Transcriptome and proteome dynamics of cervical remodeling in the mouse during pregnancy

The transcriptomic patterns that drive cervical softening and ripening in early mid- and late pregnancy were identified in this study. Further we sought to evaluate protein turnover rates with a focus on ECM proteins. In early pregnancy there is a shift in immune cell and epithelial cell responses at the transcriptional level and an overall slowing down of protein turnover rates. By mid pregnancy transcriptomic patterns indicate there is an increase in extracellular matrix reorganization and by late pregnancy the transcriptional patterns of early and mid-pregnancy begin to reverse. Protein turnover rates for fibrillar collagen are high in the nonpregnant and pregnant cervix and thus allow for the rapid replacement of mature collagen with poorly crosslinked collagen through pregnancy. Overall design: RNAseq libraries and proteomic analysis of heavy water labeled proteins was performed using mouse cervices from gestation days 6, 12, 15,18 and nonpregnant.