Koh Phil Ok, Kwak Soo Dong, Kim Hyun Joon, Roh Guseob, Kim Jin Hyun, Kang Sang Soo, Choi Wan Sung, Cho Gyeong Jae
Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Resource Science, Kangwon National University, Chunchon, Kangwon, Korea.
Mol Reprod Dev. 2003 Jan;64(1):27-31. doi: 10.1002/mrd.10221.
Pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP) was first isolated from ovine hypothalamus and is known to act as a tropic factor in various cells. Recent report revealed the expression of PACAP and the PACAP type I (PAC(1)) receptor in human and rat placentas at term. Placenta is a critical organ that synthesizes several growth and angiogenic factors for its own growth as well as fetal development. However, there is little information regarding the expression pattern and cellular localization of PACAP and PAC(1) during pregnancy. The aim of this study was to define the expression and distribution of PACAP and PAC(1) receptor mRNAs in the rat placenta during pregnancy. PACAP and PAC(1) receptor mRNAs were expressed in decidual cells, chorionic vessels, and stromal cells of the chorionic villi. Interestingly, the expression of these genes varied with the day of gestation. For example, PACAP and PAC(1) receptor mRNAs expressed in decidual cells on day 13.5 and 15.5, their expression was strong in chorionic vessels and stromal cells of the chorionic villi within the labyrinth zone on day 17.5, 19.5, and 21.5. In fact, as gestation advanced, the expression of PACAP and PAC(1) receptor mRNAs in the decidua cells disappeared, as their high expression became evident in the chorionic vessels and stromal cells of the chorionic villi. Our finding that PACAP and the PAC(1) receptor are co-localized and their genes seemingly co-regulated within specific placental areas, strongly suggest that this peptide may play an important role, as an autoregulator or pararegulator via its PAC(1) receptor, in physiological functioning of the placenta for gestational maintenance.
垂体腺苷酸环化酶激活多肽（PACAP）最初是从绵羊下丘脑分离出来的，已知它在各种细胞中作为一种促生长因子发挥作用。最近的报告显示，足月时人及大鼠胎盘中存在PACAP和I型PACAP受体（PAC(1)）的表达。胎盘是一个关键器官，它能合成多种生长因子和血管生成因子以促进自身生长以及胎儿发育。然而，关于孕期PACAP和PAC(1)的表达模式及细胞定位的信息却很少。本研究的目的是确定孕期大鼠胎盘内PACAP和PAC(1)受体mRNA的表达及分布情况。PACAP和PAC(1)受体mRNA在蜕膜细胞、绒毛膜血管以及绒毛膜绒毛的基质细胞中均有表达。有趣的是，这些基因的表达随妊娠天数而变化。例如，PACAP和PAC(1)受体mRNA在第13.5天和15.5天的蜕膜细胞中表达，在第17.5天、19.5天和21.5天，它们在迷路区绒毛膜血管和绒毛膜绒毛的基质细胞中表达强烈。事实上，随着妊娠进展，蜕膜细胞中PACAP和PAC(1)受体mRNA的表达消失，而它们在绒毛膜血管和绒毛膜绒毛的基质细胞中的高表达变得明显。我们发现PACAP和PAC(1)受体共定位，且它们的基因在特定胎盘区域似乎共同调节，这有力地表明该肽可能作为一种自调节因子或旁调节因子，通过其PAC(1)受体在维持妊娠的胎盘生理功能中发挥重要作用。
