title: Oxytocin and estrogen receptor expression in the myometrium of pregnant relaxin-deficient (Rlx-/-) mice.
abstract: Relaxin decreases oxytocin-stimulated rat myometrial contractions in vitro. This study used pregnant relaxin-deficient (Rlx-/-) mice to investigate the interaction between relaxin, oxytocin receptor (OTR), and estrogen receptor (ER) expression in the myometrium. Myometrial OTRs were significantly decreased on gestation day 18.5 in Rlx-/- mice than in Rlx+/+ mice. An increase in ERalpha in Rlx+/+ mice at term was correlated with a decrease in ERbeta, which was not observed in Rlx-/- mice. Treatment of Rlx-/- mice with relaxin had no effect on OTR, LGR7, or ERalpha expression, but it caused a significant decrease in ERbetas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia. asiebel@unimelb.edu.au
authors.forename: Andrew L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Siebel
authors.forename: Helen M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Gehring
authors.forename: Lenka
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vodstrcil
authors.forename: Laura J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Parry
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha / Q000235:genetics*; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009215:Myometrium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000235:genetics; D018045:Receptors, Oxytocin / Q000235:genetics*; D012065:Relaxin / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta; C478103:RXFP1 protein, mouse; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; D018045:Receptors, Oxytocin; D012065:Relaxin