Gestational modulation of myometrial proteins in the timed-pregnant Sprague-Dawley rat.

These studies sought to test the hypothesis that the expression of myometrial proteins is modulated as the onset of parturition approaches. Myometrial proteins from timed-pregnant rats were analyzed utilizing sodium dodecylsulfate polyacrylamide gel and 2-dimensional electrophoresis, and Western blot techniques. SDS-PAGE gels demonstrated increased expression of at least 10 protein bands from 17 to 200+ KD. 2-dimensional gels confirmed the presence of at least five groups of gestationally modulated proteins. Western blots for phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C demonstrated significant modulation of the expression of three isozymes. These studies have confirmed differential expression of myometrial proteins near term in the timed-pregnant rat; some of which play an important role in intracellular signal transduction in response to hormones and pharmacologic agents.