title: Hypoxia regulates vascular endothelial growth factor and soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 secretion by human oviductal epithelial cells and stromal fibroblasts.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of hypoxia on the production of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1) in the human fallopian tube.
  
  
  METHODS
  The secretion of VEGF and sFlt-1 by cultured oviductal epithelial cells (OECs) and oviductal stromal fibroblasts (OSFs) in response to hypoxia was investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Research laboratory at a medical school.
  
  
  METHODS
  Normal oviducts obtained from seven premenopausal patients were used.
  
  
  METHODS
  Oviductal epithelial cells and OSFs were incubated under normoxic (20% O2) or hypoxic (2% O2) conditions.
  
  
  METHODS
  The concentrations of VEGF and sFlt-1 in the culture media of OECs and OSFs were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The secretion of both VEGF and sFlt-1 was detected in cultured OECs and OSFs and was found to have been stimulated under hypoxic conditions in these cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present findings suggest that hypoxia in the local environment may stimulate oviductal vascular permeability by inducing the production of VEGF by oviductal cells. Simultaneous up-regulation of sFlt-1 secretion by these cells under hypoxic conditions may prevent excessive up-regulation of vascular permeability. The modulation of the bias of VEGF and sFlt-1 in the fallopian tubes may contribute to the normal and pathological processes of oviductal fluid secretion by regulating oviductal vascular permeability during the menstrual cycle.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, Oita, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Itoh
authors.forename: Kaei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nasu
authors.forename: Harunobu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawano
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yoshimatsu
authors.forename: Hisashi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Narahara
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015687:Cell Hypoxia / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D005187:Fallopian Tubes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts; D006801:Humans; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism*; D017697:Premenopause / Q000378:metabolism*; D012995:Solubility; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1 / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C501162:FLT1 protein, human; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1; D010100:Oxygen