Author:
Olson DM,Smieja Z,Zakar T,MacLeod EA,Walton J,Milne K
Abstract
An increase in prostaglandin synthesis by intrauterine tissues may be responsible for labour initiation and/or maintenance in humans. In all studies to date, the amnion is the intrauterine tissue whose prostaglandin output consistently increases with the onset of labour. This may be due, in part, to acute activation of the phospholipases A2 and C and to an increase in the specific activity of prostaglandin H synthase (PGHS). A number of factors exist in amniotic fluid, the fetal membranes, the decidua and the placenta that can increase PGHS specific activity. Some of these factors may increase PGHS enzyme activity by gene expression and protein synthesis. Preliminary evidence is presented that suggests the hypothesis that PGHS specific activity increases before the onset of labour rather than as a consequence of labour initiation, and that idiopathic preterm labour may frequently be associated with increased PGHS activity. Hence, activation of PGHS gene expression and/or protein synthesis may be causal for term and preterm labour.
Subject
Developmental Biology,Endocrinology,Genetics,Molecular Biology,Animal Science and Zoology,Reproductive Medicine,Biotechnology
Cited by
19 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献