Seham Alsaif
University of Liverpool, UK
Title: The effect of visfatin and dyslipidemia on uterine contractility
Biography
Biography: Seham Alsaif
Abstract
Adipose tissue secretes adipokines which have been linked to the pathophysiology of pregnancy-related complications. Visfatin is a recently discovered adipokine whose levels were reported to be increased during obesity and pregnancy. The aim of this study is to examine the effect of visfatin on mouse myometrial contractility, both wild type and APOE knockouts (hyperlipidemia model). Myometrial strips from term non pregnant and pregnant Wild Type (WT) and APOE Knock-Out (KO) mice were dissected, super fused with physiological saline and the effects of visfatin (10 nM–150 nM), on spontaneous and oxytocin-induced contractions (0.5-1 nM) were studied. After regular contractions were established, contractility was examined for control of 100% and test response at 37°C for 10 min. Visfatin had a relaxant effect on pregnant mouse myometrium. This effect was small in pregnant tissue contracting spontaneously. For example, in the pregnant WT myometrium, 10-150 nM visfatin produced a reduction in the 5 min area under the curve (AUC) of 95±3%, (n=8), However under more physiological conditions, oxytocin-induced contractions, a larger decrease was found (AUC=76±9%, n=4), mean±SEM. In the dyslipidemia APOE KO, the stimulation by oxytocin was reduced the AUC by (97±6%, n=4) compared to spontaneous contractions (104±4%, n=5). Together these data suggest that increased output of visfatin and dyslipidemia in obese pregnant women may impair uterine contractility resulting in labor related complications.