Petraglia F, Florio P, Gallo R, Simoncini T, Saviozzi M, Di Blasio A M, Vaughan J, Vale W
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Modena, Italy.
J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1996 Oct;81(10):3807-10. doi: 10.1210/jcem.81.10.8855842.
Recently a new member of the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) family has been cloned and named urocortin. It has been localized in rat brain and to human chromosome 2. The present study investigated whether human placenta and related tissues express mRNA and immunoreactive urocortin. Using specific oligonucleotide primers, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction experiments were performed on total RNA isolated from human placenta and decidua collected both at early stage of gestation (8-11 weeks) and at term (39-40 weeks). In addition, experiments were also done on specimens of amnion and chorion collected at term. Independently from the gestational age, placental and decidual cells expressed urocortin mRNA, with a 145 bp DNA band corresponding to the expected length. The expression of urocortin mRNA was also found in amnion and chorion. Using specific antiserum and an immunoperoxidase technique, immunoreactive urocortin was then localized in syncytiotrophoblast cells and in some extent in cytotrophoblast cells of placental villi at term, as well as in fetal membranes and maternal decidua. The present findings revealed that human placenta and gestational related tissues express human urocortin gene and localize immunoreactive urocortin, supporting the concept that these tissues are capable of expressing a large number of neuroendocrine peptides.
最近，促肾上腺皮质激素释放因子（CRF）家族的一个新成员已被克隆并命名为尿皮质素。它已定位在大鼠脑中，并定位于人类染色体2。本研究调查了人胎盘及相关组织是否表达尿皮质素的mRNA和免疫反应性尿皮质素。使用特异性寡核苷酸引物，对从妊娠早期（8 - 11周）和足月（39 - 40周）收集的人胎盘和蜕膜中分离的总RNA进行逆转录聚合酶链反应实验。此外，还对足月收集的羊膜和绒毛膜标本进行了实验。与胎龄无关，胎盘和蜕膜细胞表达尿皮质素mRNA，有一条145 bp的DNA条带，其长度与预期相符。在羊膜和绒毛膜中也发现了尿皮质素mRNA的表达。然后，使用特异性抗血清和免疫过氧化物酶技术，免疫反应性尿皮质素定位于足月胎盘绒毛的合体滋养层细胞以及一定程度上的细胞滋养层细胞中，也存在于胎膜和母体蜕膜中。本研究结果表明，人胎盘及妊娠相关组织表达人尿皮质素基因并定位免疫反应性尿皮质素，支持这些组织能够表达大量神经内分泌肽的观点。
