Limvarapuss C, Kanayama N, Terao T
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Japan.
Asia Oceania J Obstet Gynaecol. 1992 Jun;18(2):147-53. doi: 10.1111/j.1447-0756.1992.tb00315.x.
Elastase activity of 294 samples of endocervical mucus taken from 125 normal pregnant women during the visits to antenatal clinic were measured. Activity of the enzyme increased gradually with the advance of gestational age. Steep rising of the enzyme was seen between 34-35 weeks of gestation and the peak was achieved at 37 week since then the enzyme activity sustained at relatively high level until deliveries. Average activity of the enzyme after 34 weeks of gestation showed significant difference over that of earlier period. To use delivery date as a referent point, the peak was reached in the last fourth week of pregnancies and then sustained until deliveries. Significantly higher average activity was also seen in these last 4 weeks of gestation. These correlated very well to the fact that cervical maturation progresses most rapidly during last month of pregnancy. Immunohistochemical staining for elastase demonstrated elastase-containing granules in polymorphonuclear leukocytes. These cells found in cervical tissue taken from immediately postpartal women were much more than in those of early pregnant women. These findings may be the evidences support roles of granulocyte elastase in the process of cervical maturation preceding spontaneous labors in normal pregnancies.
对125名正常孕妇在产前检查时采集的294份宫颈黏液样本的弹性蛋白酶活性进行了测定。随着孕周的增加，该酶的活性逐渐升高。在妊娠34 - 35周之间酶活性急剧上升，在37周时达到峰值，此后酶活性维持在相对较高水平直至分娩。妊娠34周后该酶的平均活性与早期相比有显著差异。以分娩日期为参照点，在妊娠最后四周达到峰值，然后维持到分娩。在妊娠最后这4周也观察到平均活性显著更高。这些与妊娠最后一个月宫颈成熟进展最快这一事实密切相关。弹性蛋白酶的免疫组化染色显示多形核白细胞中含有弹性蛋白酶的颗粒。在产后即刻妇女的宫颈组织中发现的这些细胞比早期孕妇的要多得多。这些发现可能支持粒细胞弹性蛋白酶在正常妊娠自发分娩前宫颈成熟过程中起作用的证据。
