The Non-pregnant and Pregnant Human Cervix: a Systematic Proteomic Analysis

The study utilized a systematic proteomic approach to understand which soluble ECM and cellular proteins exist in the different regions of the human cervix and how the proteomic profiles change from the non-pregnant (NP) to the pregnant (PG) state. The human cervix proteome with at least 4548 proteins was identified and the differential proteome patterns between the NP and PG human cervix were established. The proteins involved with elastic fiber formation and ECM organization/degradation were significantly increased while proteins involved in RNA polymerase I/promoter opening, DNA methylation, senescence, immune system, and compliment activation were decreased in the pregant (PG) vs non-pregnant (NP) cervix.