DNA analysis for phospholipase A2 coding sequences of Mycoplasma hominis isolated from women with a normal pregnancy and women with a pregnancy complicated by preterm labour

A possible cause of preterm labour is an increased synthesis of prostaglandins by a phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activity. PLA2 activity has been detected in Mycoplasma hominis. The aim of this study was to test whether chromosomal DNA of M. hominis contains sequences coding for PLA2. M. hominis was cultured in specimens from 5 women with normal pregnancy and 4 in preterm labour. Using sequence alignment, primer pairs for the active part of PLA2 of different species were designed for PCR analysis. No sequences coding for PLA2 could be amplified. Whatever its role in preterm labour, M. hominis is not involved in causing an increase of prostaglandin synthesis.