Role of lipid rafts in human placental nitric oxide production

LEGUIZAMÓN G; ABÁN C. ; MARTINEZ NORA; VANESA HERLAX; SABINA MATE; FRANCHI AM; DAMIANO AE.; FARINA MG.

Las Vegas

Congreso; 37th Annual Pregnancy Meeting - Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM); 2017

OBJECTIVE: Abnormal Nitric Oxide (NO) production has been associated with pregnancy complications. Anandamide (AEA) is an endocannabinoid produced by the placenta that acts as endogenous ligand of cannabinoid (CBs) and vinilloid (TRPV 1) receptors.AEA can modulate NO production. We aim to determine the role of lipid rafts (LRs) on the differential regulation of AEA on NO production.STUDY DESIGN: Placental samples from term labor (TL) (n¼14) and term no labor (TNL) (n¼15) women were obtained. Placental explants were incubated with AEA (10 -7 M), capsazepin, antagonist of TRPV1 (CZP) (10 -6 M), capsaicin, agonist of TRPV1 (CSI) (10 -6); and AM251, antagonist of CB1 receptor (10 -7). Subsequently, nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity was determined by Bredt & Snyder technique. Two main components of LRs, Flotillin-1 and caveolin-1 (cav-1), were analyzed in detergent resistant membranes obtained by ultracentrifugation. The expression of CB1, TRPV1, eNOS, caveolin-1, and flotillin-1 was determined by Western Blot analysis. Localization of TRPV1 and CB1 receptors was analyzed byimmunohistochemistry.RESULTS: Activity of NOS was not different between labor and no labor explants. AEA presented a dual effect increasing NOS activity in (TNL) and decreasing in (TL) explants (p