The Stress-responsive Heme Oxygenase (HO)-1 Isoenzyme is Increased in Labouring Myometrium where it Regulates Contraction-associated Proteins

Abstract

PROBLEM: Sterile inflammation through activation of cytokine receptor signalling pathways and viral or bacterial infection via activation of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) induces a cascade of events that leads to myometrial contractions and spontaneous preterm delivery. In non-pregnant tissues, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is thought to play a central role in regulating the inflammatory response. Thus, the aims of this study were to determine the effect of human term labour on HO-1 expression in human myometrium and to investigate the role of HO-1 in myometrial primary cells in response to cytokine- and TLR ligand-induced inflammation. METHOD OF STUDY: Localization and expression of HO-1 protein in ..