Serum concentrations of TFF3, S100-A11 and AIF-1 in association with systemic inflammatory response, disease stage and nodal involvement in endometrial cancer

To compare preoperative intestinal trefoil factor 3 (TFF3), allograft inflammatory factor-1 (AIF-1) and calgizzarin (S100-A11) serum levels in patients with endometrial cancer, endometrial hyperplasia and in healthy female controls. Serum levels of TFF3, S100- A11 and AIP-1 were analyzed in 98 consecutive patients with histologically verified endometrial cancer, in 43 patients with endometrial hyperplasia diagnosed during hysteroscopy and 24 controls with benign disease. Results were correlated with urinary neopterin/creatinine ratio, serum kynurenine, tryptophan, retinol, alpha-tocopherol, vitamin D, citrulline, C-reactive protein, interleukin-6 and clinical characteristics. S100-A11, and AIF-1 levels were higher in endometrial hyperplasia patients than in controls, and also significantly higher in endometrial cancer than in patients with endometrial hyperplasia. Serum concentrations of TFF3 and S100-A11 were associated with tumor stage and lymph node status. TFF3 exhibited positive correlation with age, IL-6, vitamin D, kynurenine, urinary neopterin/creatinine ratio and kynurenine/tryptophan ratio. S100-A11, as well as AIF-1 correlated positively with Il-6 and TFF3. TFF3, S100-A11 and AIF-1 represent potential biomarkers in patients with endometrial cancer. TFF3 and S100-A11 increase with tumor stage and lymph node involvement, reflecting higher tumor mass that is also associated with increased concentration of biomarkers of immune dysfunction

Proteome Mapping of Cervical Mucus and Its Potential as a Source of Biomarkers in Female Tract Disorders

Cervical mucus (CM) is a viscous fluid that is produced by the cervical glands and functions as a uterine cervix plug. Its viscosity decreases during ovulation, providing a window for non-invasive sampling. This study focuses on proteomic characterization of CM to evaluate its potential as a non-invasively acquired source of biomarkers and in understanding of molecular (patho)physiology of the female genital tract. The first objective of this work was to optimize experimental workflow for CM processing and the second was to assess differences in the proteomic composition of CM during natural ovulatory cycles obtained from intrauterine insemination (IUI) cycles and in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles with controlled ovarian hyperstimulation. Proteomic analysis of CM samples revealed 4370 proteins involved in processes including neutrophil degranulation, cellular stress responses, and hemostasis. Differential expression analysis revealed 199 proteins enriched in IUI samples and 422 enriched in IVF. The proteins enriched in IUI were involved in phosphatidic acid synthesis, responses to external stimulus, and neutrophil degranulation, while those enriched in IVF samples were linked to neutrophil degranulation, formation of a cornified envelope and hemostasis. Subsequent analyses clarified the protein composition of the CM and how it is altered by hormonal stimulation of the uterus