title: Uterine contractility is strongly influenced by steroids and glucose metabolism: an in vitro study on bovine myometrium.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Energetic substrates and hormonal phase are important for uterine contractions. Etomoxir a muscle carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 inhibitor, able to diverge uterine metabolic pathways towards glycolysis, facilitates glucose utilisation. The aim of this study was to evaluate its effect on uterine contractility in different hormonal situations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Uterine samples were collected from 60 cows during follicular phase, luteal phase and pregnancy. The cows were slaughtered at a local abattoir. Longitudinal strips were mounted vertically in a 30-ml organ bath connected to an isometric force transducer. Contractions were recorded with an ink-writing polygraph. After the equilibration period, etomoxir was added to the organ bath at different concentrations. The amplitude and frequency of contractions were registered before and after addition of etomoxir.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 17 strips from pregnant cows, etomoxir increased the amplitude (p < 0.05) of contractions but not the frequency in comparison with basal conditions. In 15 strips from cows in the luteal phase, etomoxir increased the amplitude (p < 0.05) and frequency of contractions (p < 0.05 at 5 μM and p < 0.01 at 8 and 10 μM). In 18 strips from cows in the follicular phase, etomoxir increased the frequency of contractions but not the amplitude (p < 0.01 at 5 μM and p < 0.05 at 8 and 10 μM).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study confirms the importance of glucose for uterine contractility and, moreover, it underlines different patterns of contraction with regard to the hormonal status.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rizzo
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Angioni
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Spedicato
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Minoia
authors.forename: Maddalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mutinati
authors.forename: Carmelinda
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Trisolini
authors.forename: Raffaele Luigi
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Sciorsci
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002334:Carnitine O-Palmitoyltransferase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D002417:Cattle; D004852:Epoxy Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005498:Follicular Phase; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008183:Luteal Phase; D011247:Pregnancy; D014590:Uterine Contraction / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D004852:Epoxy Compounds; D002334:Carnitine O-Palmitoyltransferase; D005947:Glucose; C054207:etomoxir