Changes in expression of P2X1 receptors and connexin 43 in the rat myometrium during pregnancy

Localization of plasma membrane bound NTPDases in the murine reproductive tract

“…The biochemical results presented in this work with tissue homogenates showed high NTPDase1 expression levels in mouse female reproductive tract. This is consistent with the abundance of smooth musculature in these organs, especially in the oviducts and the uterus, where a purinergic signalling is well documented (Bardini et al 2000; Gillman and Pennefather 1998; Khanam and Burnstock 2007). A failure of the contractility of these organs, acting, among other functions, as a functionally united peristaltic pump, has been proposed as a cause of infertility (Zervomanolakis et al 2007).…”

“…Spermatogenesis involves differential P2X receptor subtype expression (Glass et al 2001) and exogenous ATP has been reported to improve human sperm motility (Edwards et al 2007). ATP also regulates transepithelial transport in oviductal epithelium (Keating and Quinlan 2008) while changes in the expression pattern of purinergic receptor were observed in the uterus during implantation (Slater et al 2002) and pregnancy (Khanam and Burnstock 2007; Slater et al 2000). It is noteworthy that enhanced plasma ATP levels with associated decreases in ecto-apyrase activity in tissue-samples were found in pregnant women experiencing preeclampsia (Bakker et al 2007), a leading cause of maternal and infant illness and death.…”

Purinergic signalling in the reproductive system in health and disease

“…Expression of Cx43 is upregulated in the later stages of pregnancy and peaks near parturition, perhaps playing a role in the synchronised and coordinated uterine contractions at parturition. It was suggested that the high levels of ATP released from uterine cells during childbirth may act on P2X1 receptors in gap junctions to inhibit expression of Cx43, thereby reducing gap junctions and coordinated contractions in the post-partum uterus, when P2X1 receptor expression peaks [199]. Enhanced expression of P2X4 and P2X7 receptors has been observed in the myometrium of pregnant rats in preterm delivery models, which could be related to uterine contraction leading to term and preterm delivery [406].…”

Purinergic Signalling in the Reproductive System

“…In the rat, P2X 1 receptor expression is low throughout pregnancy (days 4 to 20), but it increases significantly at day 22 (postpartum day 1) (Khanam and Burnstock, 2007). Expression of P2X 4 and P2X 7 receptors in the myometrium increases during the late stages of pregnancy (Urabe et al, 2009).…”