Progesterone and prostaglandin H synthase-2 involvement in alcohol-induced preterm birth in mice
- PMID: 10591596
Progesterone and prostaglandin H synthase-2 involvement in alcohol-induced preterm birth in mice
Abstract
Background: Recently, an association between alcohol consumption during pregnancy and shortened gestational length has been reported, but the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Progesterone (P4) and prostaglandins have been shown to play important roles in parturition in both human and animal models. Recently, it has been suggested that prostaglandin H synthase-2 (PGHS-2) is responsible for prostaglandin changes associated with term and preterm labor. It is possible that alcohol induces preterm birth by altering P4 or PGHS-2 levels. These studies were designed to determine the role of P4 and PGHS-2 in alcohol-induced preterm labor in mice.
Methods: Experiment 1: Pregnant dams treated with either vehicle or alcohol (6 g/kg, intragastrically) on gestational day (GD) 16 were killed at various times in gestation up to the time of delivery. Plasma P4 levels were measured by radioimmunoassay and uterine PGHS-2 mRNA expression was measured by Ribonuclease Protection Assay. Results indicated that alcohol treatment was associated with an earlier decline in plasma P4 levels and an earlier rise in uterine PGHS-2 mRNA levels during gestation. Experiment 2: Pregnant C57BL/6J females were treated with either P4 (2.0 mg, subcutaneously) or vehicle (sesame oil) 2 hr before receiving either 6 g/kg alcohol (intragastrically) or vehicle (isocaloric sucrose) on gestational day (GD) 16. Results indicate that P4 pretreatment effectively antagonized alcohol-induced preterm delivery. Experiment 3: On GD16, pregnant dams received either 100 mg/kg nimesulide (a specific PGHS-2 inhibitor) or vehicle (saline) subcutaneously, 2 hr before treatment with either 6 g/kg alcohol (given intragastrically) or isocaloric sucrose. Nimesulide was effective in antagonizing alcohol-induced preterm labor.
Conclusions: Together, these data suggest that both P4 and PGHS-2 may play roles in alcohol-induced preterm birth.
Similar articles
-
Inhibition of premature labor in sheep by a combined treatment of nimesulide, a prostaglandin synthase type 2 inhibitor, and atosiban, an oxytocin receptor antagonist.Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2000 Sep;183(3):649-57. doi: 10.1067/mob.2000.106584. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2000. PMID: 10992188
-
Prostaglandin endoperoxide H synthase (PGHS) activity and PGHS-1 and -2 messenger ribonucleic acid abundance in human chorion throughout gestation and with preterm labor.J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1998 Apr;83(4):1358-67. doi: 10.1210/jcem.83.4.4692. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1998. PMID: 9543167
-
Bacterially-induced preterm labor and regulation of prostaglandin-metabolizing enzyme expression in mice: the role of toll-like receptor 4.Biol Reprod. 2003 Dec;69(6):1957-63. doi: 10.1095/biolreprod.103.019620. Epub 2003 Aug 6. Biol Reprod. 2003. PMID: 12904319
-
Prostaglandin dehydrogenase and the initiation of labor.J Perinat Med. 1999;27(1):26-34. doi: 10.1515/JPM.1999.003. J Perinat Med. 1999. PMID: 10343931 Review.
-
Regulation of embryo survival in cattle.Reprod Suppl. 2003;61:253-66. Reprod Suppl. 2003. PMID: 14635940 Review.
Publication types
MeSH terms
Substances
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Medical
Research Materials