EXPRESSION OF BIOLOGICALLY-ACTIVE RECEPTORS FOR NATRIURETIC PEPTIDES IN THE HUMAN UTERUS DURING PREGNANCY

Human amnion cells secrete a large amount of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP). In the present study, to elucidate the possible roles of amnio tic BNP during the course of human pregnancy, the tissue distributions of biologically active receptors of natriuretic peptides, atrial natr iuretic peptide (ANP)-A receptor and ANP-B receptor in the human uteru s during pregnancy were investigated by Northern blot analysis and an in vitro guanosine 3',5'-cyclic phosphate (cGMP) generation assay, the second messenger of natriuretic peptides, using crude membrane prepar ations. Both ANP-A and ANP-B receptor mRNAs were detected in the tissu es of decidua vera, chorion laeve, myometrium and placenta. The in vit ro cGMP generation assay revealed that the expression of ANP-A recepto r was more prominent than that of ANP-B receptor in these tissues. On the other hand, in amniotic tissue only ANP-B receptor mRNA was weakly expressed but ANP-A receptor mRNA was not detected. (C) 1994 Academic Inc, Press.