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Expression of Angiotensin II Type-I Receptor and Phospholipase C-Linked Gαq/11 Protein in the Human Placenta

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Abstract

Objective

A recent study on the distribution of angiotensin II (ANG II), ANG II (AT) receptors, and human placental lactogen in human placental tissues from term pregnancies showed positive correlations among these indices, suggesting an important role for ANG II in placental endocrinology. However, nothing is known about the ontogenesis of this functional role for ANG II during pregnancy. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the placental AT receptor expression at various trimesters of pregnancy. We also studied the ontogenesis of phospholipase C—linked Gαq/11 protein, which is known to transduce ANG II type-1 (AT1) receptor signal.

Methods

Western blot analysis of placental membrane proteins was performed using a chemiluminescence kit and specific antibodies against AT1 receptor and Gαq/11 protein. Northern blot analyses of AT1 receptor and Gαq/11 mRNA expression were accomplished using random primed [32P]dCTP-labeled specific probes.

Results

The autoradiography of AT1 receptor mRNAs (2.4 kb) and proteins (83 kDa) showed a progressive 4.8-fold and 2.6-fold increase, respectively, during pregnancy, with maximal levels at term. We also observed progressive 1.8-fold and 4.5-fold increases of Gαq/11 protein (43 kDa) and mRNAs (4.5, 6.0, and 7.1 kb), respectively, during pregnancy, with maximal levels observed at term.

Conclusion

Our results demonstrate that both the human placental AT1 receptor content and the Gαq/11 protein level increase during pregnancy, and suggest that the AT1 receptor pathway may play a role in human placental physiology.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Montréal, Research Center, Ste-Justine Hospital, 3175 Côte Ste-Catherine, Montréal, Québec, Canada, H3T 1C5

    Alain Petit PhD, Pascale Geoffroy MSc & Serge Bélisle MD, MSc

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  1. Alain Petit PhD
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  2. Pascale Geoffroy MSc
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  3. Serge Bélisle MD, MSc
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Additional information

Some of these results were presented at the 42nd Annual Meeting of the Society for Gynecologic Investigation, March 15–18, 1995, Chicago, Illinois.

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Petit, A., Geoffroy, P. & Bélisle, S. Expression of Angiotensin II Type-I Receptor and Phospholipase C-Linked Gαq/11 Protein in the Human Placenta. Reprod. Sci. 3, 316–321 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1016/S1071-5576(96)00035-4

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