Lipidomic analysis reveals prostanoid profiles in human term pregnant myometrium

Prostanoids modulate the activity of human pregnant myometrium and their functional role can be appreciated through characterisation of prostanoid receptors and tissue concentration of prostanoids. We have applied a lipidomic approach to elucidate the profile of prostanoids in human non-labouring and labouring myometrium. We have identified a total of nineteen prostanoids including prostacyclin, thromboxanes, prostaglandins and dihydro-prostaglandins. Prostacyclin was the predominant prostanoid in both non-labouring and labouring myometria, with PGD2 and PGF2α being the second most abundant. Although the total amount of prostanoids was increased in the labouring tissue, PGE2 and 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGE2 were the only prostanoids to increase significantly at early and late labour (p≤0.001). Our data suggest that PGF2α plays an important role in parturition, whilst the increase in PGE2 could occur to facilitate cervical dilation and relaxation of the lower myometrium during labour. Although the elevation in TXA2 was less marked than expected, in terms of translation to function even a relatively small increase in the level of this potent spasmogen may have significant effects.