Increased expression of nitric oxide synthase in the myometrium of the pregnant rat uterus

Riemer, R. Kirk; Buscher, C.; Bansal, Ruby; Black, Stephen M.; He, Yue; Natuzzi, Eileen

doi:10.1152/ajpendo.1997.272.6.e1008

Cited by 32 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…It has been reported that high levels of NO production in the myometrium during mid-gestation play a role in maintaining pregnancy by inhibiting uterine smooth muscle constriction, 16,17) and the findings of present study correlate well with these reports. In addition, the present study indicates that the decidua is a major region of uterine NO production.…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 91%

Changes in Nitric Oxide Production Levels and Expression of Nitric Oxide Synthase Isoforms in the Rat Uterus during Pregnancy

Suzuki

Mori

Yoshikawa

et al. 2009

Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 91%

Changes in Nitric Oxide Production Levels and Expression of Nitric Oxide Synthase Isoforms in the Rat Uterus during Pregnancy

Suzuki

Mori

Yoshikawa

et al. 2009

Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry

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“…At a time when mRNA for the contractionassociated proteins was increasing, mRNA for iNOS decreased significantly. This pattern has been noted previously for iNOS protein in human (5) and rat (2,39). However, the current data are the first to temporally match the changes in iNOS with the other factors associated with uterine activation.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

Intraperitoneal infusion of proinflammatory cytokines does not cause activation of the rat uterus during late gestation

Mitchell¹,

Zavan²,

Wong³

et al. 2005

American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism

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Increased concentrations of IL-1beta and TNF-alpha have been associated with parturition. However, the role of these cytokines is unknown. Before parturition, the uterus undergoes a process of activation, during which there are significant changes in expression of genes associated with increased uterine contractility, including the receptors for oxytocin (OT) and prostaglandin (PG)F(2alpha) (FP), PGH(2) synthase isoform 2 (PGHS2), the gap junction protein connexin-43 (Cx-43), and the inducible isoform of nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). To determine whether IL-1beta or TNF-alpha was part of the causal mechanism for increased uterine contractions, we placed osmotic pumps infusing IL-1beta or TNF-alpha into the peritoneal cavity of late pregnant rats (gestation day 19) and measured the effects on uterine contractility and on the uterine concentrations of mRNA for the contraction-associated genes 24 h later. Maternal serum concentrations of IL-1beta and TNF-alpha were increased significantly. By day 21, the control animals had significant increases (P < or = 0.05) in mRNA for OT, FP, PGHS2, and Cx-43, a decrease (P < or = 0.05) in iNOS, and an increase (P < or = 0.05) in uterine sensitivity and responsiveness to OT. Infusion of IL-1beta or TNF-alpha had no effect on uterine contractility or on expression of the activation-associated genes. We conclude that intraperitoneal infusion of IL-1beta or TNF-alpha resulting in significantly increased maternal serum cytokine levels does not cause uterine activation. The role of proinflammatory cytokines in the mechanism of parturition remains unclear.

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“…All three isoforms of NOS have been identified alone or in combination in the uterus of many species [1][2][3][4][5][6]. In general, at least one NOS isoform has been found in endometrial stroma, endometrial glands, decidua, decidual macrophages, vascular endothelial cells, and myometrial smooth muscle cells.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nonpregnant Sheep Uterine Type I and Type III Nitric Oxide Synthase Expression Is Differentially Regulated by Estrogen1

Zhang

Massmann

Mirabile

et al. 1999

Biology of Reproduction

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The aim of this study was to characterize the effect of estrogen on the expression of neuronal and endothelial isoforms of nitric oxide (NO) synthase (NOS) in myometrium, endometrium, and caruncle (nonglandular endometrium) in nonpregnant sheep. Twenty sheep were castrated during synchronized estrus (Days 14-16) and 4 days after surgery treated i.v. through the jugular with 100 microg/day of estradiol-17beta for 5 (n = 6) or 8 (n = 6) days or with vehicle (n = 8). Nitric oxide synthase mRNA was measured by ribonuclease protection assay, and NOS protein mass was measured by Western immunoblotting. Data were analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey's test. The three distinct uterine compartments studied contained the mRNA and protein for the neuronal (type I NOS) and the endothelial (type III NOS) isoforms of NOS. However, no inducible NOS was detected. Estrogen exhibited a differential effect on NOS expression in a tissue compartment- and NOS isoform-specific manner. In myometrium and caruncles, but not in endometrium, type I NOS mRNA and protein mass increased significantly (p < 0.05) after 5 or 8 days of estrogen. In contrast, type III NOS increased significantly in myometrium only after 8 days, whereas in endometrium and caruncles the increase was significant in the 5-day treatment group (p < 0.05). We conclude that the expression of type I NOS and type III NOS in the uterus are differentially regulated by estrogen. This differential regulation suggests that the NO produced within the uterus serves more than one physiological role. In myometrium it may be a uterorelaxant and regulate glucose utilization, and in endometrium and myometrium it may regulate blood flow.

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Increased expression of nitric oxide synthase in the myometrium of the pregnant rat uterus

Cited by 32 publications

References 2 publications

Changes in Nitric Oxide Production Levels and Expression of Nitric Oxide Synthase Isoforms in the Rat Uterus during Pregnancy

Changes in Nitric Oxide Production Levels and Expression of Nitric Oxide Synthase Isoforms in the Rat Uterus during Pregnancy

Intraperitoneal infusion of proinflammatory cytokines does not cause activation of the rat uterus during late gestation

Nonpregnant Sheep Uterine Type I and Type III Nitric Oxide Synthase Expression Is Differentially Regulated by Estrogen1

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