| First Author | Damiani F | Year | 2017 |
| Journal | Mol Cell Endocrinol | Volume | 447 |
| Pages | 79-86 | PubMed ID | 28237720 |
| Mgi Jnum | J:248793 | Mgi Id | MGI:6095611 |
| Doi | 10.1016/j.mce.2017.02.034 | Citation | Damiani F, et al. (2017) 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 and pregnancy: Role in the timing of labour onset and in myometrial contraction. Mol Cell Endocrinol 447:79-86 |
| abstractText | Glucocorticoids play a primary role in the maturation of fetal organs and may contribute to the onset of labour. Glucocorticoid activity depends on the 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase family (11beta-HSDs), catalysing the interconversion between "active" cortisol into inactive cortisone. No definitive study exists on 11beta-HSD expression profile in human decidua and myometrium during pregnancy. We investigated the implications of 11beta-HSD1 in the regulation of uterine activity in pregnancy, examining its role on contraction of a myocyte cell line and murine 11beta-hsd1 levels in utero. Murine 11beta-hsd1 mRNA and protein levels in utero progressively increased until the last day of gestation and significantly decreased at the onset of labour (P < 0.0001) (n = 3 to 5 in the various gestational days analysed). Experiments on human myometrial samples confirm the significant fall in 11beta-hsd1 mRNA levels at labour, compared to end pregnancy samples (n = 5 to 8). In vitro experiments showed that human myometrial contraction is inhibited by using a non-selective inhibitor of 11beta-HSD1. The present study shows the temporal localisation of 11beta-HSD1 in uterus, highlighting its importance in the timing of gestation and suggesting its contribution in the myometrium contraction. |
