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Updated: Aug 9, 2026
Contractility Measurements of Human Uterine Smooth Muscle to Aid Drug Development
Published on: January 26, 2018
The effect of imatinib mesylate on the contractility of isolated rabbit myometrial strips
G Hutchings1, J Deprest, B Nilius
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Leuven, Belgium. livvygraham@yahoo.co.uk
Background:
C-kit receptor expressing interstitial cells generate and coordinate the electrical signals that control peristalsis in the gut. However, the function of interstitial cells in the myometrium is not known.
Methods:
(1) Sections of rabbit myometrium were subjected to immunohistochemical staining for the c-kit receptor. (2) Spontaneously contracting myometrial strips from New Zealand White rabbits near term were mounted in an organ bath and attached to a tension-recording device. The effect of increased concentrations of the c-kit receptor antagonist imatinib mesylate on these contractions was observed. The main outcome measures were the change in frequency, amplitude and duration of contraction.
Results:
(1) Multipolar cells expressing c-kit were identified in the fibromuscular septum confirming the presence of interstitial cells in rabbit myometrium. (2) Imatinib decreased the amplitude of contractions by approximately 20% at 100 microM. No effect was seen at lower concentrations. No effect of imatinib on frequency or duration of contractions was observed at any of the concentrations studied.
Conclusions:
In isolated rabbit myometrium, acute inhibition of the c-kit receptor by imatinib mesylate affects only the amplitude of spontaneous contractions at concentrations, the equivalent of x10-100 the normal therapeutic concentration.
