Expression of superoxide dismutase and xanthine oxidase in myometrium, fetal membranes and placenta during normal human pregnancy and parturition |
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Authors: | Telfer JF; Thomson AJ; Cameron IT; Greer IA; Norman JE |
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Affiliation: | Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Glasgow, UK. |
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Abstract: | Superoxide, an agent which attenuates the half-life of nitric oxide, is
metabolized and synthesized by superoxide dismutase (SOD) and xanthine
oxidase, respectively. Over the last few years much work has focused on the
role of nitric oxide in human parturition. The aim of this study was to
determine whether the onset of human parturition is associated with a
change in the expression of copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn SOD),
manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn SOD) or xanthine oxidase within the
uterus. Samples of myometrium, placenta, decidua and fetal membranes were
obtained from women before and after the onset of labour at term.
Immunocytochemistry was used to localize Cu/Zn SOD, Mn SOD and xanthine
oxidase and measure SOD enzyme activity. Cu/Zn and Mn SOD-like
immunoreactivity was detected in syncytiotrophoblast cells, villous stromal
cells and endothelial cells of blood vessels in the placenta. In the
myometrium Cu/Zn and Mn SOD were localized to myocytes and endothelial
cells and to some vascular smooth muscle cells. In the fetal membranes we
observed staining for Cu/Zn SOD and Mn SOD in the amnion, chorion,
extravillous trophoblast and decidua. There was no difference in SOD enzyme
activity or staining intensity for SOD between different cell types before
and during labour. Xanthine oxidase immunoreactivity was identified in each
of the tissues examined and again there was no difference in immunostaining
in tissues obtained from women delivered before or after the onset of
labour. These results show that the pregnant uterus is capable of both
synthesizing and degrading superoxide and suggest that superoxide dismutase
and xanthine oxidase may play a role in the maintenance of uterine
quiescence during pregnancy, but not in the initiation of parturition.
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