Pregnancy reduces noradrenaline but not neuropeptide levels in the uterine artery of the guinea-pig

Using histochemical, immunohistochemical and biochemical techniques, noradrenaline-, neuropeptide Y-, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-, substance P- and calcitonin gene-related peptide-containing nerve fibres were studied in the uterine artery of virgin, progesterone-treated and pregnant guinea-pigs. Morphological changes following hormone treatment or in pregnancy were also evaluated in a quantitative study on semithin sections of the uterine artery. In late pregnancy, the number of noradrenaline-containing nerve fibres, which formed the densest plexus in virgin animals, was significantly decreased, a finding supported by a significant reduction in noradrenaline levels. This reduction was not mimicked by systemic progesterone treatment. In contrast, the innervation of the uterine artery by neuropeptide Y-containing nerve fibres was increased in pregnancy, while the other peptidergic nerves and peptide levels were unchanged after progesterone treatment and in pregnancy. These changes led to a predominance of innervation by neuropeptide Y- rather than noradrenaline-containing nerve fibres in late pregnancy. No morphological changes were detected following progesterone treatment, but pregnancy led to a marked increase in the cross-sectional area of the vessel accompanied by an increase in the thickness of the media.