Effects of Calcium on Calmodulin and bFGF/FGF-2 Expression: In Vitro Study on the Sacrouterine Ligament

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the effects of calcium on the Sacrouterine Ligament by evaluating the expression of calmodulin and bFGF/FGF-2. Method: A true experimental study was carried out by assessing the cell cultures of sacrouterine ligament from female patients who underwent hysterectomy. The cell cultures were divided into groups that were exposed to calcium at different concentrations of 100 nM, 300 nM, 500 nM, 700 nM, and control group without any exposure. The expression of calmodulin and bFGF/FGF-2 was subsequently analyzed using immunofluorescence and ELISA method. Results: This study showed that exposure to calcium significantly affected calmodulin expression (p-value <0.05). The concentration found to be the most effective to induce calmodulin expression was at 500 nM. Calsium also significantly affected the bFGF/FGF-2 expression (p-value <0.05) with the concentration found to be the most effective to induce bFGF/FGF-2 expression at 500 nM. Conclusion: This study suggested that calcium had a significant positive effect of increasing extracellular matrix expression. A further in vivo study needs to be conducted in order to enhance the evidence of the potential effects to become a preventive agent for pelvic organ prolapse. Calcium is widely available in tropical countries like Indonesia, so this preparation is considered very easy for Indonesian women to apply.