title: Calcineurin/NFAT pathway: a novel regulator of parturition.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The oxytocin (OT)-oxytocin receptor (OTR) system plays an important role in mammalian parturition. However, we found OTR-deficient (OTRKO) mice are fertile and deliver at term without birth defects, thus alternative pathways inducing parturition can be hypothesized.
  
  
  METHODS
  We tested the gene expression profile of OTRKO mice using suppressive subtractive hybridization, and focused on the calcineurin/nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) pathway. We examined the expression and localization of this pathway in mouse parturition.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Calcineurin and NFATc1 were detected in the decidua of pregnant uteri at term using immunohistochemistry (IHC). We identified higher activation levels of NFATc1 in wild type (WT) than in OTRKO mice and increased calcineurin A and NFATc1 mRNA levels during pregnancy. Moreover, injection of FK506, the inhibitor of this pathway, prolonged the delivery of the first pup.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggested that the calcineurin/NFAT pathway might play a substantial role in initiation of labor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka 5650871, Japan.
authors.forename: Chisa
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tabata
authors.forename: Kazuhide
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ogita
authors.forename: Keisuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Hitomi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Zhang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Qing
authors.forename: Hidenori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Negoro
authors.forename: Keiichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kumasawa
authors.forename: Kumiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Temma-Asano
authors.forename: Tateki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsutsui
authors.forename: Katsuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nishimori
authors.forename: Tadashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kimura
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019703:Calcineurin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D003656:Decidua / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D050778:NFATC Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000276:immunology; D036801:Parturition / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018045:Receptors, Oxytocin / Q000235:genetics; D015398:Signal Transduction; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000494:pharmacology; D014599:Uterus / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D050778:NFATC Transcription Factors; C494005:Nfatc1 protein, mouse; D018045:Receptors, Oxytocin; D010121:Oxytocin; D019703:Calcineurin; D016559:Tacrolimus