011247:Pregnancy; D000071165:Trefoil Factor-3 / Q000032:analysis*; D014783:Viscosity; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000071165:Trefoil Factor-3
keywords: Cervical mucus plug; pregnancy; rheology; trefoil factor peptides 1-3; viscoelasticity