title: Expression and Regulation of Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide in Rat Placental Cells.
abstract: Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) was first identified as a hypophysiotropic factor that regulates pituitary cell functions and has been subsequently shown to be widely distributed and have multiple functions. The PACAP is known to be expressed in placental tissues and is suggested to have a critical role in physiological function of the placenta. In addition to PACAP, the hypothalamic peptides kisspeptin and gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) are also expressed in placental cells. In this study, we used primary cultures of placental tissues from rats of 16 to 18 days gestation and examined the regulation and function of PACAP. The PACAP messenger RNA (mRNA) expression and PACAP-immunoreactive cells were detected in primary cultures of rat placental cells. The PACAP mRNA expression in placental cells was upregulated in the presence of the sex steroids estradiol and progesterone; however, their combined treatment failed to enhance their individual effects. When the cells were stimulated with kisspeptin, PACAP mRNA expression was increased. Similarly, GnRH had a stimulatory effect on PACAP expression. Conversely, kisspeptin expression in placental cells was increased by PACAP stimulation, whereas PACAP failed to stimulate GnRH mRNA expression in these cells. Finally, we found that PACAP had a stimulatory effect on human chorionic gonadotropin expression in placental cells. Our current observations suggest that the hypothalamic peptides PACAP, kisspeptin, and GnRH are interrelated and maintain placental functions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Shimane University, Shimane, Japan.
authors.forename: Aki
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oride
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Shimane University, Shimane, Japan kanasaki@med.shimane-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Haruhiko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kanasaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Shimane University, Shimane, Japan.
authors.forename: Tselmeg
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mijiddorj
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Shimane University, Shimane, Japan.
authors.forename: Unurjargal
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Sukhbaatar
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Animals, Interdisciplinary Center for Science Research, Organization for Research, Shimane University, Shimane, Japan.
authors.forename: Takaya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Shimane University, Shimane, Japan.
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kyo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000378:metabolism; D004958:Estradiol; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism; D059648:Kisspeptins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism; D051219:Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism*; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D061251:Primary Cell Culture; D011374:Progesterone; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; C491406:Kiss1 protein, rat; D059648:Kisspeptins; D051219:Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol
keywords: GnRH; PACAP; kisspeptin