title: An autocrine/paracrine role of human decidual relaxin. I. Interstitial collagenase (matrix metalloproteinase-1) and tissue plasminogen activator.
abstract: Decidual and placental relaxins have been proposed as autocrine/ paracrine hormones in the remodeling of collagen in the amnion and chorion in the last weeks of pregnancy. The matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) is a key enzyme in the degradation of the interstitial collagens which predominate in the fetal membranes. Distribution of the MMP-1 gene and of the MMP-1 protein was shown by in situ hybridization and immunolocalization, respectively, in amnion, chorion, and decidua collected from patients before the onset of spontaneous labor. The distribution of MMP-1 in the chorionic cytotrophoblast and decidua coincided with that of the human relaxin receptor, detected by tissue section autoradiography in tissues collected at the same stage of pregnancy. Fetal membrane explants were used to study the effect of exogenous human relaxin H2. These responded by a dose-dependent increase in expression of the MMP-1 gene, in its secreted protein, and in its enzyme activity in the medium. A similar dose-dependent increase in the tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) gene and protein upon exposure of the explants to relaxin H2 suggested a coordinated cascade system, resulting in increases in secreted activities of MMP-1, MMP-3 (stromelysin), and MMP-9 (gelatinase B). There was no effect on the genes or proteins for MMP-2 (gelatinase A) or tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1), showing the specificity of the response. This coordinated regulation by relaxin H2 of tPA, MMP-1, MMP-3, and MMP-9 would result in more complete degradation of the fetal membrane extracellular matrix components.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Reproductive Biology, University of Hawaii, Honolulu 96822, USA.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Garibay-Tupas
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Chua
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cachola
authors.forename: G D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Bryant-Greenwood
mesh_terms: D000650:Amnion / Q000201:enzymology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002585:Cesarean Section; D002823:Chorion / Q000201:enzymology; D017364:Collagenases / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D003656:Decidua / Q000201:enzymology*; D005321:Extraembryonic Membranes / Q000201:enzymology*; D005260:Female; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D020781:Matrix Metalloproteinase 1; D019278:Matrix Metalloproteinase 3 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9; D011247:Pregnancy; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; D018000:Receptors, Peptide / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D012065:Relaxin / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000502:physiology*; D019714:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects; D014327:Trophoblasts / Q000201:enzymology
chemical_list: D006023:Glycoproteins; C095068:RLN2 protein, human; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; D018000:Receptors, Peptide; D019714:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases; C033395:relaxin receptors; D012065:Relaxin; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator; D017364:Collagenases; D019278:Matrix Metalloproteinase 3; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9; D020781:Matrix Metalloproteinase 1