Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Vol 72, 899-904, Copyright © 1991 by Endocrine Society

ARTICLES

Expression of the human relaxin H1 gene in the decidua, trophoblast, and prostate

DJ Hansell, GD Bryant-Greenwood and FC Greenwood
Pacific Biomedical Research Center, University of Hawaii, Honolulu 96822.

Relaxin is a peptide hormone whose A- and B-chains are derived by posttranslational cleavage from a single 185-amino acid preprorelaxin. Two genes in the human genome (H1 and H2) code for two polypeptides significantly different in amino acid sequence. The full spectrum of biological activities of these two polypeptides has not been examined, but transcription appears to be limited to the H2 relaxin gene in the human corpus luteum. Relaxin is also synthesized by the human decidua, placental trophoblast, and prostate gland; therefore, the expression of the human relaxin genes in these tissues has been examined using the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The mRNA from decidua, placental trophoblast, and prostate was reverse transcribed and then amplified by polymerase chain reaction, using a series of oligonucleotide primers that were specific for but would not distinguish between human H1 and H2 relaxins. Using mRNA from these tissues, two amplified cDNA species were detected, whose identities were confirmed by Southern blots, HpaI and HpaII restriction enzyme analysis, and dideoxy sequencing. We have confirmed that the corpus luteum does not contain detectable H1 relaxin mRNA. However, we demonstrated for the first time relaxin H1 gene expression in the decidua, placental trophoblast, and prostate, and we have also shown that there are marked tissue differences in the relative amounts of expression of the H1 and H2 relaxin mRNA forms. The functional significance is unknown, but if both mRNAs are translated, differential expression of the two genes may result in tissue-specific differences in the production of these relaxins as well as in their binding and actions.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				K. A. Figueiredo, A. L. Mui, C. C. Nelson, and M. E. Cox Relaxin Stimulates Leukocyte Adhesion and Migration through a Relaxin Receptor LGR7-dependent Mechanism J. Biol. Chem., February 10, 2006; 281(6): 3030 - 3039. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Tang, J. Mazella, H. Hui Zhu, and L. Tseng Ligand activated relaxin receptor increases the transcription of IGFBP-1 and prolactin in human decidual and endometrial stromal cells Mol. Hum. Reprod., April 1, 2005; 11(4): 237 - 243. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				O. D. Sherwood Relaxin's Physiological Roles and Other Diverse Actions Endocr. Rev., April 1, 2004; 25(2): 205 - 234. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Sudo, J. Kumagai, S. Nishi, S. Layfield, T. Ferraro, R. A. D. Bathgate, and A. J. W. Hsueh H3 Relaxin Is a Specific Ligand for LGR7 and Activates the Receptor by Interacting with Both the Ectodomain and the Exoloop 2 J. Biol. Chem., February 28, 2003; 278(10): 7855 - 7862. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Hombach-Klonisch, S. Seeger, G. Tscheudschilsuren, J. Buchmann, B. Huppertz, G. Seliger, B. Fischer, and T. Klonisch Cellular localization of human relaxin-like factor in the cyclic endometrium and placenta Mol. Hum. Reprod., April 1, 2001; 7(4): 349 - 356. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. R.G. Challis, S. G. Matthews, W. Gibb, and S. J. Lye Endocrine and Paracrine Regulation of Birth at Term and Preterm Endocr. Rev., October 1, 2000; 21(5): 514 - 550. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				T. Klonisch, S. Hombach-Klonisch, C. Froehlich, J. Kauffold, K. Steger, B.G. Steinetz, and B. Fischer Canine Preprorelaxin: Nucleic Acid Sequence and Localization within the Canine Placenta Biol Reprod, March 1, 1999; 60(3): 551 - 557. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				T. Kohsaka,, G. Min,, G. Lukas,, S. Trupin,, E. T. Campbell,, and O. D. Sherwood Identification of Specific Relaxin-Binding Cells in the Human Female Biol Reprod, October 1, 1998; 59(4): 991 - 999. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				R. Telgmann, E. Maronde, K. Tasken, and B. Gellersen Activated Protein Kinase A Is Required for Differentiation-Dependent Transcription of the Decidual Prolactin Gene in Human Endometrial Stromal Cells Endocrinology, March 1, 1997; 138(3): 929 - 937. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. A. D. Bathgate, C. S. Samuel, T. C. D. Burazin, S. Layfield, A. A. Claasz, I. G. T. Reytomas, N. F. Dawson, C. Zhao, C. Bond, R. J. Summers, et al. Human Relaxin Gene 3 (H3) and the Equivalent Mouse Relaxin (M3) Gene. NOVEL MEMBERS OF THE RELAXIN PEPTIDE FAMILY J. Biol. Chem., January 4, 2002; 277(2): 1148 - 1157. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]