Endothelin receptor type A and B gene expression in human nonpregnant, term pregnant, and preeclamptic uterus

• Published in: American journal of obstetrics and gynecology 1996-11, Vol.175 (5), p.1295-1300
• Main Authors: Wolff, Kerstin, Faxén, Margaretha, Lunell, Nils-Olov, Nisell, Henry, Lindblom, Bo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Diseases of mother, fetus and pregnancy; Endothelin; endothelin receptors; Female; Gene Expression; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; human; Humans; Medical sciences; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Middle Aged; Pre-Eclampsia - metabolism; preeclampsia; Pregnancy - metabolism; Pregnancy. Fetus. Placenta; Receptor, Endothelin A; Receptor, Endothelin B; Receptors, Endothelin - genetics; RNA, Messenger - analysis; uterus
• ISSN: 0002-9378; 1097-6868
• DOI: 10.1016/S0002-9378(96)70044-3

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to quantify the gene expression of ET A and ET B receptors within the different uterine segments of nonpregnant, normal pregnant, and preeclamptic women. STUDY DESIGN: Biopsy samples from the cervix, isthmus, and corpus uteri were obtained from eight nonpregnant, nine term pregnant, and seven preeclamptic women. The concentration of ET A and ET B receptor messenger ribonucleic acid were determined by a solution hybridization technique with complementary ribonucleic acid probes. Results are presented in counts per minute per microgram of total nucleic acid as mean ± SEM. RESULTS: The expression of messenger ribonucleic acid encoding the ET A receptor was generally higher in the upper than in the lower uterine segment in nonpregnant, normal pregnant, and preeclamptic myometrium, whereas the opposite pattern was seen with regard to ET B . During normal pregnancy the concentrations of ET A receptor messenger ribonucleic acid in the corpus and ET B receptor messenger ribonucleic acid in the isthmus were significantly elevated compared with those in nonpregnant women. This enhanced gene expression was, however, not observed in the preeclamptic group. CONCLUSION: Our finding of segmentally differentiated endothelin receptor gene expression is compatible with a role for endothelin-1 in stimulating uterine contractions through ET A receptors during spontaneous labor and suggests a relaxing effect of the ET B receptor on the myometrium. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 1996;175:1295-300.)