CORTICOTROPIN-RELEASING HORMONE INCREASES PROSTAGLANDIN-F2-ALPHA ACTIVITY ON HUMAN MYOMETRIUM IN-VITRO

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to study the capability of synthetic cortic otropin-releasing hormone to directly stimulate human myometrium and t o modulate the activity of prostaglandins F-2 alpha and E(2). STUDY DE SIGN: Strips from human myometrium were obtained from 127 elective ces arean sections at term. The in vitro effect of human rat corticotropin -releasing hormone on myometrial contractility has been studied in res ting myometrial strips mounted in a two-chamber bath for isolated orga ns. Stimuli (corticotropin-releasing hormone, prostaglandins F-2 alpha and E(2), and oxytocin) were administered as one single dose in the p erfusion chamber. In each experiment one myometrial strip was used as a control. RESULTS: Corticotropin-releasing hormone significantly incr eases (p < 0.01) the myometrial response to prostaglandin F-2 alpha. T he hormone neither has a direct inotropic effect nor is it able to enh ance the effect of prostaglandin E(2) and oxytocin on myometrial strip s. CONCLUSION: The positive effect of corticotropin-releasing hormone on the myometrial response to prostaglandin F-2 alpha adds new support to the theory that placental corticotropins may modulate the onset of labor.