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Effects of Fetal Sex on Expression of the (Pro)renin Receptor and Genes Influenced by its Interaction With Prorenin in Human Amnion

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Abstract

Males are more likely to be born preterm than females. The causes are unknown, but it is suggested that intrauterine tissues regulate fetal growth and survival in a sex-specific manner. We postulated that prorenin binding to its prorenin/renin receptor receptor (ATP6AP2) would act in a fetal sex-specific manner in human amnion to regulate the expression of promyelocytic zinc finger, a negative regulator of ATP6AP2 expression as well as 2 pathways that might influence the onset of labor, namely transforming growth factor β1 (TGFB1) and prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2). Our findings demonstrate that there are strong interactions between prorenin, ATP6AP2, and TGFB1 and that this system has a greater capacity in female amnion to stimulate profibrotic pathways, thus maintaining the integrity of the fetal membranes. In contrast, glucocorticoids or other factors independent of the prorenin/prorenin receptor pathway may be important regulators of PTGS2 in human pregnancy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia

    Kirsty G. Pringle BSc, PhD, Alison Conquest B. Biomed. Sci. & Eugenie R. Lumbers MBBS, MD, DSc

  2. Mothers and Babies Research Centre, Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia

    Kirsty G. Pringle BSc, PhD, Alison Conquest B. Biomed. Sci., Carolyn Mitchell BSc, Tamas Zakar MD, PhD & Eugenie R. Lumbers MBBS, MD, DSc

  3. School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia

    Carolyn Mitchell BSc & Tamas Zakar MD, PhD

Authors
  1. Kirsty G. Pringle BSc, PhD
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  2. Alison Conquest B. Biomed. Sci.
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  3. Carolyn Mitchell BSc
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  4. Tamas Zakar MD, PhD
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  5. Eugenie R. Lumbers MBBS, MD, DSc
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Correspondence to Kirsty G. Pringle BSc, PhD.

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Pringle, K.G., Conquest, A., Mitchell, C. et al. Effects of Fetal Sex on Expression of the (Pro)renin Receptor and Genes Influenced by its Interaction With Prorenin in Human Amnion. Reprod. Sci. 22, 750–757 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1177/1933719114561555

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1933719114561555

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