화학공학소재연구정보센터
Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, Vol.418, No.1, 167-172, 2012
Increase of L-type Ca2+ current by protease-activated receptor 2 activation contributes to augmentation of spontaneous uterine contractility in pregnant rats
We evaluated the effects of protease-activated receptor (PAR)-2 on spontaneous myometrial contraction (SMC) in isolated term pregnant myometrial strips of rat, and elucidated the cellular mechanisms of this effect using a conventional voltage-clamp method. In isometric tension measurements, trypsin and SL-NH2, PAR-2 agonists, significantly augmented SMC in frequency and amplitude; however, boiled trypsin (BT) and LR-NH2 had no effect on SMC. These stimulatory effects of PAR-2 agonists on SMC were nearly completely occluded by pre-application of Bay K 8644, an L-type voltage-gated Ca2+ channel activator, thus showing the involvement of L-type voltage-gated Ca2+ channels in PAR-2-induced augmentation of SMC. In addition, PAR-2 agonists significantly enhanced L-type voltage-gated Ca2+ currents (Ica-L.), as measured by a conventional voltage-clamp method, and this increase was primarily mediated by activation of phospholipase C (PLC) and protein kinase C (PKC) via G-protein activation. Taken together, we have demonstrated that PAR-2 may actively regulate SMC during pregnancy by modulating Ca2+ influx through L-type voltage-gated Ca2+ channels, and that this increase of Ica-L may be primarily mediated by PLC and PKC activation. These results suggest a cellular mechanism for the pathophysiological effects of PAR-2 activation on myometrial contractility during pregnancy and provide basic and theoretical information about developing new agents for the treatment of premature labor and other obstetric complications. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.