Vascular remodeling in uterine arteries from pseudo‐pregnant rats is mediated by Piezo 1 channel activation

Abstract

BackgroundThe great rise in uterine arterial blood flow during pregnancy is accomplished by vasodilation and vascular remodeling of the uterine artery; however, the exact mechanism is not fully known. Uterine arterial remodeling occurs in pseudo‐pregnancy and it is comparable to that of early pregnancy.Piezo 1 channels have been shown to be highly expressed in vascular smooth muscle cells of small‐diameter arteries and play a role in the structural remodeling of the arteries. Studies have also shown that Piezo 1 is present in uterine arteries and they are not exclusive to the endothelial cells. There are no studies on Piezo 1 in the uterine circulation of pseudo‐pregnant rats.HypothesisThis study tests the hypothesis that vascular remodeling in uterine arteries (UAs) from pseudo‐pregnant rats is mediated by Piezo 1 channel activation.MethodsEndothelium‐dependent and ‐independent effects of chemical activation of Piezo 1 channel, using Yoda1 (a chemical activator of Piezo 1 channel) were assessed in isolated segments of uterine and mesenteric resistant arteries (MRAs) of 14‐week old pseudo‐pregnant (n=4) and virgin (n=3) Sprague Dawley rats mounted in a wire myograph. Statistical analysis was performed using nonlinear regression, two‐tailed unpaired t‐tests and one and two‐way ANOVAs.ResultsOur results show that concentration‐dependent relaxation responses to Yoda 1 are greater in UAs of the pseudo‐pregnant rats than in the virgin rats (Emax 47.26 ± 2.89% vs 27.21 ± 4.59% P< 0.01) and no difference in the relaxation responses to Yoda1 in the MRAs of pseudo‐pregnant and virgin rats were observed, (Emax 67.78 ± 2.45% vs 61.70 ±3.99%) while the relaxation response to Yoda 1 in endothelium‐denuded and endothelium‐intact arteries were similar in virgin UAs and MRAs and in pseudo‐pregnant UAs and MRAs.ConclusionsThese data suggest that Piezo1 is involved in the vascular remodeling that occurs in the uterine arteries of pseudo‐pregnant rats.Support or Funding InformationNIH P01 HL‐134604 Concentration‐response curves to Yoda 1 precontracted with 3×10−6 PE in uterine arteries (UAs) from pseudopregnant and virgin SD rats. Yoda 1 induced relaxation in UAs from pseudo‐pregnant rats was greater than that of virgin rats. values are means ± SEM * P < 0.05, ** P < 0.01imageConcentration‐response curves to Yoda 1 precontracted with 3×10−6 PE in uterine arteries (UAs) from pseudopregnant and virgin SD rats. Yoda 1 induced relaxation in UAs from pseudo‐pregnant rats was greater than that of virgin rats. values are means ± SEM * P < 0.05, ** P < 0.01 Concentration‐response curves to Yoda 1 precontracted with 3×10−6 PE in mesenteric resistant arteries (MRAs) from pseudo‐pregnant and virgin SD rats. no difference in the relaxation responses to Yoda1 in the MRAs of pseudo‐pregnant and virgin rats was observed. values are means ± SEMimageConcentration‐response curves to Yoda 1 precontracted with 3×10−6 PE in mesenteric resistant arteries (MRAs) from pseudo‐pregnant and virgin SD rats. no difference in the relaxation responses to Yoda1 in the MRAs of pseudo‐pregnant and virgin rats was observed. values are means ± SEMThis abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.