Functional involvement of protein kinase C, Rho-kinase and TRPC3 decreases while PLC increases with advancement of pregnancy in mediating oxytocin-induced myometrial contractions in water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis)

Abstract Present study unravels the involvement of different calcium signaling pathways in oxytocin-induced contractions in myometrium of non-pregnant and pregnant buffaloes during early and mid-pregnancy stages. Uteri of pregnant animals were more sensitive than of non-pregnant buffaloes. Phasic contractions and frequency of contraction significantly increased with advancement of pregnancy, while tonic contractions non-significantly and amplitude significantly decreased from six months pregnancy onward. Oxytocin produced concentration-dependent-contraction on isolated myometrial strips of pregnant and non-pregnant buffaloes and the dose response curves (DRCs) of oxytocin were significantly (P  2+ -free Ringer Locke solution (RLS), ruthenium red (30 μM), ruthenium red + nifedipine, cyclopiazonic acid (CPA; Ca 2+ free RLS as well as RLS), CPA (10 μM)+nifedipine, U-73122 (1 μM) + nifedipine and SKF96365 (25 μM) on uteri of non-pregnant and pregnant (early and mid) animals. The DRCs were also significantly shifted towards right in the presence of Y-27632 (10 μM), GF109203X (5 μM) and Pyr3 (10 μM) on uteri of non-pregnant and early pregnancy stage buffaloes while only in the presence of U-73122 (1 μM) on uteri of mid-pregnancy stage buffaloes. Our finding suggest that and L-type Ca 2+ channels, IP3-RyR-gated, and store-operated calcium channels including transient receptor potential channel (TRPC) pathways play significant role in mediating oxytocin-induced contractions in myometrium of pregnant and non-pregnant buffaloes. SERCA plays major role only during early-pregnancy while functional role of protein kinase C (PKC), Rho-kinase and TRPC3 pathways decreased and role of G-protein coupled receptor-phospholipase C (GPCR-PLC) pathway increased with advancement of pregnancy.