Abstract
BackgroundProlonged labour is associated with greater morbidity and mortality for mother and child. Connexin 43 is a major myometrial gap junction protein found in human myometrium. Syndecan 3 seems to prevail in the human uterus among heparan sulphate proteoglycans, showing the most significant increase during labour. The aims of the present study were to investigate syndecan 3 and connexin 43 mRNA expressions and protein distributions in human uterine tissue during normal and prolonged labour.MethodsUterine isthmic biopsies were collected from non-pregnant (n = 7), term pregnant women not in labour (n = 14), in normal labour (n = 7) and in prolonged labour (n = 7). mRNA levels of syndecan 3 and connexin 43 were determined by real time RT-PCR. The localization and expression were demonstrated by immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy.ResultsIn women with prolonged labour, the mRNA expressions of syndecan 3 and Connexin 43 were considerably lower than the expression level at normal labour (p < 0.05). In term-pregnant tissue, the expression of syndecan 3 and connexin 43 did not differ significantly compared to non-pregnant and normal labour. The immunoreactivity of syndecan 3 was strong at normal labour, in contrast to prolonged labour, where both a weaker expression and an irregular distribution were detected. The immunoreactivity of connexin 43 increased until term and further stronger staining occurred at normal labour. At prolonged labour, the immunoreactivity was weaker and more unevenly distributed. At labour, a co-localization of syndecan 3 and connexin 43 could be demonstrated in the smooth muscle by confocal microscopy.ConclusionThe high expression of syndecan 3 and connexin 43 and their co-localization to the smooth muscle bundles during normal labour, together with the significant reduction in prolonged labour, may indicate a role for these proteins in the co-ordination of myometrial contractility.
Highlights
Prolonged labour is associated with greater morbidity and mortality for mother and child
The levels of mRNA expression were normalized to housekeeping gene 28S expression. * – statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) between the group compared to normal labour
The mRNA levels obtained by real time RT-PCR are in accordance with the expression registered by immunohistochemistry, with the highest levels in normal labour
Summary
Prolonged labour is associated with greater morbidity and mortality for mother and child. Connexin 43 is a major myometrial gap junction protein found in human myometrium. The aims of the present study were to investigate syndecan 3 and connexin 43 mRNA expressions and protein distributions in human uterine tissue during normal and prolonged labour. To attain the synchronized contractions required for normal labour, the uterine muscle is dependent on a functioning cell-to-cell communication acquired by the action potential propagation [5]. The formation of gap junctions is essential, since these provide the necessary electrical coupling and the passage of ions and small molecules between neighbouring cells [6] Intercellular communication via gap junctions is of broad biological significance in many tissues, and several studies have shown how gap junctions increase in number and size in the myometrium prior to labour [7,8]. The mechanisms regulating the synthesis and assembly of gap junctions and their function are known to be related to many proteins [9]
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