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Regulation of Endocrine Function in Human Placenta—Is it similar to hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal axis?

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Reproductive Immunology

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Abstract

Human placenta by virtue of its ability to produce, protein-peptide and steroid hormones, functions as a transient hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal axis during pregnancy. In the present study, we have examined some aspects of regulation of GnRH, chorionic gonadotropin (CG) and progesterone under in vitro conditions. We have demonstrated the presence of mRNA for GnRH receptor and progesterone receptor by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RTPCR) and Western blot in human placenta and established their functional importance. Inhibition of estrogen synthesis by addition of CGS 16949A resulted in an increase in immunoreactive GnRH levels. Addition of dexomethasone had a differential effect on alpha and beta CG mRNA levels in first trimester human placenta (FTHP) and term placenta (TP). Results of studies on the effect of addition of RU486 and ZK98299 on the formation of progesterone receptor/progesterone response element (PR/PRE) complex revealed that the interaction of progesterone receptor with the agonists and antagonists during early and late pregnancy is different.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry and Department of Molecular Reproduction, Development and Genetics, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, 560 012, India

    Sumana Santra, Y. Gopi Shanker & A. Jagannadha Rao

Authors
  1. Sumana Santra
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  2. Y. Gopi Shanker
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  3. A. Jagannadha Rao
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Gamete Antigen Laboratory, National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi, India

    Satish K. Gupta (Chief) (Chief)

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© 1999 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

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Santra, S., Shanker, Y.G., Rao, A.J. (1999). Regulation of Endocrine Function in Human Placenta—Is it similar to hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal axis?. In: Gupta, S.K. (eds) Reproductive Immunology. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-4197-0_18

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-4197-0_18

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-5825-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-011-4197-0

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