Vasopressin receptor expression in the placenta

Abstract

The arginine vasopressin (AVP) type 1a receptor (V1a) is well known to mediate vasoconstriction. In pregnancy, blood flow in the placenta is crucial for sustaining normal growth and development of the fetus. This is the first AVP receptor study in the placenta and fetal membranes. The aim was to compare, quantitatively, the level of V1a gene expression with that of a known marker for vascularization, aquaporin I (AQP1). V1a and AQP1 gene expression did not correlate; placental V1a mRNA levels were significantly upregulated at 45 and 66 ± 1 compared with 27, 100 ± 4, and 140 days (term ∼150 days). V1a mRNA levels were much lower in fetal membranes in which no significant difference across ges..