the oxytocin-oxytocin receptor system and its antagonists as tocolytic agentsoxytocin-oxytocin受体系统及其拮抗剂作为相关代理.pdfVIP

Hindawi Publishing Corporation International Journal of Endocrinology Volume 2011, Article ID 350546, 8 pages doi:10.1155/2011/350546 Review Article The Oxytocin-Oxytocin Receptor System and Its Antagonists as Tocolytic Agents Nikolaos Vrachnis,1 Fotodotis M. Malamas,2 Stavros Sifakis,3 Efthymios Deligeoroglou,1 and Zoe Iliodromiti1 1 2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aretaieio Hospital, University of Athens Medical School, 11526 Athens, Greece 2 1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alexandra Hospital, University of Athens Medical School, 11526 Athens, Greece 3 Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Hospital of Heraklion, 71110 Heraklion, Crete, Greece Correspondence should be addressed to Nikolaos Vrachnis, nvrachnis@med.uoa.gr Received 31 July 2011; Accepted 25 September 2011 Academic Editor: A. Marette Copyright © 2011 Nikolaos Vrachnis et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Oxytocin, a hormone involved in numerous physiologic processes, plays a central role in the mechanisms of parturition and lactation. It acts through its receptor, which belongs to the G-protein-coupled receptor superfamily, while Gq/phospholipase C (PLC)/inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate (InsP3) is the main pathway via which it exerts its action in the myometrium. Changes in receptor levels, receptor desensitization, and locally produced oxytocin are factors that influence the effect of oxytocin on uterine contractility in labor. Activation of oxytocin receptor causes myometrial contractions by increasing intracellular Ca+2 and production of prostaglandins. S