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Reduced Maternal Plasma Urocortin Concentrations and Impaired Uterine Artery Blood Flow at Human Mid Pregnancy

Giulia Calonaci, MD

Filiberto M. Severi, MD

Michela Torricelli, MD

Catenina Bocchi, MD

Giovina Fiore, PhD

Elizabeth A. Linton, PhD

Department of Pediatnrcs, Obstetncs and Reproductive Medicine, University of Siena, Siena Italy, Nuffield Departement of Obstetncs and Gynecology, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom

Felice Petraglia, MD

Department of Pediatnrcs, Obstetncs and Reproductive Medicine, University of Siena, Pohchnico "Le Scotte," viale Bracci 53100 Siena; Nuffield Departement of Obstetncs and Gynecology, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; petraglia{at}unisi.it

Objective: Urocortin is a placental neuropeptide belonging to the family of corticotropin-releasing factors (CRFs), playing a role in the uteroplacental blood flow regulation through the binding to spectflc CRF receptors. Since CRF receptors are expressed in the uterine vascular bed of pregnant rats, and because urocortin has a relaxant effect on uterine vasculature, we evaluated mid-gestation plasma urocortin levels in women with impaired bloodflow through uterine arteries.

Methods: Maternal plasma urocortin was assayed by specfic radioimmunoassay and uterine artery resistance index (RI) by Doppler evaluation at 22-24 weeks'gestation in 57 healthy pregnant women, of which 29 showed a monolateral or bilateral uterine artery notch. Statistical analysis was performed by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), followed by post-hoc Tukey test for multiple comparison and Pearson correlation coefficient test.

Results: The mean uterine artery RI was signficantly (P <. 001) higher in women with a notch than healthy controls. Mean ± SEM maternal plasma urocortin levels were significantly (P <.001) lower in women with unilateral (52.03 ± 3.25 pg/mL) or bilateral (47.01 ± 4.16 pg/mL) uterine artery notch than in healthy control pregnant women (84.01 + 3.5 pg/mL). While no difference was found in urocortin levels between patients with unilateral or bilateral uterine artery notch, urocortin concentrations inversely correlated with the mean RI (Pearson r = -0.7318; 95% confidence interval-0.8334 to-0.5822; P <.0001).

Conclusions: The present findings suggest that reduced levels of circulating urocortin are associated with increased uterine artery resistances and support the hypothesis that urocortin may regulate uterine artery tone at mid gestation.

Key Words: Urocortin • Doppler • endothelium • vasodilatation • uterine artery

Journal of the Society for Gynecologic Investigation, Vol. 12, No. 3, 191-194 (2005)
DOI: 10.1016/j.jsgi.2004.11.002


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