The Role of Follistatins in Parturition in Women

Abstract

Follistatin is monomeric protein that binds activin with high affinity and modulates its bioactivity. It exists in a number of different isoforms with FS288 and FS315 being the major forms. Recent work by Sidis 'et al'. (2006) and Glister 'et al'. (2006) indicate follistatin isoforms may have distinctly different roles and be differentially regulated in aspects of physiology (Glister 'et al'., 2006; Sidis 'et al'., 2006). Follistatin has been widely investigated for its role in both female reproduction and inflammation. The onset of parturition in women shows many similarities to inflammatory events and the trigger for it remains unknown. Follistatin shows a wide distribution throughout the mammalian system, and in pregnancy it is found in fetal tissues, placenta and associated membranes. However the role of follistatin in onset of parturition remains unclear with the multitude of follistatin isoforms creating great difficulty in the development of specific assays and interpretation of results. In this study on women, follistatin isoform expression in the placenta, follistatin in maternal and fetal circulation, and follistatin localization within the placenta were investigated and compared using women who have undergone spontaneous onset of labour, induced onset of labour and those with no onset of labour. Using both heparin binding affinity columns and Con A chromatography placental follistatin isoforms have been investigated to determine differences due to labour onset. Follistatin in fetal and maternal circulation was also investigated with regard to fetal gender, parity and length of labour.