Expression of IFN-epsilon in the Female Reproductive Tract

Objectives: 1. To optimize measurement protocols for IFNε and related biomarkers in samples from the female reproductive tract. 2. To quantify and characterize IFNε expression in the upper and lower genital tract and blood in normally cycling women during the follicular and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle. Study design: This is a single site, parallel cross-sectional study Specific Aims: The aim of this study is to determine which "IFNε -related assays" can be performed on different types of FRT samples. The possible "IFNε-related assays" are: * IFNε messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) levels by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT PCR) (requiring frozen tissue processed for RNA) * IFN Regulated Gene expression by qRT PCR, microarray or targeted gene set using Fluidigm platform (frozen tissue) * PR and ER gene expression (as above) * IFNε tissue protein levels\* (by immunoassay) and progesterone and estrogen receptors (PR/ER) by Western blotting (frozen tissue) * IFNε and Neopterin (a well characterized compound whose production can be stimulated by IFNs and whose specificity in this setting needs validation) or other IFNε-biomarkers\*\* by immunoassay in cervicovaginal lavage (CVL) fluids * Immunohistochemistry of IFNε, PR/ER, + other (e.g. cells, cytokines) (fixed tissue) * Studies of FRT samples from wild type and IFNε-/- mice would be used to first validate Neopterin as a "biomarker" of IFNε activity in the FRT; and microarray analyses may reveal other secreted proteins that may be used as "biomarkers" of IFNε activity.