Cyclic Changes in the Level of the Innate Immune Molecule, Surfactant Protein-A, and Cytokines in Vaginal Fluid

Problem Our knowledge of the innate host defenses in the vagina, a site where these defenses are essential to protecting the host upper reproductive tract from invasion by pathogens, is as yet rudimentary. Specifically, little is known about the pattern‐recognition component of vaginal innate immuni...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of reproductive immunology (1989) 2012-09, Vol.68 (3), p.244-250
Main Authors: MacNeill, Colin, de Guzman, Glendell, Sousa, Grace E., Umstead, Todd M., Phelps, David S., Floros, Joanna, Ahn, Kwangmi, Weisz, Judith
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Body Fluids - chemistry
Body Fluids - immunology
Cytokines
Female
Female hormonal cycle
Hormones
Humans
Immunity
Immunity, Innate
Interleukin 1
Interleukin 8
Interleukin-1beta - biosynthesis
Interleukin-1beta - immunology
Interleukin-1beta - metabolism
Interleukin-8 - biosynthesis
Interleukin-8 - immunology
Interleukin-8 - metabolism
Menstrual cycle
Menstrual Cycle - immunology
mucosal innate immunity
Ovulation
Pathogens
pattern recognition
Periodicity
Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein A - biosynthesis
Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein A - immunology
Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein A - metabolism
Reproductive system
Surfactants
Vagina
Vagina - chemistry
Vagina - immunology
vaginal host defense
vaginal mucosa
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Summary:Problem Our knowledge of the innate host defenses in the vagina, a site where these defenses are essential to protecting the host upper reproductive tract from invasion by pathogens, is as yet rudimentary. Specifically, little is known about the pattern‐recognition component of vaginal innate immunity, the relationship of pattern‐recognition molecules to known cytokine levels, and the role of gonadal hormones in their regulation. Method of study We measured levels of Surfactant Protein‐A (SP‐A), a prototypic innate pattern‐recognition protein, in vaginal fluid (VF) and correlated them with levels of IL‐1β and IL‐8, two cytokines known to be present in VF. Assays were carried out on VF collected over three consecutive cycles from ten healthy naturally cycling women who were sampled at three specific time points in the menstrual cycle. The three time points were chosen to enable correlation with distinct hormonal states. Results Both SP‐A and cytokines levels were highest 5–6 days after menses (P 
ISSN:1046-7408
1600-0897
DOI:10.1111/j.1600-0897.2012.01155.x