Key result
During pregnancy, purinergic signalling to ovarian perifollicular smooth muscle changed from P2X2 to P2X1 receptors, alongside an increase in P2X2 receptor expression on vascular smooth muscle.
No immediate clinical implications; hypothesis-generating for purinergic receptor plasticity in gestational ovarian function.
The expression of P2X and P2Y receptor subtypes in the smooth muscle of the rat ovary during the oestrus cycle and pregnancy was examined using immunohistochemistry. RT-PCR studies of P2X receptor mRNA were also carried out. In the non-pregnant rats, P2X₂ receptor protein was dominant in the smooth muscle of perifollicular rings and blood vessels. P2X₁ protein expression was seen on vascular smooth muscle too, but little, if any, was present on perifollicular smooth muscle. No changes in P2X₁ or P2X₂ receptor expression were seen during the oestrous cycle. During early and mid-late pregnancy, there was a switch from P2X₂ to P2X₁ receptor protein expression in the smooth muscle of the perifollicular ring; P2X₁ receptors were also more prominently expressed than P2X₂ receptors on ovarian vascular smooth muscle in non-pregnant animals, but during late pregnancy the expression of P2X₂receptors was found to equal that of the P2X₁receptors. There was a return to non-pregnant P2 receptor subtype distribution 2 days after birth. Ovarian vascular and perifollicular smooth muscle showed immunoreactivity for P2Y₁, but not for P2X₃–₇, P2Y₂ or P2Y₄receptors. P2Y₁ receptor expression in ovarian smooth muscle of both blood vessels and follicular rings did not show significant changes during the oestrus cycle or pregnancy. RT-PCR studies indicated that P2X₁and P2X₂receptor mRNA was present in the ovary during pregnant and non-pregnant conditions. P2X₄–₆ receptor mRNA was also present in all stages studied, however no immunostaining showing receptor protein for these subtypes was seen on the ovarian sections examined. In summary, purinergic signalling to ovarian perifollicular smooth muscle changed from P2X₂to P2X₁receptors during pregnancy, while there was an increase in P2X₂ receptor expression on vascular smooth muscle.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Katugampola et al. (2004) studied Pregnancy and oestrus cycle (rat model). Pregnancy vs. Non-pregnant state was evaluated on P2X and P2Y receptor expression in ovarian smooth muscle. During pregnancy, purinergic signalling to ovarian perifollicular smooth muscle changed from P2X2 to P2X1 receptors, alongside an increase in P2X2 receptor expression on vascular smooth muscle.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: