Parathyroid hormone-related protein and human myometrial cells: action and regulation.

Parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTH-rP), like parathyroid hormone (PTH), acts on myometrial smooth muscle to cause relaxation, and PTH-rP expression has been demonstrated in the myometrium of pregnant and estrogen-treated nonpregnant rats and in human myometrium, leiomyomata and separated myometrial smooth muscle cells in culture. PTH-rP may facilitate the myometrial quiescence characteristic of the first 95% of normal pregnancy and uterine vasorelaxation. This study was conducted to explore further the function and regulation of expression of PTH-rP in human myometrium.

Regulation of parathyroid hormone-related protein gene expression in human endometrial stromal cells in culture.

The regulation of PTH-related protein (PTH-rP) gene expression by human endometrial stromal cells in monolayer culture was evaluated. 17 beta-Estradiol (E2), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF alpha), endothelin-1 (ET-1), transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF beta 1), and serum stimulated PTH-rP production (evaluated by immunoassay of PTH-rP in the culture medium) by these cells. Treatment of endometrial stromal cells with E2 plus a progestin, medroxy-progesterone acetate (MPA), caused a decrease in PTH-rP production.

The effects of a 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor, AA-861, on PGI2-like substance production in guinea-pig lungs.

To determine the effects of AA-861 on PGI2 production in guinea-pig lungs, 3 g of guinea-pig lung was chopped in 4 ml of buffer (control group), in buffer with 4 micrograms/ml indomethacin (indomethacin group) and in buffer with 2.5 x 10(-5)M AA-861 (AA-861 group). The chopped lungs were incubated for 30 min.

Endogenous inhibitors of human placental prostaglandin dehydrogenase.

The presence of endogenous inhibitors of NAD(+)-dependent 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (PGDH) has been indicated by increasing total activity after the initial purification step of PGDH in human placenta. Based on this observation, we tried to characterize and analyze endogenous inhibitors of PGDH in human placenta in this study. The inhibitors were extracted from the supernatant by precipitation at pH 5.