OR20-05 Regulation of Mouse Uterine Contractility by Regulator of G-Protein Signalling 2

INTRODUCTION: Uterine contractions in labour are produced by activation of receptors such as FP (PGF(2α)) and OXTR (oxytocin). Such receptors signal via G(αq) proteins that can be selectively turned off by the regulator of G-protein signaling 2 (RGS2). RGS2 expression can be upregulated by G(αs)-coupled receptor signaling. PGE(2) elicits various uterine effects, some via activation of Gαs-coupled receptors. In primary human myometrial cells, PGE(2) enhances RGS2 expression that attenuates subsequent oxytocin-stimulated calcium responses associated with contraction. RGS2 expression is higher in preterm non-labour versus labour human myometrium, suggesting that RGS2 promotes quiescence in the pregnant uterus. To directly study whether RGS2 dampens uterine contraction, we analyzed the ex vivo contractility of pregnant mouse uteri. We hypothesize that loss of RGS2 expression enhances oxytocin and PGF(2α)-stimulated uterine contractility. METHODS: Wildtype (WT) and RGS2 knockout (KO) female mice (8-14 weeks) were time-mated and euthanized on days 15-20 of pregnancy or during active labour (n=5-11 per group). Uteri were snap frozen for RNA/protein expression analysis by qPCR and western blot. Uterine sections from d18-19 were dissected into longitudinal strips for ex vivo contractility measurement. Tissues were submerged in Krebs-Henseleit buffer and tied to force transducers to measure isometric force development. Tissues were treated with or without 1μM PGE(2) for 2 hours. In parallel, pretreated and non-pretreated tissues were exposed to increasing concentrations of oxytocin or PGF(2α) (0.1-10uM). All tissues were treated with 100mM KCl to determine the maximum contraction at the end of the experiment. Data were analyzed by ANOVA (Bonferroni post-hoc), or Student’s t-test, as appropriate. RESULTS: RGS2 expression in WT uteri sharply decreases at day 19 (p<0.05), remaining low during labour. OXTR and FP receptor expression increase at day 19 (p<0.01 and p<0.05, respectively) and are sustained through labour. Compared to WT, uteri from KO mice produced larger oxytocin-stimulated contractile amplitudes (p<0.05), and more frequent PGF(2α)-stimulated contractions (p<0.05). PGE(2) pretreatment enhanced RGS2 expression in WT uteri, which reduced the peak amplitudes and integrals elicited by subsequent oxytocin treatment, compared to non-pretreated uteri (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: RGS2 may play a pro-quiescent role in pregnancy, since RGS2 loss enhances uterine contractility. Concomitant upregulation of pro-contractile receptors and RGS2 downregulation may facilitate labour activation. This mechanisms may be involved in the etiology of spontaneous preterm labour; loss of RGS2 expression observed in human preterm labour may allow for early contractile activation. Understanding RGS2’s role in quiescence is important to developing more effective strategies for managing preterm labour.