Effects of gestational age and labor on the expression of prostanoid receptor genes in pregnant baboon cervix.
We sought to determine whether expression of genes encoding prostaglandin receptors varied with advancing gestational age and in association with the onset of spontaneous labor in the cervix of pregnant baboons. We performed cesarean hysterectomy on 14 pregnant baboons, five during spontaneous labor. Expression of genes was quantified by Northern analysis. Clear signals which were similar in estimated size to the human genes were detected by Northern analysis for the genes encoding the EP1, EP2, EP3, EP4, FP, IP and TP receptors. Expression of the gene encoding the prostanoid EP1 receptor increased with advancing gestational age prior to labor (r2 = 0.8, P = 0.007). There was a 4 fold lower level of expression of the EP2 receptor gene among animals in labor compared with animals not in labor (P = 0.006) and approximately 2-fold lower levels of expression of the FP and TP receptor genes (P < 0.0001 and P = 0.0002, respectively). We conclude that variation in the relative expression of prostanoid receptor types and sub-types may have a role in cervical dilatation in primate parturition.
Smith
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GC
Department of Physiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
Wu
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WX
Nathanielsz
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PW
D000199:Actins / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000737:chemistry*; D021983:Cyclophilins / Q000235:genetics; D015342:DNA Probes; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D005865:Gestational Age; D005987:Glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenases / Q000235:genetics; D007743:Labor, Obstetric / Q000502:physiology*; D010215:Papio; D011247:Pregnancy; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D018055:Receptors, Eicosanoid / Q000235:genetics*; D044006:Receptors, Epoprostenol; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D011982:Receptors, Prostaglandin / Q000235:genetics; D018078:Receptors, Prostaglandin E / Q000235:genetics; D017482:Receptors, Thromboxane / Q000235:genetics
D000199:Actins; D015342:DNA Probes; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018055:Receptors, Eicosanoid; D044006:Receptors, Epoprostenol; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D011982:Receptors, Prostaglandin; D018078:Receptors, Prostaglandin E; D017482:Receptors, Thromboxane; C034671:prostaglandin F2alpha receptor; D005987:Glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenases; D021983:Cyclophilins; C036293:prostaglandin D2 receptor