Open AccessCatechol‐O‐methyltransferase activity in red blood cells in threatened preterm labor; effect of indomethacin and nylidrin
Author(s) -
Kurki Tapio,
Schultz Eija,
Lindé IngeBritt,
Ylikorkala Olavi
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
acta obstetricia et gynecologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.401
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1600-0412
pISSN - 0001-6349
DOI - 10.3109/00016349109006208
Subject(s) - medicine , catechol o methyl transferase , gestation , pregnancy , gestational age , preterm labor , uterine contraction , endocrinology , obstetrics , uterus , biology , biochemistry , allele , genetics , gene
Catecholamines that are released in excess during human labor are inactivated mainly by catechol‐0‐methyltransferase (COMT). To ascertain whether uterine contractions are associated with changes in COMT activity in red blood cells (RBCs), we studied 25 women with established threat of preterm labor between 25 and 33 weeks of gestation, 25 gestational age‐matched control women not experiencing uterine contractions, 25 women who were in term labor, and 25 non‐pregnant healthy women. COMT activity in pregnant women without uterine contractions (median 0.3, range 0.1–0.8 pmoUmg/min) was lower (p< 0.05) than that in non‐pregnant control series (median 0.5, range 0.3–0.7 pmoUmg/min). RBCs' COMT activity in women with preterm labor (median 0.6, range 0.2–1.1 pmoUmg/min) was greater (p<0.05) than that in pregnant and non‐pregnant control women, but similar to that during term labor (median 0.5, range 0.2–1.7 pmoU mg/min). Women with preterm labor were treated with indomethacin (12 women) or nylidrin (13 women). Nylidrin treatment was accompanied by a 35% rise in COMT activity 3 h later, whereas indomethacin caused no significant change. Apart from cessation of uterine contractions during tocolysis, 13 women went into labor before the 37th gestational week, but their pretreatment COMT activity (median 0.7, range 0.2–1.1 pmol/mg/min) did not differ from COMT activity in women whose pregnancy proceeded to term (median 0.5, range 0.3–1.0 pmoUmg/min). We conclude that 1) uterine contractions, no matter whether preterm or term, were associated with elevated COMT activity in RBCs;, 2) COMT assay was of no help in predicting the outcome of premature contractions;, 3) nylidrin led to a short‐term increase in COMT activity.