2004 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Changes in blood vessel stability and its regulation in the corpus luteum during pregnancy in rats
| Project/Area Number |
15591753
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Obstetrics and gynecology
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| Research Institution | Yamaguchi University |
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Principal Investigator |
SUGINO Norihiro Yamaguchi University, School of Medicine, Professor, 医学部, 教授 (10263782)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
TAKIGUCHI Shuji Yamaguchi University, Hospital, Research Associate, 医学部附属病院, 助手 (60359908)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2003 – 2004
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| Keywords | corpus luteum / angiogenesis / vascular leakage / angiopoietin / Tie-2 / regenerative medicine / estradiol / estradiol |
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| Research Abstract |
The present study investigates changes in blood vessel stability and its regulation in the corpus luteum (CL) during pregnancy in rats. First, blood vessel stability in the CL was evaluated on days 3, 7. 9, 12, 15 and 21 of pregnancy based on the vascular leakage, which was quantified by Evans blue assay. Vascular leakage was highest on day 3, thereafter decreased until day 15 and increased on day 21 again, suggesting that blood vessels in the CL are not stabilized on day 3 yet, stabilized during mid-pregnancy, and destabilized on day 21 of pregnancy. Secondly, to study the regulation of blood vessel stability, expression of angiopoietins was examined in the CL during pregnancy. Immunohistochemical study showed both angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1) and Ang-2 expressions in luteal cells. Ang-1 mRNA and protein levels were significantly higher on days 12 and 15 than those on days 3 and 21, whereas there was no significant change in Ang-2 expression. Since estradiol stimulates angiogenesis and contributes to CL development during mid-pregnancy, we finally studied whether estradiol regulates blood vessel stability and angiopoietin expression. Rats undergoing hypophysectomy-hysterectomy (Hypox-Hect) on day 12 were treated with estradiol until day 15. Vascular leakage was increased and Ang-1 expression was decreased by Hypox-Hect, and these effects were completely reversed by estradiol treatment. In conclusion, blood vessel stability in the CL is likely to be associated with CL development and CL regression, and may be regulated by angiopoietins. Estradiol contributes to blood vessel stabilization via Ang-1 in the CL during mid-pregnancy.
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Research Products
(12 results)
