Department of Biomaterials Science (BK21 FOUR Program), College of Natural Resources and Life Science/Life and Industry Convergence Research Institute, Pusan National University, Miryang, Gyeongsangnam-do, Republic of Korea.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Biomedical Research Institute, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Republic of Korea.
Syst Biol Reprod Med. 2023 Jun;69(3):223-233. doi: 10.1080/19396368.2023.2170296. Epub 2023 Feb 14.
Oxytocin (OXT) plays a significant role during pregnancy, especially toward the end of pregnancy. Some studies have reported that OXT is involved in the stimulation of steroidogenesis in several organs. However, the effects of OXT on placental steroidogenesis have not yet been established. In this study, we investigated the regulation of steroid hormones and steroidogenic enzymes by OXT-associated signaling and . OXT increased the gene expression of steroidogenic enzymes, which convert pregnenolone to progesterone and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) . In OXT-administered pregnant rats, pregnenolone and DHEA levels were significantly enhanced in the plasma and the expression of the enzymes synthesizing DHEA, testosterone, and estradiol (E2) was increased in placental tissues. Furthermore, OXT was found to affect placental cell differentiation, which is closely related to steroid hormone synthesis. After treatment of the pregnant rats with atosiban, an antagonist of the OXT receptor, the concentration of E2 in the plasma and the expression of E2-synthesizing enzyme were reduced. This regulation may be due to OXT-mediated differentiation, because OXT increases the expression of corticotropin-releasing hormone, which is a biomarker of placental cell differentiation. Our findings suggest that OXT contributes to maintaining pregnancy by regulating the differentiation of placental cells and steroidogenesis during pregnancy.
催产素（OXT）在妊娠期间特别是妊娠晚期起着重要作用。一些研究表明，OXT 参与了几种器官中类固醇生成的刺激。然而，OXT 对胎盘类固醇生成的影响尚未确定。在这项研究中，我们研究了 OXT 相关信号转导对类固醇激素和类固醇生成酶的调节。OXT 增加了将孕烯醇酮转化为孕酮和脱氢表雄酮（DHEA）的类固醇生成酶的基因表达。在给予 OXT 的怀孕大鼠中，血浆中的孕烯醇酮和 DHEA 水平显着升高，合成 DHEA、睾酮和雌二醇（E2）的酶的表达在胎盘组织中增加。此外，发现 OXT 影响胎盘细胞分化，这与类固醇激素合成密切相关。用阿托西班（一种 OXT 受体拮抗剂）处理怀孕大鼠后，血浆中 E2 的浓度和合成 E2 的酶的表达降低。这种调节可能是由于 OXT 介导的分化，因为 OXT 增加了促肾上腺皮质激素释放激素的表达，这是胎盘细胞分化的生物标志物。我们的研究结果表明，OXT 通过调节妊娠期间胎盘细胞的分化和类固醇生成来维持妊娠。
