Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Apamin inhibits NO-induced relaxation of the spontaneous contractile activity of the myometrium from non-pregnant women

Modzelewska, Beata ; Kostrzewska, Anna ; Sipowicz, Marek ; Kleszczewski, Tomasz and Batra, Satish LU (2003) In Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology 1(8).
Abstract
There is now considerable evidence for the involvement of K+ channels in nitric oxide (NO) induced relaxation of smooth muscles including the myometrium. In order to assess whether apamin-sensitive K+ channels play a role in NO - induced relaxation of the human uterus, we have studied the effect of specific blockers of these channels on the relaxation of myometrium from non-pregnant women. In vitro isometric contractions were recorded in uterine tissues from non-pregnant premenopausal women who had undergone hysterectomy. Apamin (10 nM) and scyllatoxin (10 nM) did not alter spontaneous myometrial contractions. However, 15-min pretreatment of the myometrium strips with apamin completely inhibited relaxation caused by diethylamine-nitric... (More)
There is now considerable evidence for the involvement of K+ channels in nitric oxide (NO) induced relaxation of smooth muscles including the myometrium. In order to assess whether apamin-sensitive K+ channels play a role in NO - induced relaxation of the human uterus, we have studied the effect of specific blockers of these channels on the relaxation of myometrium from non-pregnant women. In vitro isometric contractions were recorded in uterine tissues from non-pregnant premenopausal women who had undergone hysterectomy. Apamin (10 nM) and scyllatoxin (10 nM) did not alter spontaneous myometrial contractions. However, 15-min pretreatment of the myometrium strips with apamin completely inhibited relaxation caused by diethylamine-nitric oxide (DEA/NO). The pretreatment with scyllatoxin significantly reduced (about 2.6 times) maximum relaxation of the strips induced by DEA/NO (p < 0.05). These results strongly suggest that, beside Ca2+ and voltage dependent charybdotoxin-sensitive (CTX-sensitive) K+ channels, apamin-sensitive K+ channels are also present in the human non-pregnant myometrium. These channels offer an additional target in the development of new tocolytic agents. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology
volume
1
issue
8
article number
8
publisher
BioMed Central (BMC)
external identifiers
  • pmid:12646073
  • scopus:4344605038
ISSN
1477-7827
DOI
10.1186/1477-7827-1-8
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
76ece3a7-229d-4290-879b-0b9025d45b3e (old id 1126825)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 16:34:14
date last changed
2022-01-28 20:34:08
@article{76ece3a7-229d-4290-879b-0b9025d45b3e,
  abstract     = {{There is now considerable evidence for the involvement of K+ channels in nitric oxide (NO) induced relaxation of smooth muscles including the myometrium. In order to assess whether apamin-sensitive K+ channels play a role in NO - induced relaxation of the human uterus, we have studied the effect of specific blockers of these channels on the relaxation of myometrium from non-pregnant women. In vitro isometric contractions were recorded in uterine tissues from non-pregnant premenopausal women who had undergone hysterectomy. Apamin (10 nM) and scyllatoxin (10 nM) did not alter spontaneous myometrial contractions. However, 15-min pretreatment of the myometrium strips with apamin completely inhibited relaxation caused by diethylamine-nitric oxide (DEA/NO). The pretreatment with scyllatoxin significantly reduced (about 2.6 times) maximum relaxation of the strips induced by DEA/NO (p &lt; 0.05). These results strongly suggest that, beside Ca2+ and voltage dependent charybdotoxin-sensitive (CTX-sensitive) K+ channels, apamin-sensitive K+ channels are also present in the human non-pregnant myometrium. These channels offer an additional target in the development of new tocolytic agents.}},
  author       = {{Modzelewska, Beata and Kostrzewska, Anna and Sipowicz, Marek and Kleszczewski, Tomasz and Batra, Satish}},
  issn         = {{1477-7827}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{8}},
  publisher    = {{BioMed Central (BMC)}},
  series       = {{Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology}},
  title        = {{Apamin inhibits NO-induced relaxation of the spontaneous contractile activity of the myometrium from non-pregnant women}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1477-7827-1-8}},
  doi          = {{10.1186/1477-7827-1-8}},
  volume       = {{1}},
  year         = {{2003}},
}