ABSENCE OF PHOSPHOLIPASE-A2 ACTIVITY IN GENITAL MYCOPLASMA-HOMINIS

The clinical relevance of vaginal colonization with Mycoplasma hominis (M hominis) as a cause of prematurity is doubtful. One of the possibl e pathways which could explain the role of M hominis in the induction of preterm labour is an increased synthesis of prostaglandins by a pho spholipase A2 activity. The aim of this study was to prove whether M h ominis secrets proteins with a PLA2 activity and to test whether there are strain differences in the enzyme activity between M hominis isola ted from women with normal pregnancy and those with preterm labour. Us ing specific radio-immunoassay we could not measure any PLA2 activity in the supernatant of all investigated M hominis strains. We exclude t he mechanism of induction of preterm labour by M hominis via an increa sed prostaglandin synthesis. Our findings make a relation between vagi nal colonization with M hominis and prematurity unlikely.