Expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase messenger RNA, but not guanylate cyclase messenger RNA, depends on gestational age in rat myometrium.
We studied the expression of inducible nitric oxide (NO) synthase (iNOS) and soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) mRNAs in pregnant rat myometrium. Expression of iNOS and sGC alpha1, beta1 and beta2 mRNA was analyzed in non-pregnant and pregnant (days 10, 14, 17 and 21) Wistar rats by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Expression of iNOS mRNA increased during pregnancy but decreased on day 21 of gestation. Expression of GC alpha1 mRNA was greater than GC beta1 mRNA at all time points. Expression of uterine GC alpha1 and GC beta1 mRNA did not change significantly during pregnancy and did not differ significantly from non-pregnant levels. The values of sGC beta2 mRNA were below the limit of detection. In conclusion, the expression of iNOS mRNA increased during pregnancy in the myometrium and decreased at term, while the expression of sGC mRNA was not affected by pregnancy. Thus, it is the changes in NO production, rather than changes in its target, that are responsible for uterine quiescence during pregnancy and initiation of labor.
Okawa
T
T
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan.
Asano
K
K
Takahashi
H
H
Hashimoto
S
S
Anbe
H
H
Sato
A
A
Vedernikov
Y P
YP
Saade
G R
GR
Garfield
R E
RE
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D005865:Gestational Age; D006162:Guanylate Cyclase; D009215:Myometrium / Q000201:enzymology*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000235:genetics*; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D011247:Pregnancy; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / Q000235:genetics*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012995:Solubility; D000071756:Soluble Guanylyl Cyclase
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; C496318:Nos2 protein, rat; D006162:Guanylate Cyclase; D000071756:Soluble Guanylyl Cyclase