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The Effects of Sex Steroids on Human Umbilical Artery and Vein

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Abstract

Objective

To define the vascular actions of selected sex steroids on human umbilical artery and vein and to determine whether there are any gender-specific differences in vasorelaxation between umbilical cord vessels of male and female fetuses.

Methods

Segments of umbilical artery (n = 12) and umbilical vein (n = 8) from male and female fetuses were suspended in organ baths of Krebs solution for isometric tension recording. The vessels were contracted using 60 mM potassium chloride followed by exposure to increasing concentrations (10-7 to 10-4 M) of sex steroid hormones (estradiol-17β, estriol, estrone, testosterone, and progesterone). A specific estrogen receptor antagonist (ICI 164,384) was used to attempt to block the estradiol effect. Changes in tension were recorded.

Results

Of the agents tested, estradiol- 17β had the greatest effect (25—29% relaxation at 10-4 M concentration), which was uninhibited by a specific receptor antagonist. The other steroids tested had no significant effect, even at 10-4 M concentration. The umbilical artery is slightly more sensitive to the effects of estradiol than the umbilical vein. There were no gender-specific differences noted in either artery or vein harvested from male or female fetuses.

Conclusion

Estradiol-11β in supraphysiologic concentrations has a non-receptor—mediated vasorelaxation effect on human umbilical blood vessels. (J Soc Gynecol Invest 1999;6:27–31)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Divisions of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA

    M. Bardett Fausett MD, Michael A. Belfort MD, Roz Nanda MD, George R. Saade MD & Yuri Vedernikov MD, PhD

  2. The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, Texas, USA

    M. Bardett Fausett MD, Michael A. Belfort MD, Roz Nanda MD, George R. Saade MD & Yuri Vedernikov MD, PhD

  3. Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA

    M. Bardett Fausett MD, Michael A. Belfort MD, Roz Nanda MD, George R. Saade MD & Yuri Vedernikov MD, PhD

Authors
  1. M. Bardett Fausett MD
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  2. Michael A. Belfort MD
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  3. Roz Nanda MD
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  4. George R. Saade MD
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  5. Yuri Vedernikov MD, PhD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Michael A. Belfort MD.

Additional information

This work was supported by a Grant-In-Aid from the American Heart Association and by a grant from The Women’s Fund of Texas.

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Fausett, M.B., Belfort, M.A., Nanda, R. et al. The Effects of Sex Steroids on Human Umbilical Artery and Vein. Reprod. Sci. 6, 27–31 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1177/107155769900600107

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