Urocortins in human reproduction.

Data on biological effects and localization of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), a neuropeptide structurally and biologically related to urocortins, have triggered the study on expression of urocortins and their function in human reproductive tissues. Ovary, endometrium, placenta and fetal membranes (amnion and chorion), myometrium, and prostate are sources of urocortin 1 and, they also express urocortin binding sites (receptors and CRF-binding protein), thus suggesting that these tissues are also targets of urocortin 1. The current concept thus is that urocortin 1 may affect the physiology of human reproduction through paracrine/autocrine actions. In particular, in vitro data have shown that urocortin 1 plays a major role in human placenta: it stimulates the secretion of ACTH, prostaglandins and activin A from cultured human placental cells, and regulates placental vessel resistance to blood flow. Furthermore, when incubated in myometrial strips, urocortins stimulate uterine contractility, by activating specific intracellular pathways. Taken together, these findings do suggest an important role of urocortins in the physiology of pregnancy and parturition.