This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a related Letter to the Editor Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Copyright Permission Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Ando, H. Articles by Mizutani, S. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Ando, H. Articles by Mizutani, S.

Premenstrual Disappearance of Aminopeptidase A in Endometrial Stromal Cells around Endometrial Spiral Arteries/Arterioles during the Decidual Change

Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology (H.A., M.N., S.-I.T., Y.K., S.T., Y.M., A.I., S.M.) and Maternal and Perinatal Medicine (H.A., S.M.), Nagoya University School of Medicine, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan; and Division of Pathology, Clinical Laboratory, Nagoya University Hospital (T.N.), Nagoya 466-8560, Japan

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Dr. Hisao Ando, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nagoya University School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan. E-mail: . ando{at}med.nagoya-u.ac.jp

Abstract

Aminopeptidase A (APA, BP-1) is a membrane-bound zinc metallopeptidase that converts angiotensin II (AngII) into AngIII by selectively hydrolyzing the N-terminal aspartyl residue. AngII has been proposed as a candidate for the initial vasoconstrictor of endometrial spiral arteries/arterioles in the preliminary step of menstruation. In the late secretory phase, endometrial stromal cells (ESC) around the blood vessels begin to differentiate into decidual cells, and AngII has been reported to accumulate around such vessels. However, whether there is a concurrent increase in renin or angiotensin-converting enzyme in this area has not been determined. We hypothesized that APA may be involved in the metabolism of AngII in the cycling endometrium.

Western blot analysis in the present study demonstrated that a considerable amount of APA was present in the secretory phase endometrium. ESC in the secretory phase showed strong expression of APA by immunohistochemical analysis and of APA mRNA by in situ hybridization. In contrast, both APA mRNA and protein were absent in decidual cells. The enzyme activity and the biosynthesis of [³⁵S]methionine-labeled APA significantly decreased during the in vitro decidualization of cultured ESC.

These results suggest that the perivascular disappearance of APA is a differentiation-specific change that occurs along with the decidualization, and that the disappearance of APA might accelerate the accumulation of AngII around the vessels.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. Iwase, H. Ando, T. Nagasaka, M. Goto, T. Harata, and F. Kikkawa Distribution of Endothelin-converting Enzyme-1 and Neutral Endopeptidase in Human Endometrium J. Histochem. Cytochem., December 1, 2007; 55(12): 1229 - 1235. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Iwase, H. Ando, T. Nagasaka, D. Shibata, T. Harata, Y. Shimomura, M. Goto, and F. Kikkawa Neutral Endopeptidase Expressed by Decidualized Stromal Cells Suppresses Akt Phosphorylation and Deoxyribonucleic Acid Synthesis Induced by Endothelin-1 in Human Endometrium Endocrinology, November 1, 2006; 147(11): 5153 - 5159. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Suganuma, K. Ino, K. Shibata, H. Kajiyama, T. Nagasaka, S. Mizutani, and F. Kikkawa Functional Expression of the Angiotensin II Type1 Receptor in Human Ovarian Carcinoma Cells and Its Blockade Therapy Resulting in Suppression of Tumor Invasion, Angiogenesis, and Peritoneal Dissemination Clin. Cancer Res., April 1, 2005; 11(7): 2686 - 2694. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Shibata, H. Ando, A. Iwase, T. Nagasaka, A. Hattori, M. Tsujimoto, and S. Mizutani Distribution of Adipocyte-derived Leucine Aminopeptidase (A-LAP)/ER-aminopeptidase (ERAP)-1 in Human Uterine Endometrium J. Histochem. Cytochem., September 1, 2004; 52(9): 1169 - 1175. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y. Watanabe, K. Shibata, F. Kikkawa, H. Kajiyama, K. Ino, A. Hattori, M. Tsujimoto, and S. Mizutani Adipocyte-Derived Leucine Aminopeptidase Suppresses Angiogenesis in Human Endometrial Carcinoma via Renin-Angiotensin System Clin. Cancer Res., December 15, 2003; 9(17): 6497 - 6503. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y. Murata, H. Ando, T. Nagasaka, I. Takahashi, K. Saito, H. Fukugaki, K. Matsuzawa, and S. Mizutani Successful Pregnancy after Bromocriptine Therapy in an Anovulatory Woman Complicated with Ovarian Hyperstimulation Caused by Follicle-Stimulating Hormone-Producing Plurihormonal Pituitary Microadenoma J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., May 1, 2003; 88(5): 1988 - 1993. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]