A decline in myometrial nitric oxide synthase expression is associated with labor and delivery.

Bansal, R.K.; Goldsmith, Portia; He, Ying; Zaloudek, Charles; Ecker, Josef; Riemer, R. Kirk

doi:10.1172/jci119434

Cited by 91 publications

(68 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…However, we and others have shown that in mice, humans, and rats, NOS-2 is appropriately positioned in both spatial and temporal terms to have a major influence on pregnancy (11,20,21). Biosynthesis of NO is clearly critical; when NOS inhibitors are administered to pregnant rats, the result is severe maternal hypertension and fetal growth restriction, symptoms resembling pre-eclampsia in humans (22).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

Nitric Oxide Synthase-2 and Expression of Perforin in Uterine NK Cells

Burnett

Hunt

2000

The Journal of Immunology

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In human, mouse, and rat pregnancy, maternal NK cells accumulate and differentiate at implantation sites. These cells, termed uterine NK (uNK) cells, express NO synthase (NOS)-2 and develop cytolytic molecules such as perforin and granzymes during differentiation in situ. In this study, relationships between expression of the NOS-2 gene, uNK cell population density and tissue distribution, and synthesis of perforin were investigated. Uteri from wild-type (WT) and NOS-2−/− mice were collected at gestation days (g.d.) 8, 10, 12, 14, and 16 (n, >2/g.d.). Histochemical staining failed to reveal any differences between the population densities or tissue distributions of uNK cells in WT and NOS-2−/− uteri at any stage of gestation. By contrast, immunohistochemical staining with anti-perforin Abs demonstrated significantly fewer perforin-positive uNK cells in two uterine compartments of NOS-2−/− mice in comparison to the same compartments in WT mouse uteri. Perforin-positive uNK cells were reduced in NOS-2−/− metrial glands at g.d. 8, 10, and 12 and in decidua basalis at g.d. 12 (p < 0.05). Analysis of perforin protein by immunoblotting confirmed this observation. Northern blot hybridization studies showed that loss of perforin protein in NOS-2−/− mice was accompanied by decreased steady-state levels of perforin mRNA. These results demonstrate that migration of uNK cells into the uterus, selection of residency sites, and proliferation in situ are independent of NOS-2. By contrast, their differentiation, including transcription and translation of the cytotoxic molecule perforin, was shown to rely on normal expression of the NOS-2 gene.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

Nitric Oxide Synthase-2 and Expression of Perforin in Uterine NK Cells

Burnett

Hunt

2000

The Journal of Immunology

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“…NO have many important biological functions; the best known is the regulation of vascular tone [29]. The ability of exogenous NO to promote uterine relaxation is well documented.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The ability of exogenous NO to promote uterine relaxation is well documented. NO donors have been shown to cause uterine relaxation, and to inhibit contractions in vivo in humans [29]. NO is considered to be an important local mediator that suppresses uterine contractility in rats and rabbits during pregnancy until term [30].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Arginase Activity and Lecithin/Sphingomyelin (L/S) Ratio in the Amniotic Fluid of Pregnant Women

et al. 2013

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Arginase activity is important in polyamines and nitric oxide production which are required for the normal growth of placenta and embryo. A considerable arginase activity is observed in amniotic fluid in women at the end of pregnancy. Lecithin to sphingomyelin (L/S) ratio is widely used in order to assess fetal lung immaturity and prevention of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome, the major cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. The purpose of our study was to determine if there is a relationship between arginase activity and L/S ratio in amniotic fluid. The study included 170 pregnant women, 18-43 years old, with normal and pathological pregnancy. The arginase activity was measured on the basis of the determination of the amount of liberated ornithine from arginine as substrate. The L/S ratio was done by using a thin layer chromatography. Increased level of arginase activity correlates with the fetal lung maturity. Arginase activity and L/S values may be useful biochemical data, for intrauterine baby maturity.

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“…Several studies suggest that there may be an interaction between NO and PG pathways in regulating the NOS and COX expression and this interaction may play a critical role in the control of cervical ripening and parturition (25,30). In addition, it has been shown that during pregnancy in both the rat and human, the endometrium expresses the enzyme iNOS, which produces nitric oxide, a smooth muscle relaxant (4,19).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The changes of Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase, Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase and Cyclooxygenase-2 mRNA expressions in intrauterine tissues of pregnant rats

YAR¹

2012

Ankara Üniversitesi Veteriner Fakültesi Dergisi

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Summary: Prostaglandins (PGs) are produced by the intrauterine tissues of pregnancy and play important role in all of the physiological processes of parturition. PGs are synthesized from arachidonic acid by the action of cyclooxygenase (COX). Nitric oxide (NO) is a potent smooth muscle relaxant and is considered to be an important local mediator that suppresses uterine contractility. There may be an interaction between the NO and PG pathways in regulating the nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and COX expression and this interaction may play a critical role in the control of cervical ripening and parturition. The purpose of this study is to examine the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), inducible NOS (iNOS) and endothelial NOS (eNOS) mRNA levels during gestation, parturition, and postpartum in pregnant rat uterus. Forty-two pregnant Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into 7 groups. Both uterine horns were removed and the pups and placentas were discarded. Complementary DNA (cDNA) was synthesized after isolation of total RNA from the tissues. The relative expression of iNOS, eNOS and COX-2 genes were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (QRT-PCR). The mRNA level of iNOS was increased during gestation; highest level in parturition and then it decreased at postpartum. The eNOS mRNA level was generally low during gestation in all groups and was significantly increased at postpartum. The COX-2 mRNA levels decreased as the pregnancy progressed to term with the highest level occurring on day 21 and the lovest levels during the postpartum period. In conclusion, there may be an interaction between the NO and PG pathways in cervical ripening and parturition. These results may show that mRNA levels of eNOS, iNOS and COX-2 genes may be effective cervical ripening during pregnancy and parturition.Key words: cyclooxygenase-2, gestation, intrauterine tissue, nitric oxide synthase, parturition. Gebe ratların rahim içi dokularında Uyarılabilir Nitrik Oksit Sentaz, Endotelyal Nitrik Oksit Sentaz ve Siklooksijenaz-2 mRNA ekspresyon değişiklikleriÖzet: Prostaglandinler (PG) gebelikte rahim içi dokularda üretilirler ve doğum sırasındaki tüm fizyolojik süreçlerde önemli rol oynarlar. PG'ler araşidonik asitten siklooksijenaz (COX) enziminin aktivitesi ile sentezlenirler. Nitrik oksit (NO) güçlü bir düz kas gevşetici ve uterus kasılmasını baskılayan önemli bir bölgesel ara bulucu olarak kabul edilir. Nitrik oksit sentaz (NOS) ve COX ifadelenmesinin düzenlenmesinde NO ve PG yolakları arasında bir etkileşim olabilir ve bu etkileşim servikal olgunlaşma ve doğumun kontrolünde kritik bir rol oynayabilir. Bu çalışmanın amacı, hamile rat uterusunda gebelikte, doğum sırasında ve doğum sonrasında siklooksijenaz-2 (COX-2), uyarılabilir NOS (iNOS) ve endotelyal NOS (eNOS) mRNA düzeylerini incelemektir. Kırk iki hamile Sprague Dawley rat rastgele olarak 7 gruba ayrıldı. Her iki uterin boynuzu ve yavrular ve plasenta çıkarıldı. Tamamlayıcı DNA (cDNA) dokulardan total RNA izole edildikten sonra sentezlendi. iNOS, eNOS v...

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A decline in myometrial nitric oxide synthase expression is associated with labor and delivery.

Cited by 91 publications

References 38 publications

Nitric Oxide Synthase-2 and Expression of Perforin in Uterine NK Cells

Nitric Oxide Synthase-2 and Expression of Perforin in Uterine NK Cells

Arginase Activity and Lecithin/Sphingomyelin (L/S) Ratio in the Amniotic Fluid of Pregnant Women

The changes of Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase, Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase and Cyclooxygenase-2 mRNA expressions in intrauterine tissues of pregnant rats

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