Up-regulation of rho A and rho-kinase mRNAs in the rat myometrium during pregnancy

It has recently been suggested that rho A and rho kinase (ROK) play a role in the increase in the Ca2+ sensitivity of the smooth muscle myofilaments. In the present study, we investigated the mRNA expressions of rho A and two types of ROK (alpha and beta) in the myometrium obtained from both non-pregnant and pregnant rats. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) experiments using total RNA from these tissue specimens and the specific primers revealed rho A and both types of ROK mRNAs to be expressed in the rat myometrium. The mRNA expressions of rho A, ROK alpha and ROK beta in the pregnant myometrium were found to increase in comparison to those in the nonpregnant myometrium. These results thus support the idea that the up-regulation of these proteins might be involved in the mechanism underlying the increased contractility of the pregnant myometrium. (C) 1997 Academic Press