Figure 2

Potentiation of the relaxant effect of β-adrenergic agonist in the presence of a PDE4 selective inhibitor in pregnant myometrium. Strips were mounted for isometric recording under 900 mg tension and after 2 h equilibration, contractile activity was assessed. Myometrial strip of either pregnant (A) or nonpregnant women (B) were preincubated with 3 × 10^-9M RP73401, a competitive selective PDE4 inhibitor (open circles) or saline (closed circles), 30 min prior the construction of the concentration-response to salbutamol. Results are expressed in percentage of maximal contraction at the end of the equilibration period. Strips from the same patients were subjected in parallel to treatments. Data are expressed as the mean ± SEM for strips isolated from myometrium of five different pregnant women and three different nonpregnant women. (Adapted from [8]).