Distribution of endothelin-converting enzyme-1 and neutral endopeptidase in human endometrium.
The expression of endothelin-1 (ET-1), which has been proposed to have a potential autocrine/paracrine role, varies during the menstrual cycle, and therefore, ET-1 may be involved in the cyclic change of the human endometrium. However, neither the synthesis nor the degradation of ET-1 in the endometrium has been determined in detail. We investigated endothelin-converting enzyme-1 (ECE-1), which converts big-ET-1 to active ET-1, and neutral endopeptidase (NEP), which cleaves and inactivates ET-1 in human endometrium in vivo and in vitro. Western blot analysis demonstrated that the change in the expression of ECE-1 during the menstrual cycle differed from that of NEP in the endometrium. ECE-1 was expressed by endometrial epithelial cells, whereas NEP was predominantly expressed by stromal cells in vivo and in vitro. In conclusion, our results suggest that spacio-temporal expression of two endopeptidases, ECE-1 and NEP, involved in the synthesis and degradation of ET-1, might regulate ET-1 action in human endometrium.
Iwase
Akira
A
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan. akiwase@med.nagoya-u.ac.jp
Ando
Hisao
H
Nagasaka
Tetsuro
T
Goto
Maki
M
Harata
Toko
T
Kikkawa
Fumitaka
F
D016282:Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases / Q000378:metabolism*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology*; D000072396:Endothelin-Converting Enzymes; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000201:enzymology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008597:Menstrual Cycle; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases / Q000378:metabolism*; D015260:Neprilysin / Q000378:metabolism*; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000201:enzymology
D016282:Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases; D015260:Neprilysin; C000606923:ECE1 protein, human; D000072396:Endothelin-Converting Enzymes