Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow Full Text Freely available
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (3)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Adolfsson, P. I.
Right arrow Articles by Svensson, S. P.S.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Adolfsson, P. I.
Right arrow Articles by Svensson, S. P.S.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Molecular Human Reproduction, Vol. 6, No. 9, 835-842, September 2000
© 2000 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology

Uterine physiology

Changes in ß2-adrenoceptor expression and in adenylyl cyclase and phosphodiesterase activity in human uterine leiomyomas

Per I. Adolfsson1,4, Ingrid Haug2, Göran Berg3 and Samuel P.S. Svensson1

1 Division of Pharmacology, Department of Medicine and Care, 2 Division of Cell Biology, Department of Biology and Surgery and 3 Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Health and Environment, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University, SE-581 85 Linköping, Sweden

Abstract

Uterine leiomyoma is a very common benign tumour with unclear pathophysiology in adult women. In the present study we have investigated the expression level of {alpha}2- and ß2-adrenoceptors, and the adenylyl cyclase and phosphodiesterase activity in leiomyoma tissue compared with adjacent myometrium. Our results show that the {alpha}2/ß2-adrenoceptor ratio is increased in leiomyoma, due to a significant decrease in ß2-adrenoceptor expression. These changes were not due to an increased innervation, as the tumour tissue was completely devoid of nerve fibres. Moreover, the adenylyl cyclase activity of leiomyoma membranes was found to be ~50% lower, whereas the phosphodiesterase activity was significantly increased (by ~100%). We found that stimulating an increase in intracellular cyclic AMP, by adenylyl cyclase activity through ß2-adrenoceptors (isoprenaline), by direct enzyme activation (forskolin), or by inhibition of phosphodiesterase activity (papaverine), potently blocked both protein and DNA synthesis in cultured leiomyoma smooth muscle cells. Our results imply the adrenoceptors might be involved in, or a consequence of, leiomyoma growth. The results also suggest a new interesting approach for leiomyoma pharmacotherapy.

adenylyl cyclase/adrenergic receptors/cAMP/leiomyoma/phosphodiesterase

Notes

4 To whom correspondence should be addressed at: Division of Pharmacology, Department of Medicine and Care, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University, SE-581 85 Linköping, Sweden. E-mail: per.adolfsson{at}far.liu.se


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Mol Hum ReprodHome page
X. Wu, A. Blanck, G. Norstedt, L. Sahlin, and A. Flores-Morales
Identification of genes with higher expression in human uterine leiomyomas than in the corresponding myometrium
Mol. Hum. Reprod., March 1, 2002; 8(3): 246 - 254.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer:
Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.