Endocrinology, Vol 133, 1899-1902, Copyright © 1993 by Endocrine Society

ARTICLES

Nitric oxide inhibits uterine contractility during pregnancy but not during delivery

C Yallampalli, RE Garfield and M Byam-Smith
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston.

Nitric Oxide mediates various biological phenomena, including vascular smooth muscle relaxation. In the present study, we sought to determine if an L-arginine nitric oxide-relaxation system is present in the uterus and if it modulates contractility during pregnancy. The substrate and a donor of nitric oxide and nitric oxide gas caused substantial relaxation of the spontaneous contractility of tissues from the rat uterus in vitro during pregnancy. Inhibitors of nitric oxide synthase and soluble guanylate cyclase reversed the relaxation effects of L-arginine. Nitric oxide was produced by the uterus in organ culture. Relaxation effects of L-arginine on the pregnant rat uterus were diminished at the time of spontaneous labor and postpartum. Nitric oxide production was also substantially reduced during labor. These results show that an L-arginine-nitric oxide-relaxation system is present in the uterus and it inhibits contractility during pregnancy but not during labor.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S E Ulbrich, S Rehfeld, S Bauersachs, E Wolf, R Rottmayer, S Hiendleder, M Vermehren, F Sinowatz, H H D Meyer, and R Einspanier Region-specific expression of nitric oxide synthases in the bovine oviduct during the oestrous cycle and in vitro J. Endocrinol., February 1, 2006; 188(2): 205 - 213. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				I. L. O. Buxton Regulation of Uterine Function: a Biochemical Conundrum in the Regulation of Smooth Muscle Relaxation Mol. Pharmacol., May 1, 2004; 65(5): 1051 - 1059. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				P. Hoffmann, F. Stanke-Labesque, R. Fanchin, N. Dilai, J.C. Pons, and J.M. Ayoubi Effects of L-arginine and sodium nitroprusside on the spontaneous contractility of human non-pregnant uterus Hum. Reprod., January 1, 2003; 18(1): 148 - 151. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Nakatsuka, M. Takata, K. Tada, K. Asagiri, T. Habara, S. Noguchi, and T. Kudo A Long-term Transdermal Nitric Oxide Donor Improves Uteroplacental Circulation in Women With Preeclampsia J. Ultrasound Med., August 1, 2002; 21(8): 831 - 836. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Casanello and L. Sobrevia Intrauterine Growth Retardation Is Associated With Reduced Activity and Expression of the Cationic Amino Acid Transport Systems y+/hCAT-1 and y+/hCAT-2B and Lower Activity of Nitric Oxide Synthase in Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells Circ. Res., July 26, 2002; 91(2): 127 - 134. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. L. Cornwell, J. Li, H. Sellak, R. T. Miller, and R. A. Word Reorganization of Myofilament Proteins and Decreased cGMP-Dependent Protein Kinase in the Human Uterus during Pregnancy J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., August 1, 2001; 86(8): 3981 - 3988. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. N. Ingram, M. B. Renfree, and G. Shaw Differential Regulation of Contractility and Nitric Oxide Sensitivity in Gravid and Nongravid Myometrium during Late Pregnancy in a Marsupial Endocrinology, June 1, 2001; 142(6): 2244 - 2251. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. Fang, B. Nowicki, and C. Yallampalli Differential expression of uterine NO in pregnant and nonpregnant rats with intrauterine bacterial infection Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, May 1, 2001; 280(5): R1356 - R1363. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				X.-B. Zhou, G.-X. Wang, P. Ruth, B. Huneke, and M. Korth BKCa channel activation by membrane-associated cGMP kinase may contribute to uterine quiescence in pregnancy Am J Physiol Cell Physiol, December 1, 2000; 279(6): C1751 - C1759. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Naghashpour and G. Dahl Relaxation of Myometrium by Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide Is Independent of Nitric Oxide Synthase Activity in Mouse Uterus Biol Reprod, November 1, 2000; 63(5): 1421 - 1427. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				G. M. Tiboni and F. Giampietro Inhibition of nitric oxide synthesis causes preterm delivery in the mouse Hum. Reprod., August 1, 2000; 15(8): 1838 - 1842. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. Gawronska, G. Bodek, and A. J. Ziecik Distribution of NADPH-diaphorase and Nitric Oxide Synthase (NOS) in Different Regions of Porcine Oviduct During the Estrous Cycle J. Histochem. Cytochem., June 1, 2000; 48(6): 867 - 876. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				M. Naghashpour and G. Dahl Sensitivity of myometrium to CGRP varies during mouse estrous cycle and in response to progesterone Am J Physiol Cell Physiol, March 1, 2000; 278(3): C561 - C569. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Bani, M. C. Baccari, S. Nistri, F. Calamai, M. Bigazzi, and T. B. Sacchi Relaxin Up-Regulates the Nitric Oxide Biosynthetic Pathway in the Mouse Uterus: Involvement in the Inhibition of Myometrial Contractility Endocrinology, October 1, 1999; 140(10): 4434 - 4441. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				A. Barber, S. C. Robson, and F. Lyall Hemoxygenase and Nitric Oxide Synthase Do Not Maintain Human Uterine Quiescence during Pregnancy Am. J. Pathol., September 1, 1999; 155(3): 831 - 840. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. EKERHOVD, B. WEIDEGARD, M. BRANNSTROM, and A. NORSTROM Nitric Oxide-Mediated Effects on Myometrial Contractility at Term During Prelabor and Labor Obstet. Gynecol., June 1, 1999; 93(6): 987 - 994. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Zhang, G. A. Massmann, C. P. Mirabile, and J. P. Figueroa Nonpregnant Sheep Uterine Type I and Type III Nitric Oxide Synthase Expression Is Differentially Regulated by Estrogen Biol Reprod, May 1, 1999; 60(5): 1198 - 1203. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				Y.-L. Dong, P. R.R. Gangula, L. Fang, and C. Yallampalli Nitric oxide reverses prostaglandin-induced inhibition in ovarian progesterone secretion in rats Hum. Reprod., January 1, 1999; 14(1): 27 - 32. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. K. Bradley, I. L. O. Buxton, J. E. Barber, T. McGaw, and M. E. Bradley Nitric oxide relaxes human myometrium by a cGMP-independent mechanism Am J Physiol Cell Physiol, December 1, 1998; 275(6): C1668 - C1673. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y.-L. Dong, L. Fang, P.R.R. Gangula, and C. Yallampalli Regulation of Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase Messenger Ribonucleic Acid Expression in Pregnant Rat Uterus Biol Reprod, October 1, 1998; 59(4): 933 - 940. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				C. Yallampalli, Y.-L. Dong, P. R. Gangula, and L. Fang Role and Regulation of Nitric Oxide in the Uterus During Pregnancy and Parturition Reproductive Sciences, March 1, 1998; 5(2): 58 - 67. [Abstract] [PDF]

				R. A. Word and T. L. Cornwell Regulation of cGMP-induced relaxation and cGMP-dependent protein kinase in rat myometrium during pregnancy Am J Physiol Cell Physiol, March 1, 1998; 274(3): C748 - C756. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]