biostudies-literatureHamshaw IWellcome Trust1285779https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC10752971biostudies-literatureUnknown14Preterm birth is the leading cause of infant morbidity and mortality. There has been an interest in developing prostaglandin F_2α (PGF_2α) antagonists as a new treatment for preterm birth, although much of the rationale for their use is based on studies in rodents where PGF_2α initiates labour by regressing the corpus luteum and reducing systemic progesterone concentrations. How PGF_2α antagonism would act in humans who do not have a fall in systemic progesterone remains unclear. One possibility, in addition to an acute stimulation of contractions, is a direct alteration of the myometrial smooth muscle cell state towards a pro-labour phenotype. In this study, we developed an immortalised myometrial cell line, MYLA, derived from myometrial tissue obtaFrontiers in pharmacologyPGF_2α induces a pro-labour phenotypical switch in human myometrial cells that can be inhibited with PGF_2α receptor antagonists.PMC10752971200870/Z/16/ZBlanks AMHamshaw IBaxter LWever WJPinton PFerguson GDStark RAlam MTStraube ASen AYue YYin JfalsePGF_2α induces a pro-labour phenotypical switch in human myometrial cells that can be inhibited with PGF_2α receptor antagonists.Preterm birth is the leading cause of infant morbidity and mortality. There has been an interest in developing prostaglandin F_2α (PGF_2α) antagonists as a new treatment for preterm birth, although much of the rationale for their use is based on studies in rodents where PGF_2α initiates labour by regressing the corpus luteum and reducing systemic progesterone concentrations. How PGF_2α antagonism would act in humans who do not have a fall in systemic progesterone remains unclear. One possibility, in addition to an acute stimulation of contractions, is a direct alteration of the myometrial smooth muscle cell state towards a pro-labour phenotype. In this study, we developed an immortalised myometrial cell line, MYLA, derived from myometrial tissue obta2023-01-01T00:00:00Z20232025-04-20T09:26:35.587Z2025-04-20T09:26:35.587ZS-EPMC107529713815590510.3389/fphar.2023.1285779