Studies on pregnancy maintenance mediated by fetal and endocrine factors

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K10110
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Embryonic/Neonatal medicine
• Research Institution: Tokai University
• Principal Investigator: ISHIMOTO Hitoshi 東海大学, 医学部, 教授 (10212937)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 三塚 加奈子 東海大学, 医学部, 助教 (00514639) ; 東郷 敦子 東海大学, 医学部, 講師 (20408024) ; 宮澤 昌樹 東海大学, 医学部, 客員講師 (30624572) ; 菅野 秀俊 東海大学, 医学部, 助教 (90631804)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 妊娠維持機構

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In search for pregnancy-maintaining mechanisms, we studied on fetal and endocrine factors. The obtained data are as follows: 1) mRNA expression in amniotic epithelial cells are low with progesterone (P4) nuclear receptor, SRD5A1, AKR1C1, AKR1C2, and AKR1C3. In contrast, PGRMC1, a membranous P4 receptor, showed high mRNA levels. The mRNA levels of HSD17B2 and decorin (DCN), which stabilizes collagen structure, were scarce in amniotic epithelial cells, but were very high in amniotic stromal cells. Such DCN mRNA expression was decreased in late gestation. 2) RNA sequence analysis in NCI-H295A (fetal adrenocortical cell model) and NCI-H295R cells, which have differential biological properties, revealed several new findings that should guide future research on the outer-zone selective cell proliferation seen in the human fetal adrenal gland, and on an inhibiting mechanism of cortisol synthesis.

Free Research Field

周産期医学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究により、これまで明らかでなかった羊膜局所でのプロゲステロン(P4)濃度維持機構の存在と機能的P4減少の可能性を示すことができ、また妊娠中の胎児由来内分泌因子産生源として重要なヒト胎児副腎の発育や機能調節解明のきっかけとなる知見を得ることができた。このような胎児と内分泌因子が関与する妊娠維持機構の分子基盤解明の試みは、複雑な分娩発来機構の理解を通じ将来の早産予防法開発に繋がることが期待される。