Endocrine Abstracts

Tachykinins are a family of peptides comprising substance P, neurokinin B (NKB) and endokinin B (EKB) that are encoded on three separate genes, TAC1, 3 and 4, respectively. Traditionally classified as neurotransmitters the highest expression levels of EKB and NKB are found in the placenta, where, NKB has been implicated in pre-eclampsia (PE) and intrauterine growth restriction. We have conducted mRNA expression studies to look at the placental expression of each of the ...

The major source of neurokinin B (NKB), a peptide of the tachykinin family, is the placenta. Little is known of the regulation of NKB or its preferred hypertensive-inducing receptor, NK3, during pregnancy, nor, the mechanisms leading to elevated NKB associated with pre-eclampsia (PE) during the third trimester. Using the pregnant rat we have looked at the changes in NKB and NK3 expression using real time PCR between day 16 and 21 of gestation in the placenta, brain and differe...