Glycosaminoglycan distribution in the rat uterine cervix during the estrous cycle

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the amount of glycosaminoglycans in the uterine cervix during each phase of the rat estrous cycle. DESIGN: Based on vaginal smears, forty female, regularly cycling rats were divided into four groups (n = 10 for each group): GI - proestrous, GII - estrous, GIII - metaestrous and GIV - diestrous. Animals were sacrificed at each phase of the cycle, and the cervix was immediately removed and submitted to biochemical extraction and determination of sulfated glycosaminoglycans and hyaluronic acid. The results were analyzed by ANOVA followed by the Bonferroni post-hoc test. RESULTS: The uterine cervix had the highest amount of total sulfated glycosaminoglycans and dermatan sulfate during the estrous phase (8.90 ± 0.55 mg/g of cetonic extract, p<0.001; and 8.86 ± 0.57 mg/g of cetonic extract, p<0.001). In addition, there was more heparan sulfate at the cervix during the proestrous phase (0.185 ± 0.03 mg/g of cetonic extract) than during any other phase (p<0.001). There were no significant changes in the concentration of hyaluronic acid in the uterine cervix during the estrous cycle. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that the amount of total sulfated glycosaminoglycans may be influenced by hormonal fluctuations related to the estrous cycle, with dermatan sulfate and heparan sulfate being the glycosaminoglycans most sensitive to hormonal change.

Chlamydia trachomatis Antibody in Fitz-Hugh-Curtis Syndrome / 대한진단검사의학회지

BACKGROUND: Fitz-Hugh-Curtis (FHC) syndrome is inflammation of the liver capsule associated with pelvic inflammatory disease. We measured Chlamydia trachomatis antibodies in 30 female patients with acute abdominal pain for diagnosis of FHC-syndrome, and the results were compared with other tests. METHODS: A dual-polymerase chain reaction was used for the detection of C. trachomatis in the cervix, and a micro-immunofluorescence test was performed to measure the antibody to C. trachomatis in serum. Cervical specimens were stained with Gram stain and cultured on chocolate agar for detection of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and abdominal computed tomography (CT) and pelvic examinations were performed. RESULTS: Of the 30 patients examined, 19 were diagnosed as having FHC-syndromes and 11 abdominal pains without FHC-syndrome. C. trachomatis was detected from one of the five patients studied, and no N. gonorrhoeae was isolated from the patients with FHC-syndrome. High titers of IgG antibody (1:512-1:1,024) to C. trachomatis were demonstrated in all patients with FHC-syndrome. The CT scan revealed perihepatitis in 14 patients with FHC-syndrome. CONCLUSIONS: All patients with FHC-syndrome are associated with C. trachomatis infections, and a high titer of C. trachomatis antibody (IgG) is a very useful marker for FHC-syndrome.

Surface activity, lipid profiles and their implications in cervical cancer.

BACKGROUND: The profiles of lipids in normal and cancerous tissues may differ revealing information about cancer development and progression. Lipids being surface active, changes in lipid profiles can manifest as altered surface activity profiles. Langmuir monolayers offer a convenient model for evaluating surface activity of biological membranes. AIMS: The aims of this study were to quantify phospholipids and their effects on surface activity of normal and cancerous human cervical tissues as well as to evaluate the role of phosphatidylcholine (PC) and sphingomyelin (SM) in cervical cancer using Langmuir monolayers. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Lipid quantification was done using thin layer chromatography and phosphorus assay. Surface activity was evaluated using Langmuir monolayers. Monolayers were formed on the surface of deionized water by spreading tissue organic phase corresponding to 1 mg of tissue and studying their surface pressure-area isotherms at body temperature. The PC and SM contents of cancerous human cervical tissues were higher than those of the normal human cervical tissues. Role of PC and SM were evaluated by adding varying amounts of these lipids to normal cervical pooled organic phase. Statistical analysis: Student's t-test (p < 0.05) and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used. RESULTS: Our results reveals that the phosphatidylglycerol level in cancerous cervical tissue was nearly five folds higher than that in normal cervical tissue. Also PC and sphingomyelin SM were found to be the major phospholipid components in cancerous and normal cervical tissues respectively. The addition of either 1.5 microg DPPC or 0.5 microg SM /mg of tissue to the normal organic phase changed its surface activity profile to that of the cancerous tissues. Statistically significant surface activity parameters showed that PC and SM have remarkable roles in shifting the normal cervical lipophilic surface activity towards that of cancerous lipophilic component. CONCLUSION: The Langmuir monolayer technique was sensitive to detect changes in tensiometric profiles of cervical cancers and these could be modulated by alterations in phosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin levels. Therapeutic strategies may be designed to modulate these tensiometric profiles and lipid constituents of cancerous tissues.

Immunoreactivity with S100 protein as an indicator of pregnancy.

The usefulness as a pregnancy marker, of immunoreactivity with S100 protein antiserum in endometrial curettings and fallopian tubes during pregnancy was assessed. Twenty six placental tissues of various gestational age, two hydatidiform moles and four fallopian tubes removed for ectopic pregnancy were stained with S100 protein polyclonal antiserum by immunoperoxidase technique. Strong immunostaining was found in glands within the decidua and epithelial cells of fallopian tubes during early pregnancy. However, no S100 protein could be demonstrated in the endometrium in various phases, endometrial carcinomas, decidual glands beyond 12 wk of gestation and normal fallopian tubes. The results indicate a relationship between S100 protein and early pregnancy. Positive immunoreactivity with S100 protein antiserum in the decidual glands and fallopian tube epithelium may help in confirmation of doubtful cases of pregnancy.