キタハラ シユウジ   KITAHARA Shuji
  北原 秀治
   所属   研究施設 研究施設
   職種   特任准教授
論文種別 原著
言語種別 英語
査読の有無 査読あり
表題 Role of uterine contraction in regeneration of the murine postpartum endometrium.
掲載誌名 正式名:Biology of reproduction
略  称:Biol Reprod
ISSNコード:15297268/00063363
掲載区分国外
巻・号・頁 91(2),pp.32
著者・共著者 Yoshii Asuka, Kitahara Shuji, Ueta Hisashi, Matsuno Kenjiro, Ezaki Taichi
発行年月 2014/08
概要 The endometrium undergoes continuous repair and regeneration without scarring throughout the reproductive life of women. However, the mechanisms responsible for this complete restoration remain mostly unexplored. We hypothesized that the ischemic state and local hypoxia present after parturition may create a special microenvironment for endometrial healing, and that this ischemia might be caused by reduction in organ volume via postpartum uterine contraction. Here, we developed a mouse model using a combination of cesarean section and the administration of a beta 2 adrenergic receptor agonist (ritodrine hydrochloride) in postpartum mice that had been ovariectomized to exclude the effect of ovarian hormones. Our results revealed that transient hypoxia indeed occurred in postpartum uteri. Furthermore, we found that the number of M2 macrophages, which play a central role in wound healing, peaked on Postpartum Day 3 and gradually decreased thereafter in hypoxic injury sites. Almost concurrently, significant upregulation of vascular endothelial growth factor and transforming growth factor beta (TGFbeta) was observed. In particular, the antifibrotic factor TGFbeta3 was released during the endometrial healing process. These changes were significantly suppressed by inhibition of uterine contraction. Taken together, these results suggest that uterine contraction is essential, not only for hemostasis, but also for endometrial regeneration, leading to a process that involves the activation of macrophages, increased endometrial cell proliferation, and upregulation of nonfibrotic growth factors. This study paves the way to a novel approach for investigating the process of scarless wound healing.
DOI 10.1095/biolreprod.114.117929
PMID 24966392