Mechanical stretch activates type 2 cyclooxygenase via activator protein‐1 transcription factor in human myometrial cells

The uterus is subject to stretch throughout pregnancy, which, in the presence of progesterone, is a potent stimulus for uterine growth. However, in the absence of progesterone or when stretch is excessive, as in multiple pregnancy, it may provoke the onset of labour. We have investigated the effect...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Molecular human reproduction 2004-02, Vol.10 (2), p.109-113
Main Authors: Sooranna, S.R., Lee, Y., Kim, L.U., Mohan, A.R., Bennett, P.R., Johnson, M.R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Biological and medical sciences
Cells, Cultured
Cyclooxygenase 2
Dinoprost - metabolism
Dinoprostone - metabolism
Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay
Embryology: invertebrates and vertebrates. Teratology
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
Epoprostenol - metabolism
Female
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic
Humans
Isoenzymes - biosynthesis
Isoenzymes - genetics
Key words: cyclooxygenase‐2/labour/myometrium/pregnancy/stretch
Membrane Proteins
Middle Aged
Myocytes, Smooth Muscle - enzymology
Myocytes, Smooth Muscle - metabolism
Myometrium - cytology
Myometrium - enzymology
NF-kappa B - metabolism
Pregnancy
Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases - biosynthesis
Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases - genetics
Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
RNA, Messenger - biosynthesis
Stress, Mechanical
Transcription Factor AP-1 - metabolism
Uterine Contraction - metabolism
Citations: Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The uterus is subject to stretch throughout pregnancy, which, in the presence of progesterone, is a potent stimulus for uterine growth. However, in the absence of progesterone or when stretch is excessive, as in multiple pregnancy, it may provoke the onset of labour. We have investigated the effect of stretch on prostaglandin synthesis in primary human uterine myocytes [non‐pregnant (NP), pregnant not in labour (NL) and pregnant in labour (L)]. The cells were grown on flexible bottom culture plates and subjected to 1 or 6 h static stretch. Expression of type 2 cyclooxygenase (COX‐2) mRNA was similar in samples obtained from NP and L groups and both were significantly greater than those found in the NL group. Stretch of cells from all groups resulted in increased COX‐2 mRNA expression. In further studies carried out on cells taken from the NL group, 6 h of stretch resulted in increased COX‐2 protein levels and, in the media, increases in prostaglandin (PG) I2 metabolite and PGE2 concentrations and a reduction in the concentration of PGF2α metabolites. After stretch, EMSA studies showed increased activator protein‐1 (AP‐1) nuclear protein DNA binding activity but not of nuclear factor κB. These data demonstrate that stretch of human myocytes results in increased COX‐2 activity and suggest that this may occur through activation of the AP‐1 system.
ISSN:1360-9947
1460-2407
1460-2407
DOI:10.1093/molehr/gah021