Biol Reprod Email Content Delivery
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow My Folders
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Yasuda, K.
Right arrow Articles by Kanzaki, H.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Yasuda, K.
Right arrow Articles by Kanzaki, H.
Agricola
Right arrow Articles by Yasuda, K.
Right arrow Articles by Kanzaki, H.
Biology of Reproduction 64, 339-344 (2001)
© 2001 Society for the Study of Reproduction, Inc.

Regular Article

Platelet-Activating Factor Acetylhydrolase Isoforms I and II in Human Uterus. Comparisons with Pregnant Uterus and Myoma1

Katsuhiko Yasuda2,a, Tadayoshi Okumurab, Hidetaka Okadaa, Tatsuya Nakajimaa, Junkei Aokic, Hiroyuki Araic, Keizo Inouec, Mikio Nishizawab, Seiji Itob, and Hideharu Kanzakia

a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, b Department of Medical Chemistry, Kansai Medical University, Osaka 570-0074, Japan c Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan

ABSTRACT

The concentrations of platelet-activating factor (PAF) that possesses the ability to stimulate myometrial contraction are partially regulated by intracellular type of platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase (PAF-AH) in many tissues. Tissue cytosol contains at least two intracellular PAF-AH, isoforms I and II. To examine the relationship between the activity and isoforms of intracellular PAF-AH in human uterine myometrium and myoma, we assayed the PAF-AH activity and identified the PAF-AH isoforms I and II by Western blot analysis. The intense bands of the {alpha}2 and ß subunits of PAF-AH isoform I were detected in nonpregnant uterus; however, the specific bands of the {alpha}1 subunit of PAF-AH isoform I and the PAF-AH isoform II were extremely weak. The levels of the {alpha}2 and ß subunits and PAF-AH activity in pregnant uterus (37–39 wk gestation) were significantly lower than those in nonpregnant uterus. On the other hand, the level of ß subunit and the PAF-AH activity in myoma were significantly higher than those in nonpregnant uterus. No significant difference was found in the expression of the PAF-AH isoform II among three tissues. These results indicate that the change in the PAF-AH activity observed in pregnant uterus and myoma are due to the lower or higher protein expression of the PAF-AH isoform I, especially the {alpha}2 and/or ß subunits. The decrease of the uterine PAF-AH activity in the late stage of pregnancy may facilitate the action of PAF to stimulate myometrial contraction.

FOOTNOTES

First decision: 30 May 2000.

1 This work was supported in part by grants from the Japan Smoking Research Foundation and grants in Aid for Scientific Research (no. 10671577) from the Ministry of Education, Science, and Culture of Japan.

2 Correspondence: Katsuhiko Yasuda, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kansai Medical University, 10-15 Fumizono-cho, Moriguchi, Osaka, 570-0074, Japan. FAX: 06 6992 3438; yasuda{at}takii.kmu.ac.jp






HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 2001 by the Society for the Study of Reproduction.