title: Possible involvement of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase in decidual function in parturition.
abstract: We designed the present study to elucidate the molecular mechanism for parturition, focusing on p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38). The kinase activity of p38 in mouse uterus was gestation stage-dependent, and was markedly increased on day 19 of gestation and during labor. Immunohistochemical examination with anti-phospho p38 antibody revealed that activated p38 was predominantly localized in decidual stromal cells stained with anti-prolactin antibody. In human primary cultured decidual cells, a p38 inhibitor, SB202190, significantly inhibited both prostaglandin F(2alpha) production and COX-2 expression induced by stimulation with IL-1beta. These results suggest that the p38 signaling pathway is involved in decidual function at the late stage of gestation and may contribute to parturition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8670, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takanami-Ohnishi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Asada
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tsunoda
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fukamizu
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Goto
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yoshikawa
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kubo
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sudo
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kasuya
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D003656:Decidua / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000502:physiology*; D015237:Dinoprost / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007700:Kinetics; D007743:Labor, Obstetric / Q000502:physiology*; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011725:Pyridines / Q000494:pharmacology; D014599:Uterus / Q000201:enzymology; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
chemical_list: D007093:Imidazoles; D007527:Isoenzymes; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011725:Pyridines; D015237:Dinoprost; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C496540:PTGS2 protein, human; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; C090942:4-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-5-(4-pyridyl)imidazole