Effects of Fetal Sex on Expression of the (Pro)renin Receptor and Genes Influenced by its Interaction With Prorenin in Human Amnion. (June 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Pringle, Kirsty G.; Conquest, Alison; Mitchell, Carolyn; Zakar, Tamas; Lumbers, Eugenie R.
• Is Part Of: Reproductive sciences. Volume 22:Number 6(2015:Jun.)
• Page Start: 750
• Page End: 757
• Publication Date: 2015-06
• Subjects: amnion -- prorenin -- prorenin receptor -- transforming growth factor -- prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase 2; Reproductive health -- Periodicals; Reproduction -- Periodicals; 612.6
• DOI: 10.1177/1933719114561555
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1933-7191

Abstract

Males are more likely to be born preterm than females. The causes are unknown, but it is suggested that intrauterine tissues regulate fetal growth and survival in a sex-specific manner. We postulated that prorenin binding to its prorenin/renin receptor receptor ( ATP6AP2 ) would act in a fetal sex-specific manner in human amnion to regulate the expression of promyelocytic zinc finger, a negative regulator of ATP6AP2 expression as well as 2 pathways that might influence the onset of labor, namely transforming growth factor β1 ( TGFB1 ) and prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase 2 ( PTGS2 ). Our findings demonstrate that there are strong interactions between prorenin, ATP6AP2, and TGFB1 and that this system has a greater capacity in female amnion to stimulate profibrotic pathways, thus maintaining the integrity of the fetal membranes. In contrast, glucocorticoids or other factors independent of the prorenin/prorenin receptor pathway may be important regulators of PTGS2 in human pregnancy.