title: Mechanical stretch regulates TRPC expression and calcium entry in human myometrial smooth muscle cells.
abstract: Stretch is known to stimulate myometrial hyperplasia and hypertrophy in early pregnancy and uterine contraction at term. We propose that transduction of the stretch signal involves alteration of intracellular calcium signalling, including changes in transient receptor potential canonical (TRPC) isoform expression. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of prolonged mechanical (tonic) stretch in vitro on human myometrial smooth muscle cell calcium signalling and TRPC expression. Cells were cultured from myometrial biopsies, obtained from women undergoing elective Caesarean section at term, grown on Flexiplates and subjected to 25% tonic mechanical stretch for 1, 4 and 14 h. Time-matched control cells were not stretched. Mechanical stretch (14 h) increased basal calcium entry and cyclopiazonic acid (CPA)-induced calcium/Mn(2+) entry (P < 0.05) in Fura-2 loaded cells. The calcium selectivity of CPA-thapsigarin induced inward currents, measured by patch clamp electrophysiology, was also increased in stretched cells compared with control cells (P < 0.05). Real time PCR and Western blot data demonstrated that TRPC3 and TRPC4 mRNA and TRPC3 protein expression were increased by stretch (P < 0.05), respectively. These data support the hypothesis that uterine stretch modulates uterine growth and contractility in pregnancy via alterations in calcium signalling.
authors.affiliation: Maternal and Fetal Research Unit, Division of Reproduction and Endocrinology, King's College London, St Thomas' Hospital Campus, London, UK.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dalrymple
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mahn
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Poston
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Songu-Mize
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Tribe
mesh_terms: D015153:Blotting, Western; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000187:drug effects; D000252:Calcium-Transporting ATPases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007211:Indoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D040542:Mechanotransduction, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D009215:Myometrium / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D011247:Pregnancy; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D050052:TRPC Cation Channels / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D019284:Thapsigargin / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors; D015854:Up-Regulation; D014590:Uterine Contraction
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D007211:Indoles; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D050052:TRPC Cation Channels; C104603:TRPC3 cation channel; C489571:TRPC4 ion channel; D019284:Thapsigargin; D000252:Calcium-Transporting ATPases; C000543:cyclopiazonic acid