Oxytocin in the circadian timing of birth.
BACKGROUND
The molecular components determining the timing for birth remain an incompletely characterized aspect of reproduction, with important conceptual and therapeutic ramifications for management of preterm, post-term and arrested labor.


RESULTS
To test the hypothesis that oxytocin mediates circadian regulation of birth, we evaluated parturition timing following shifts in light cycles in oxytocin (OT)-deficient mice. We find that, in contrast to wild type mice that do not shift the timing of birth following a 6-h advance or delay in the light cycle, OT-deficient mice delivered at random times of day. Moreover, shifts in the light-dark cycle of gravid wild type mice have little impact on the pattern of circadian oxytocin release.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results demonstrate oxytocin plays a critical role in minimizing labor disruption due to circadian clock resetting.
Roizen
Jeffrey
J
Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
Luedke
Christina E
CE
Herzog
Erik D
ED
Muglia
Louis J
LJ
D000818:Animals; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D008027:Light; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012098:Reproduction / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D013997:Time Factors
D010121:Oxytocin