title: Expression of nerve growth factor and its receptors in the uterus of rabbits: functional involvement in prostaglandin synthesis.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to evaluate: (1) the presence of nerve growth factor (NGF), neurotrophic tyrosine kinase receptor 1 (NTRK1), and nerve growth factor receptor (NGFR) in the rabbit uterus; and (2) the in vitro effects of NGF on PGF2α and PGE2 synthesis and on the PGE2-9-ketoreductase (PGE2-9-K) activity by the rabbit uterus. Nerve growth factor, NTRK1, and NGFR were immunolocalized in the luminal and glandular epithelium and stroma cells of the endometrium. reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction indicated the presence of messenger RNA for NGF, NTRK1, and NGFR in the uterus. Nerve growth factor increased (P < 0.01) in vitro secretions of PGF2α and PGE2 but coincubation with either NTRK1 or oxide nitric synthase (NOS) inhibitors reduced (P < 0.01) PGF2α production and blocked (P < 0.01) PGE2 secretion. Prostaglandins releases were lower (P < 0.01) than control when uterine samples were treated with NGF plus cyclooxygenase inhibitor. However, addition of NGFR inhibitor reduced (P < 0.01) PGF2α secretion less efficiently than NTRK1 or NOS inhibitors but had no effect on PGE2 yield. Nerve growth factor increased (P < 0.01) the activity of PGE2-9-K, whereas coincubation with NTRK1 or NOS inhibitors abolished (P < 0.01) this increase in PGE2-9-K activity. However, cotreatment with either cyclooxygenase or NGFR inhibitors had no effect on PGE2-9-K activity. This is the first study to document the distribution of NGF/NTRK1 and NGFR systems and their effects on prostaglandin synthesis in the rabbit uterus. NGF/NTRK1 increases PGF2α and PGE2 productions by upregulating NOS and PGE2-9-K activities, whereas NGF/NGFR augments only PGF2α secretion, through an intracellular mechanism that is still unknown.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Perugia, 06216, Italy. Electronic address: margherita.maranesi@unipg.it.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maranesi
authors.affiliation: Scuola di Bioscienze e Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Camerino, Matelica (MC), 62024, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Parillo
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Perugia, 06216, Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Leonardi
authors.affiliation: Departamento Producción Animal, ETSI Agrónomos, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, Madrid, 28040, Spain.
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Rebollar
authors.affiliation: Departamento Producción Animal, ETSI Agrónomos, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, Madrid, 28040, Spain.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Alonso
authors.affiliation: Scuola di Bioscienze e Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Camerino, Matelica (MC), 62024, Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Petrucci
authors.affiliation: Scuola di Bioscienze e Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Camerino, Matelica (MC), 62024, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gobbetti
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Perugia, 06216, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Boiti
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, 60020-181, Brazil.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Arruda-Alencar
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, 60020-181, Brazil.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moura
authors.affiliation: Scuola di Bioscienze e Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Camerino, Matelica (MC), 62024, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zerani
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015237:Dinoprost / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006911:Hydroxyprostaglandin Dehydrogenases / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000494:pharmacology; D011453:Prostaglandins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D011817:Rabbits / Q000378:metabolism*; D020917:Receptor, trkA / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D014599:Uterus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D011453:Prostaglandins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor; D015237:Dinoprost; D006911:Hydroxyprostaglandin Dehydrogenases; C035858:prostaglandin-E2 9-reductase; D020917:Receptor, trkA
keywords: NGFR; NTRK1; PGE(2); PGF(2α); Rabbit; Uterus