Espressione del recettore dell’oxitocina e del gene Oct-4 in cellule staminali umane da liquido amniotico

24 maggio 2008

Estratto da: Gynecol Endocrinol

Oxytocin receptor- and Oct-4-expressing cells in human amniotic fluid.

Stefanidis K, Loutradis D, Anastasiadou V, Bletsa R, Kiapekou E, Drakakis P, Beretsos P, Elenis E, Mesogitis S, Antsaklis A.

Laboratory of Stem Cells, Division of Reproductive Medicine, Alexandra Maternity Hospital, Athens, Greece. konstef@hol.gr
BACKGROUND/AIMS: The present clinical and molecular study aimed at investigating the presence of the genes encoding oxytocin receptor (OT-R) and Oct-4 in human amniotic fluid cells. METHODS: Amniotic fluid samples were obtained from amniocentesis. Cells from human amniotic fluid samples were analyzed for mRNA expression of OT-R and Oct-4 via reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Immunocytochemistry was also performed with OT-R and Oct-4 antibodies. RESULTS: RT-PCR from 10 independent amniocentesis samples demonstrated the expression of OT-R and Oct-4 mRNA. The cells also showed strong immunoreactivity for molecular markers of OT-R and Oct-4. CONCLUSION: OT-R and Oct-4 are expressed in human amniotic fluid cells. The role of oxytocin in the physiology and pathophysiology of amniotic fluid cells remains to be settled.