Regulatory effect of aminopeptidase inhibitor (bestatin) on the cervix during induction of ripening by interleukin-8.
Bestatin is an immunomodulatory peptide that stimulates the humoral and cell-mediated immune system. It also has an inhibitory effect on multiple aminopeptidases. Recently we found that aminopeptidase N inactivates interleukin-8 in vitro. Bestatin successfully suppresses the effect of aminopeptidase N on interleukin-8. During cervical maturation many biochemical changes occur including decrease in collagen concentration and increase in collagenase and elastase activities. Interleukin-8, which has a potent neutrophil chemotactic effect, was found to induce cervical ripening in rabbits. The combination of interleukin-8 with bestatin also induced cervical ripening by providing approximately regular levels of neutrophil numbers, collagenase, and elastase activities. We therefore suggest that this regulatory mechanism also takes place in vivo through the inhibitory effect of bestatin on aminopeptidase N.
el Maradny
E
E
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Japan.
Kanayama
N
N
Halim
A
A
Maehara
K
K
Sumimoto
K
K
Terao
T
T
D000818:Animals; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D003094:Collagen / Q000032:analysis; D017364:Collagenases / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007930:Leucine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D019272:Leukocyte Elastase; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000502:physiology; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D011817:Rabbits
D016209:Interleukin-8; D003094:Collagen; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase; D019272:Leukocyte Elastase; D017364:Collagenases; D007930:Leucine; C012211:ubenimex