Mol. Hum. Reprod. Advance Access originally published online on February 15, 2006
Molecular Human Reproduction 2006 12(1):19-24; doi:10.1093/molehr/gah248
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Examining the spatio-temporal expression of mRNA encoding the membrane-bound progesterone receptor-alpha isoform in human cervix and myometrium during pregnancy and labour
1School of Surgical and Reproductive Sciences (Obstetrics and Gynaecology), University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Framlington Place, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and 2Academic Unit of Reproductive and Developmental Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Tree Root Walk, Sheffield, UK
3 To whom correspondence should be addressed at: Academic Unit of Reproductive and Developmental Medicine, Level 4, The Jessop Wing, Central Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Tree Root Walk, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S10 2SF UK. E-mail: n.r.chapman{at}sheffield.ac.uk
Human parturition is associated with a modification in the sensitivity of the myometrium to progesterone. The molecular basis for this change, however, remains unclear. It is well documented that progesterone can exert its effects through non-genomic mechanisms, including acting through membrane-bound progesterone receptors (mPRs). Recently, a novel membrane-bound PR, termed mPR
, was cloned. mPR was unlike any other PR in the databases, but it was seen to have significant homology to G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCR). In this study, we examined the spatio-temporal expression of mPR mRNA in human cervix and both lower and upper myometrial segments from non-pregnant (NP), pregnant (P) and spontaneously labouring (SL) women. We observed an incremental increase in mPR mRNA expression in NP and P samples with the peak level being observed in SL tissues. No major differences were observed between upper or lower pregnant myometrial regions. Interestingly, levels of mPR transcripts were substantially greater in labouring lower segment myometrium compared with labouring upper segment. Significantly, we failed to detect mPR message in either unripe or ripe human cervices. These data suggest that mPR protein function may play a role in regulating lower segment myometrial activity during labour. Whether it functions in the cervix, however, remains unclear.
Key words: cervix/labour/myometrium/preterm/progesterone
* The authors contributed equally to this work.
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