Oxytocin, PGE2 and PGF2 alpha stimulate the production of inositol phosphates in the rabbit myometrium.

Phosphoinositide breakdown is thought to be important in regulating a variety of transmembrane signal transduction in the action of oxytocic agent during uterine smooth muscle contraction. We investigated the effects of oxytocin and prostaglandins (PGE2 and PGF2 alpha) on phosphoinositide hydrolysis in the myometrium taken from non-pregnant and pregnant rabbits by measuring the accumulation of total inositol phosphates (IP). Oxytocin strongly, and PGE2 and PGF2 alpha slightly but significantly, stimulated IP production in both the non-pregnant and pregnant myometria. Oxytocin more markedly accelerated the IP production in pregnant myometrium than in non-pregnant myometrium. However, IP production stimulated by PGE2 and PGF2 alpha was much the same in non-pregnant and pregnant myometria. The amount and time course of the increase in the production of the total IPs by oxytocin are quite different from those by PGs. It seems that the mechanism by which oxytocin stimulates phospholipase C is different from that of the PGs. It is suggested that transmembrane signalling pathways of phosphoinositide hydrolysis play an important role in the each mechanism.