N-Acylethanolamine Levels and Expression of Their Metabolizing Enzymes during Pregnancy

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2010

Authors

Fonseca, BM (Author) Other; Correia da Silva, G (Author) FFUP; Taylor, AH (Author) Other; Lam, PMW (Author) Other; Marczylo, TH (Author) Other; Konje, JC (Author) Other; Bell, SC (Author) Other; Teixeira, NA (Author) FFUP

Journal

Title: Endocrinology

Vol. 151

Pages: 3965-3974

ISSN: 0013-7227

Publisher: Endocrine Society

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 34 Citations

Scopus - 37 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Medical and Health sciences > Clinical medicine

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-003-47R

DOI: 10.1210/en.2009-1424

Abstract (EN): Decidualization is essential for a successful pregnancy and is a tightly regulated process influenced by the local microenvironment. Lipid-based mediators, such as the endocannabinoid anandamide, and other compounds that have cannabimimetic actions may act on the decidua during early pregnancy. In this study, the levels of N-arachidonoylethanolamine (anandamide) and two other N-acylethanolamines, N-oleoylethanolamine and N-palmitoylethanolamine, were measured in rat plasma and maternal tissues between d 8 and 19 of pregnancy by ultraperformance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. The spatiotemporal expression of N-acylethanolamine metabolizing enzymes in implantation units were also determined by quantitative PCR, Western blot, and immunohistochemistry and shown to vary with gestation being mainly localized in decidual cells. The data also indicated that plasma and tissues levels of all three N-acylethanolamines fluctuate throughout pregnancy. Tissue levels of endocannabinoids did not correlate with plasma, suggesting that during pregnancy, maternal tissue levels of endocannabinoids are primarily regulated by in situ production and degradation to create endocannabinoid gradients conducive to successful pregnancy. (Endocrinology 151: 3965-3974, 2010)

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific