Regulation of uterine adaptation to pregnancy by sphingosine 1-phosphate, a bioactive phopholipid

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Pregnancy is accompanied by dramatic uterine adaptations to allow for development of a healthy placenta and to provide a safe environment in which to grow. This changes abruptly at the end of pregnancy when the uterus becomes activated and begins contracting to deliver the baby. Current research on the regulation of all these uterine changes focus primarily on the roles of proteins, hormones and prostaglandins. A well-known phospholipid which has recently been identified as an important factor within the reproductive field is sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P). However, little is known about the role of S1P in uterine adaptations to pregnancy. The long-term objectives of my program of research are to define the role of S1P in pregnancy-induced events such as 1) implantation and control of trophoblast invasion; 2) uterine activation prior to labour and 3) stimulation of myometrial contractions.