Mechanisms involved in the stimulatory effect of amniotic fluid on prostaglandin production by human fetal membranes.

This study aims to investigate potential mechanisms involved in the stimulatory effect of amniotic fluid on prostaglandin production by fetal membranes. A cell culture study of amnion and chorion was obtained following elective caesarean section, incubated with amniotic fluid collected at term (37-42 weeks' gestation) following either spontaneous labour (n = 6) or elective caesarean section (n = 6). The effect of addition of cycloheximide and actinomycin D (inhibitors of translation and transcription respectively), and staurosporine and genistein (inhibitors of protein kinase C and tyrosine kinase respectively) to these cultures was investigated. ANOVA was employed for statistical analysis. Cycloheximide and staurosporine significantly inhibited the stimulatory effect of spontaneous labour and elective section amniotic fluid on PGE2 production by amnion, and PGEM production by chorion. Genistein significantly inhibited the stimulatory effect of spontaneous labour amniotic fluid on PGE2 and PGEM production by amnion and chorion respectively. The stimulatory effect of amniotic fluid on prostaglandin production is dependent on new protein synthesis, presumably cyclooxygenase (COX), and stimulation of cell signal transduction pathways involving protein kinase C and tyrosine kinase.