NF-?B regulates a cassette of immune/inflammatory genes in human pregnant myometrium at term.
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ABSTRACT: The onset of human labour resembles inflammation with increased synthesis of prostaglandins and cytokines. There is evidence from rodent models for an important role for nuclear factor-?B (NF-?B) activity in myometrium which both up-regulates contraction-associated proteins and antagonizes the relaxatory effects of progesterone. Here we show that in the human, although there are no differences in expression of NF-?B p65, or I?B-? between upper- or lower-segment myometrium or before or after labour, there is nuclear localization of serine-256-phospho-p65 and serine-536-phospho-p65 in both upper- and lower-segment myometrium both before and after the onset of labour at term. This shows that NF-?B is active in both upper and lower segment prior to the onset of labour at term. To identify the range of genes regulated by NF-?B we overexpressed p65 in myocytes in culture. This led to NF-?B activation identical to that seen following interleukin (IL)-1? stimulation, including phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of p65 and p50. cDNA microarray analysis showed that NF-?B increased expression of 38 genes principally related to immunity and inflammation. IL-1? stimulation also resulted in an increase in the expression of the same genes. Transfection with siRNA against p65 abolished the response to IL-1? proving a central role for NF-?B. We conclude that NF-?B is active in myocytes in both the upper and lower segment of the uterus prior to the onset of labour at term and principally regulates a group of immune/inflammation associated genes, demonstrating that myocytes can act as immune as well as contractile cells.
SUBMITTER: Khanjani S
PROVIDER: S-EPMC3922669 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Apr
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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