KININOGEN PRESENT IN RAT REPRODUCTIVE TISSUES IS APPARENTLY SYNTHESIZED BY THE LIVER, NOT BY THE REPRODUCTIVE-SYSTEM

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the source(s) of the reproductive tract kininogen and to assess whether kininogen tran scription is influenced by reproductive conditions. STUDY DESIGN: Rats in various reproductive states (immature, mature, ovulatory, luteal p hase, pregnancy, parturition, postpartum) were used to obtain reproduc tive tissues (follicles, corpora lutea, oviduct, uterus, testes) and l iver. Complementary deoxyribonucleic acid probes for rat prekininogens were used to quantify kininogen messenger ribonucleic acid synthesis. RESULTS: The T-prekininogen complementary deoxyribonucleic acid probe detected a single 1.6 kb message, wherease the k-prekininogen complem entary deoxyribonucleic acid probe identified two messages, an abundan tly expressed 1.6 kb band and a 2.2 kb band. The source of all the thr ee prekininogen messages appears to be the liver. Naturally occurring reproductive conditions such as ovulation, implantation, and parturiti on, did not turn on prekininogen message transcription in the rat gona d or genital tract. Only decidualization of the uterus was associated with the induction of kininogen transcription in the liver. CONCLUSION : There appears to be little, if any, contribution of local gene expre ssion to the kininogen present in the reproductive tissues. Apparently , the reproductive tract increases uptake of kininogen from plasma as needed.