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Pregnancy alters gene expression in normal synovium: influence of age and parity
1McCaig Centre for Joint Injury and Arthritis Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. hartd@acs.ucalgary.ca
Objective:
To determine whether pregnancy leads to changes in mRNA levels for molecules in normal synovium in an experimental model.
Methods:
Total RNA was isolated from synovium of primigravida adolescent and skeletally mature rabbits, multiparous adult rabbits, and age matched controls. mRNA levels for cytokines, COX-2, iNOS, growth factors, proteinases and inhibitors, and matrix molecules were assessed by semiquantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction.
Results:
Pregnancy led to significant alterations in mRNA levels for 14/17, 6/17, and 5/17 genes in the 3 pregnant groups, respectively, compared to their controls. The only mRNA levels significantly depressed in all 3 groups were for collagen I and III, a finding consistent with a role for relaxin in the observed changes.
Conclusion:
Pregnancy can affect the molecular biology of the normal synovium and thus pregnancy associated hormones such as relaxin may also affect the inflamed synovium. The effect of relaxin in models of rheumatoid arthritis should be evaluated.