Heme oxygenase and nitric oxide synthase in the placenta of the guinea-pig during gestation

Nitric oxide (NO) and carbon monoxide (CO) are novel gaseous chemical messengers that play key roles in cell function and cell-cell communication in many organ systems, including the cardiovascular system. Although the presence of NO synthase (NOS) in the placenta and its role in the regulation of f...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Placenta (Eastbourne) 1998-09, Vol.19 (7), p.509-516
Main Authors: Odrcich, M.J., Graham, C.H., Kimura, K.A., McLaughlin, B.E., Marks, G.S., Nakatsu, K., Brien, J.F.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Animals
Biological and medical sciences
Body Weight - physiology
Carbon Monoxide - analysis
Chorionic Villi - enzymology
Chromatography, Gas
Embryology: invertebrates and vertebrates. Teratology
Female
Fetal membranes
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
General aspects. Development. Fetal membranes
Gestational Age
Guinea Pigs
Heme - chemistry
Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing) - metabolism
Heme Oxygenase-1
Humans
Immunoenzyme Techniques
Isoenzymes - metabolism
Membrane Proteins
Microsomes - enzymology
Nitric Oxide Synthase - metabolism
Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III
Placenta - blood supply
Placenta - enzymology
Pregnancy
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Summary:Nitric oxide (NO) and carbon monoxide (CO) are novel gaseous chemical messengers that play key roles in cell function and cell-cell communication in many organ systems, including the cardiovascular system. Although the presence of NO synthase (NOS) in the placenta and its role in the regulation of fetoplacental and uteroplacental blood flow are well established, little is known about placental expression and activity of heme oxygenase (HO), the enzyme that catalyses the oxidation of heme to CO, biliverdin and iron, during gestation. The objectives of this study were to elucidate the localization of HO-1 and HO-2 isoforms relative to NOS III protein, and to determine the enzymatic activity of HO in the placenta of the guinea-pig during gestation. Placentae were obtained from pregnant guinea-pigs at gestational day (GD) 34, 50, 62 and full term (term, about GD 68). Immunohistochemical localization of HO-1, HO-2 and NOS III protein was conducted using selective polyclonal antibodies. HO activity was determined by using a gas chromatographic method to measure the rate of formation of CO from heme. Faint staining for HO-1 was observed in the adventitial layer of larger fetal blood vessels of the placenta at GD 34. The intensity of this staining was higher at GD 50 and GD 62, and decreased at full term. Similar areas in serial sections of placentae obtained at these selected times during gestation exhibited lower staining intensity when incubated with anti-HO-2 antiserum. Placental HO activity was significantly increased ( P
ISSN:0143-4004
1532-3102
DOI:10.1016/S0143-4004(98)91044-X