Relaxin Physiology in the Female Reproductive Tract during Pregnancy

Parry, Laura J.; Vodstrcil, Lenka A

doi:10.1007/978-0-387-74672-2_4

Cited by 41 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 93 publications

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“…The current review will focus on three members of the VEGF family (VEGFA, VEGFC, VEGFD) and their receptors, and the ANG-TIE signalling system. Although not addressed in this review, the importance of other regulators, including (but not limited to) fibroblast growth factor, thrombospondin, relaxin, adrenomedullin, the prostaglandins, the prokineticins and the matrix metalloproteinases, cannot be overstated (see Nikitenko et al 2000, Jabbour et al 2006, Maldonado-Perez et al 2007, Parry & Vodstrcil 2007, Chennazhi & Nayak 2009) and references therein for additional information). Considerable effort is still required to understand the complex interactions between these regulators in endometrial vascular remodelling.…”

Section: Regulation Of Endometrial Vascular Remodellingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Regulation of endometrial vascular remodelling: role of the vascular endothelial growth factor family and the angiopoietin–TIE signalling system

Girling¹,

Rogers²

2009

Reproduction

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Angiogenesis, lymphangiogenesis and vascular maturation occur on a regular, physiological basis in human endometrium. These processes form part of a continuum of vascular remodelling involving numerous regulatory factors. Key factors include vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)A, VEGFC and VEGFD, and their associated receptors VEGFR1, VEGFR2 and VEGFR3. A second group of vascular regulatory proteins belongs to the angiopoietin (ANG)-TIE system. Although members of the VEGF family and the ANG-TIE system are represented in the endometrium, our understanding of how these different molecules interact to regulate remodelling of the blood and lymphatic vasculature present in the endometrium is still limited. A review of the current information is provided.

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Section: Regulation Of Endometrial Vascular Remodellingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Regulation of endometrial vascular remodelling: role of the vascular endothelial growth factor family and the angiopoietin–TIE signalling system

Girling¹,

Rogers²

2009

Reproduction

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“…(11,12) Relaxin genes are over-expressed in preterm rupture of fetal membranes (13) and change with the remodelling of the extracellular matrix prior to parturition. (14) However RLX expression during pregnancy to women with a history of RPL has not been studied.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Serum relaxin levels are reduced in pregnant women with a history of recurrent miscarriage, and correlate with maternal uterine artery Doppler indices in first trimester

Anumba

Gelany

Elliott

et al. 2009

European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductiv

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CondensationSerum relaxin levels are reduced in pregnant women with a history of recurrent miscarriage, and correlate with maternal uterine artery Doppler indices in first trimester. 3 ABSTRACTObjectives: Defective implantation is a mechanism for recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). We sought to determine whether the serum expression of human relaxin 2 (RLX) is impaired in women with a history of RPL.Study Design: Employing a prospective case-controlled design we studied 20 pregnant women with a history of RPL and 20 age-matched women with no history of RPL (NRPL). We measured serum relaxin 2 levels by ELISA at 6-8, 10-12, 20, 34 wks gestation and in cord blood, and maternal uterine artery Doppler resistance index (RI) at ≥ 10 wks gestation.Results: Relaxin rose to a peak at 12 wks, and gradually declined towards term. At all gestations, women with a history of RPL had lower RLX levels than women without. At 10-12 wks uterine artery, uterine artery RI correlated with serum RLX for both RPL and NRPL and the presence of a notched waveform in the NRPL group was associated with higher RLX levels than the absence of a notch (mean 2.1 vs.1.3ng/ml, P < 0.05 respectively), and also at 20 wks (2.1 vs. 0.95 ng/ml, P < 0.05 respectively), but did not differ in the RPL group. Umbilical venous RLX was 4-fold higher in the RPL group than the NRPL group. Conclusion.Women with a history of RPL demonstrate attenuated levels of serum RLX across all pregnancy trimesters. How dysregulated RLX metabolism may contribute to adverse pregnancy outcome in RPL requires further investigation.

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“…What is the role of this first trimester relaxin? In addition to effects on the implanting embryo itself (see above), the uterus appears to be a major relaxin target, with RXFP1 relaxin-receptors expressed on uterine epithelial cells, on endometrial stromal cells, as well as in the myometrium Parry and Vodstrcil, 2007;Heng et al, 2008). Within the endometrium, the stromal cells appear to be the principal endocrine drivers dictating both the epithelial response as well as uterine remodeling essential for placentation (Ramathal et al, 2010).…”

Section: Relaxin and The Endometrium In Early Pregnancymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The role of these peptide hormones in later pregnancy, in lactation and in male reproductive function have been recently covered in other reviews (e.g. Bathgate et al, 2006;Parry and Vodstrcil, 2007;Ivell et al, 2011) and will not be further discussed here.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Regulation of the reproductive cycle and early pregnancy by relaxin family peptides

Anand‐Ivell¹,

Ivell²

2014

Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology

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a b s t r a c tThe relaxin family of peptide hormones are structurally closely related to one another sharing a heterodimeric A-B structure, like that of insulin. They may also be active as unprocessed B-C-A pro-forms. Relaxin has been shown to pay a key role within the ovary, being involved in follicle growth, and ovulation. Relaxin is produced in large amounts also by the corpus luteum where it acts as an endocrine hormone positively affecting implantation, placentation and vascularization during the all-important first trimester phase of pregnancy establishment. Relaxin exerts its functions via the receptor RXFP1. Insulin-like peptide 3 (INSL3) in contrast acts through the related receptor RXFP2, and plays an essential role in the production of androgens within growing antral follicles. INSL3 is also produced in large amounts by the male fetus shortly after sex determination, where it controls the first transabdominal phase of testicular descent. However, this fetal INSL3 is also able to influence placental and maternal physiology, indicating associations with later preeclampsia and/or fetal growth restriction. Other members of this relaxin-like family of peptides, such as INSL4, INSL5 and INSL6 are less well studied, though all suggest modulatory roles in ovarian and/or placental function.

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Relaxin Physiology in the Female Reproductive Tract during Pregnancy

Cited by 41 publications

References 93 publications

Regulation of endometrial vascular remodelling: role of the vascular endothelial growth factor family and the angiopoietin–TIE signalling system

Regulation of endometrial vascular remodelling: role of the vascular endothelial growth factor family and the angiopoietin–TIE signalling system

Serum relaxin levels are reduced in pregnant women with a history of recurrent miscarriage, and correlate with maternal uterine artery Doppler indices in first trimester

Regulation of the reproductive cycle and early pregnancy by relaxin family peptides

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