Expression and biological activity of parathyroid hormone-related peptide in pregnant rat uterine artery: any role for 8-iso-prostaglandin F2alpha?

PTHrP is produced in vessels and acts as a local modulator of tone. We recently reported that PTHrP(1-34) is able to induce vasorelaxation in rat uterine arteries, but in pregnancy, this response is blunted and becomes strictly endothelium dependent. The present study aimed to get insights into the mechanisms involved in these changes because the adaptation of uterine blood flow is essential for fetal development.

[Which basal tension for the study of aortic reactivity in pregnant Wistar rats?].

Basal tension for optimal contraction either for a maximal contraction in pregnant Wistar rat is not well know. Our study aims to determinate the optimal basal tension for the study of aortic contraction in pregnant Wistar rat. The stability of vessels tone depending on basal tension was also determinate.

[Endothelium-dependent relaxation of Wistar rat aorta in late pregnancy].

Some authors usually described an enhanced vascular reactivity to vasodilatoragents during pregancy. We would like toverifythis hypothesis with acetylcholin which is the vasodilator agent habitually used in animal experimentation. Young adult Wistar rats, pregnant and nonpregnant, were used.

Parathyroid hormone-related protein-induced relaxation of rat uterine arteries: influence of the endothelium during gestation.

Objective: Parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) has been reported to relax different vessels. We investigated the influence of both endothelium and gestation on the relaxation of uterine arteries (UA), which supply blood to myometrium and placenta.

Methods: Small uterine and mesenteric arteries (MA) with (E+) and without endothelium (E-) from day 20 pregnant (P) and nonpregnant (NP) rats were mounted in a myograph, precontracted with phenylephrine (PE) in a physiologic salt solution.

Effect of i1 imidazoline receptor agonist, moxonidine, in nitric oxide-deficient hypertension in pregnant rats.

Decreased nitric oxide production has been reported in preeclampsia, which is also frequently associated with glucose intolerance. It was thus considered of interest to investigate the effects of moxonidine, a centrally acting antihypertensive drug that reduces insulin resistance, in a rat model of preeclampsia. Hypertension was induced in Wistar rats by dietary l-NNA (N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine, 0.