Papka R E, Workley M, Usip S, Mowa C N, Fahrenkrug J
Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, Department of Neurobiology, 4209 State Route 44, P.O. Box 95, Rootstown OH 44272, USA.
Peptides. 2006 Apr;27(4):743-52. doi: 10.1016/j.peptides.2005.08.005. Epub 2005 Sep 21.
The uterine cervix is highly innervated by the sensory nerves containing neuropeptides which change during pregnancy and are regulated, in part, by estrogen. These neuropeptides act as transmitters both in the spinal cord and cervix. The present study was undertaken to determine the expression pattern of the neuropeptide pituitary adenylate cyclase activating peptide (PACAP) in the cervix and its nerves during pregnancy and the influence of estrogen on this expression using immunohistochemistry, radioimmunoassay and RT-PCR. PACAP immunoreactivity was detected in nerves in the cervix, lumbosacral (L6-S1) dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and spinal cord. PACAP immunoreactivity was highest at day 15 of pregnancy in the cervix and dorsal spinal cord, but then decreased over the last trimester of pregnancy. However, levels of PACAP mRNA increased in the L6-S1 DRG at late pregnancy relative to early pregnancy. DRG of ovariectomized rats treated with estrogen showed increased PACAP mRNA synthesis in a dose-related manner, an effect partially blocked by the estrogen receptor (ER) antagonist ICI 182,780. We postulate that synthesis of PACAP in L6-S1 DRG and utilization in the cervix and spinal cord increase over pregnancy and this synthesis is the under influence of the estrogen-ER system. Since PACAP is expressed by sensory nerves and may have roles in nociception and vascular function, collectively, these data are consistent with the hypothesis that sensory nerve-derived neuronal factors innervate the cervix and play a role in cervical ripening.
子宫颈由含有神经肽的感觉神经高度支配，这些神经肽在怀孕期间会发生变化，并且部分受雌激素调节。这些神经肽在脊髓和子宫颈中均作为递质起作用。本研究旨在通过免疫组织化学、放射免疫分析和逆转录-聚合酶链反应，确定神经肽垂体腺苷酸环化酶激活肽（PACAP）在妊娠期间子宫颈及其神经中的表达模式，以及雌激素对该表达的影响。在子宫颈、腰骶部（L6-S1）背根神经节（DRG）和脊髓的神经中检测到PACAP免疫反应性。PACAP免疫反应性在妊娠第15天时在子宫颈和脊髓背侧最高，但在妊娠最后三个月下降。然而，与妊娠早期相比，妊娠晚期L6-S1 DRG中PACAP mRNA水平升高。用雌激素处理的去卵巢大鼠的DRG显示PACAP mRNA合成呈剂量依赖性增加，雌激素受体（ER）拮抗剂ICI 182,780可部分阻断该作用。我们推测，L6-S1 DRG中PACAP的合成以及在子宫颈和脊髓中的利用在整个妊娠期间增加，并且这种合成受雌激素-ER系统的影响。由于PACAP由感觉神经表达，可能在伤害感受和血管功能中起作用，总体而言，这些数据与感觉神经衍生的神经元因子支配子宫颈并在宫颈成熟中起作用的假设一致。
