The antagonistic effect of oxytocin and relaxin on rat uterine segment contractility

Goldsmith, Laura T.; Skurnick, Joan; Wojtczuk, Andrea; Linden, Martin J.; Kuhar, Mary Jeanne; Weiss, Gerson

doi:10.1016/0002-9378(89)90942-3

Cited by 17 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…Its biological actions in caus¬ ing cervical ripening, promoting growth of interpubic ligaments and inhibiting uterine contractility in certain species are well established (Steinetz et al 1983;Kemp & Niall, 1984;Downing & Sherwood, 1985;Goldsmith et al 1989). There is considerable variation between species, however, in the amino acid sequence of relaxin, the timing of relaxin syn¬ thesis and secretion, and its possible range of physio¬ logical actions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

The mouse relaxin gene: nucleotide sequence and expression

Evans

John

Fowler

et al. 1993

Journal of Molecular Endocrinology

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Relaxin is a polypeptide hormone that has a variety of physiological effects both on remodelling of collagen and on uterine contractility. These are most apparent during pregnancy. The sequences of relaxin cDNAs derived from ovaries of late-pregnant random-bred Swiss mice have been established. Multiple subclones obtained from three independent polymerase chain reaction experiments were found to encode relaxins which were identical except at position 11 in the A chain (Ile or Val). All mouse relaxin cDNAs expressed in the ovary during pregnancy had an extra tyrosine inserted prior to the final A chain cysteine residue, a result confirmed by direct sequencing of relaxin peptides. Whilst this tyrosine insertion must have local effects on the folding of the A chain, structure-activity studies will clarify whether it perturbs functional interaction with the relaxin receptor. We have shown that there is a single relaxin gene in the mouse genome, and that expression during pregnancy occurs in the ovary but is not detectable in the placenta, uterus or fetus.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

The mouse relaxin gene: nucleotide sequence and expression

Evans

John

Fowler

et al. 1993

Journal of Molecular Endocrinology

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“…However, it also requires the withdrawal of mechanisms that maintain uterine quiescence, including inhibitors of CAPs. The ovarian peptide hormone relaxin is thought to act as an inhibitor of spontaneous myometrial contractions during pregnancy [3,4]. In vitro studies show that porcine relaxin inhibits contractile activity in the nonpregnant (NP) and pregnant rat until midpregnancy, but that the myometrium is completely refractory to the inhibitory effect of relaxin by Gestational Day (GD) 19 [5,6].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Decreased Expression of the Rat Myometrial Relaxin Receptor (RXFP1) in Late Pregnancy Is Partially Mediated by the Presence of the Conceptus1

Vodstrcil

Shynlova

Verlander

et al. 2010

Biology of Reproduction

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The actions of relaxin are mediated by relaxin family peptide receptor 1 (Rxfp1). In pregnant mice, myometrial Rxfp1 expression decreases at term, coinciding with the highest level of circulating relaxin. This down-regulation in Rxfp1 in reproductive tissues has not been investigated in other pregnant animals, nor are the regulatory mechanisms known. In the present study, we examined Rxfp1 gene and protein expression in the nonpregnant, pregnant, and postpartum rat uterus. The potential effects of local conceptus-derived factors on Rxfp1 expression were then examined in unilaterally pregnant rats. Immunoreactive RXFP1 was predominantly detected in the circular smooth muscle layer in the myometrium and in the decidualized endometrium. Rxfp1 was expressed in the rat myometrium from early to midgestation at levels similar to those in nonpregnant rat myometrium, with a significant reduction in expression at both the transcriptional and translational levels during late gestation. In unilaterally pregnant rats, myometrial Rxfp1 was higher in the nongravid compared to the gravid uterine horn, demonstrating a local negative influence of the fetal-placental unit on Rxfp1 expression. In summary, the down-regulation in myometrial Rxfp1 expression at the end of gestation in the rat is partially mediated by the fetal-placental unit and is indicative of a functional withdrawal of relaxin. This may represent a novel mechanism for the activation of spontaneous uterine contractions at labor in this species.

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“…The methods used in this study were similar to those described in previously published protocols [11][12][13][14][15]. Experimental animals were maintained at the animal care facility at New Jersey Medical School; their treatment followed guidelines approved by the American Association for Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Immature, female Long Evans rats, 22 days of age, were treated with subcutaneous injections of either 1 Ìg estradiol benzoate (Sigma Chemical, St. Louis, Mo., USA) in 0.2 ml sesame oil or 0.2 ml sesame oil as a vehicle control for 3 days. The timing and doses of estradiol benzoate administration followed well-established protocols used previously in our laboratory to study the effects of relaxin and various steroid and peptide hormones on uterine contractility [11][12][13][14][15]. The animals were killed by cervical dislocation on day 4.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Endothelin Stimulation of Rat Uterine Segment Contractility Is Estrogen-Dependent

Gittens¹,

Wojtczuk²,

Weiss³

et al. 1998

Gynecol Obstet Invest

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To determine whether the effect of endothelin upon in vitro uterine contractility requires estrogen, immature female Long Evans rats were subcutaneously injected daily for 3 days with either estradiol benzoate or vehicle. The uterine contractile response to endothelin (5 or 100 nM) was measured. A response to endothelin in vehicle-treated animals exposed to physiologic (5.6 mM) or high (70.6 mM) potassium levels was also noted. Vehicle-treated uteri did not respond to endothelin; the contractions in estrogen-treated uteri increased by 288%. With high potassium, and without estrogen, no response to endothelin was seen. These data indicate that the contractile effect of endothelin on the uterus requires estrogen.

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The antagonistic effect of oxytocin and relaxin on rat uterine segment contractility

Cited by 17 publications

References 9 publications

The mouse relaxin gene: nucleotide sequence and expression

The mouse relaxin gene: nucleotide sequence and expression

Decreased Expression of the Rat Myometrial Relaxin Receptor (RXFP1) in Late Pregnancy Is Partially Mediated by the Presence of the Conceptus1

Endothelin Stimulation of Rat Uterine Segment Contractility Is Estrogen-Dependent

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