title: A role of stretch-activated potassium currents in the regulation of uterine smooth muscle contraction.
abstract: Rates of premature birth are alarming and threaten societies and healthcare systems worldwide. Premature labor results in premature birth in over 50% of cases. Preterm birth accounts for three-quarters of infant morbidity and mortality. Children that survive birth before 34 weeks gestation often face life-long disability. Current treatments for preterm labor are wanting. No treatment has been found to be generally effective and none are systematically evaluated beyond 48 h. New approaches to the treatment of preterm labor are desperately needed. Recent studies from our laboratory suggest that the uterine muscle is a unique compartment with regulation of uterine relaxation unlike that of other smooth muscles. Here we discuss recent evidence that the mechanically activated 2-pore potassium channel, TREK-1, may contribute to contraction-relaxation signaling in uterine smooth muscle and that TREK-1 gene variants associated with human labor and preterm labor may lead to a better understanding of preterm labor and its possible prevention.
authors.affiliation: Myometrial Research Laboratory, University of Nevada School of Medicine, Reno, Nevada 89557-0573, USA. ibuxton@medicine.nevada.edu
authors.forename: Iain L O
authors.initials: IL
authors.lastname: Buxton
authors.forename: Nathanael
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Heyman
authors.forename: Yi-ying
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barnett
authors.forename: Craig
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ulrich
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007743:Labor, Obstetric / Q000378:metabolism*; D009126:Muscle Relaxation / Q000502:physiology*; D009215:Myometrium / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D024683:Potassium Channels, Tandem Pore Domain / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D014590:Uterine Contraction / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C503432:KCNK4 protein, human; D015221:Potassium Channels; D024683:Potassium Channels, Tandem Pore Domain; C103742:potassium channel protein TREK-1; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; D009569:Nitric Oxide