S. Lajat et al., MODULATION OF PHOSPHOLIPASE-C PATHWAY AND LEVEL OF G(Q)ALPHA G(11)ALPHA IN RAT MYOMETRIUM DURING GESTATION/, American journal of physiology. Cell physiology, 40(3), 1996, pp. 895-904
The regulation of the receptor-a protein-phospholipase C (PLC) cascade
was investigated in rat myometrium at midgestation (day 12) and at te
rm (clay 21) comparatively to the estrogen-treated tissue (day 0). Car
bachol-mediated generation of [H-3]inositol phosphates was insensitive
to pertussis toxin and was enhanced at days 12 and 21 two- and threef
old, respectively, with no alteration of muscarinic sites (M(3) sub-ty
pe). A similar increase could be detected in the production of inosito
l 1,4,5-trisphosphate, indicating the stimulation of a PLC degrading p
hosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate. AIF(4)(-) also enhanced PLC acti
vation during gestation, suggesting pregnancy-related regulations that
bypass receptor activation. Immunoreactive G proteins, G(q) alpha and
G(11)alpha, and PLC-beta(3) were detected in all myometrial preparati
ons. The amount of PLC-beta(3) was similar in day 0 and day 21 myometr
ium, although decreasing by 75% at midgestation. Of significance was t
he increased amount of G(q) alpha in day 12 and day 21 myometrium (3-
and 2-fold, respectively) which coincided with the enhanced phosphoino
sitide breakdown. The upregulation of G(q) alpha may contribute to the
enhanced PLC activity during pregnancy and at term.