A hemoglobin fragment found in cervicovaginal fluid from women in labor potentiates the action of agents that promote contraction of smooth muscle cells

Peptides
Amy G BrownJerome F Strauss

Abstract

We employed a proteomic approach to search for peptides that have a physiological role in labor. Cervicovaginal secretions were collected at term from women in labor and women at term not in labor. Samples were spotted onto weak cation exchange chips (WCX-2) and analyzed using Surface-Enhanced Laser Desorption Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (SELDI-TOF-MS). Spectra were obtained for each sample and Biomarker Wizard analysis revealed 25 peaks that had significantly different peak intensity between the labor and non-laboring women. The sequences of five peaks that were significantly elevated in the labor cohort were determined using Protein Chip Interface Quadruple Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (PCI-QTOF-MS). All of these peaks were identified as fragments of alpha or beta-hemoglobin (Hb). A 2.022 kDa fragment of alpha-Hb (amino acids 110-128, NH2-AAHLPAEFTPAVHASLDKF-COOH) was found to potentiate smooth muscle cell contraction in response to bradykinin, oxytocin and prostaglandin-F2alpha. This peptide may promote vasoconstriction and augment normal labor through enhancing the action of uterotonins.

References

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Citations

Sep 19, 2008·Obstetrical & Gynecological Survey·Mariko SakataHiroshi Kobayashi
Feb 11, 2011·Journal of Peptide Science : an Official Publication of the European Peptide Society·Katia ConceiçãoMônica Lopes-Ferreira
Feb 3, 2011·American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology·Pooja MittalSonia S Hassan
Nov 17, 2017·Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics·Xaveer Van OstadeGeert Van Raemdonck
Jul 31, 2013·Journal of Perinatal Medicine·Piya ChaemsaithongTinnakorn Chaiworapongsa
Feb 23, 2021·Frontiers in Immunology·Erik HartmanArtur Schmidtchen

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