Searchable abstracts of presentations at key conferences in endocrinology
Endocrine Abstracts (2005) 10 P71

SFE2005 Poster Presentations Reproduction (11 abstracts)

The effect of prostaglandin E2, sulprostone and isoprenaline on isolated mouse uterine tissue taken during labour

A Griffiths 1 , K Marshall 1 , J Senior 1 , P O’Donovan 2 & D Farrar 2


1University of Bradford, Bradford, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom , 2Bradford Hospitals Trust, Bradford, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom.


The aim of this study was to compare the effects of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and a PGE analogue, sulprostone with isoprenaline (β12 agonist) on mouse uterine tissue taken during labour.

Uterine tissue was taken and set up for superfusion (Krebs’ solution at 2 ml/min and 37°C) as previously described by Senior et al (1991). After allowing the tissue to equilibrate for approximately 20 minutes agonists were added as bolus doses and the responses measured as area under the curve using a Powerlab and Chart software.

All samples exhibited significant and sustained myogenic activity, this activity was constant along the length of the uterine horn. Isoprenaline (which was chosen to represent the β-mimetics used to attempt to delay preterm labour in women) evoked a dose related (0.1–100 nmol) inhibition of myometrial activity. PGE2 (0.1–100 nmol) evoked an excitatory response which was dose related no inhibitory response was seen. The response to PGE2 was significantly greater in tissue samples taken from the upper and middle segments of the uterine horn compared with samples taken from the cervical section. The response (0.1–100 nmol) to the EP3 receptor agonist, sulprostone, was similar to that observed with PGE2.

These data suggest that excitatory prostaglandin EP-receptors are present on mouse tissue taken at labour and the results obtained with sulprostone suggest that this receptor is the EP3 subtype. The lack of inhibitory response to PGE2 may suggest that the EP-receptors that mediate inhibition, namely the EP2 and EP4-receptors, may not be present on this tissue and this is currently being investigated further using selective agonists for these receptors. The results obtained with isoprenaline suggest that the β2 adrenergic receptor is present and this response is qualitatively similar to that found on isolated human tissue taken at term (but not in labour).

Volume 10

196th Meeting of the Society for Endocrinology and Society for Endocrinology joint Endocrinology and Diabetes Day

Society for Endocrinology 

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