title: Expression of cyclooxygenase types 1 and 2 in human fetal membranes at term.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Our purpose was to compare the level of expression of both type 1 and type 2 cyclooxygenase genes before and after labor and to localize their expression within the fetal membranes.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sites of type 2 and type 1 cyclooxygenase messenger ribonucleic acid synthesis were identified with in situ hybridization. Expression of both types 1 and 2 cyclooxygenase was studied by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cyclooxygenase type 2 and type 1 expression was localized within the amniotic epithelium and amniotic mesoderm. Type 1 but not type 2 enzyme was also expressed in the chorionic mesoderm. Expression of the type 2 enzyme was significantly increased with the onset of labor. Type 1 enzyme expression did not significantly change with labor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is most likely that it is the inducible type 2 cyclooxygenase enzyme that mediates the increase in prostaglandin synthesis in amnion with the onset of labor.
authors.affiliation: Action Research Laboratory, University of London, Royal Postgraduate Medical School, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Slater
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Newton
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Bennett
mesh_terms: D000650:Amnion / Q000378:metabolism*; D001483:Base Sequence; D002823:Chorion / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D015335:Molecular Probes / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D012194:RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase
chemical_list: D015335:Molecular Probes; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases; D012194:RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase