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We found that reduction in the expression levels of VEGF and VEGF receptor-2 in the CL precedes the impairment of luteal circulation and a series of events leading to parturition (i.e., reduction of plasma progesterone, enhancement of myometrium contractility, and onset of parturition). Blocking of VEGF signaling by using the inhibitor of VEGFR tyrosine kinase KRN633 at mid-pregnancy caused a similar sequence of events and induced preterm birth. These results suggest that the VEGF system in the CL plays a critical role in maintaining a high level of circulating progesterone, and determining the timing of parturition in mice.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1210\/en.2012-1967","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2013,1,11]],"date-time":"2013-01-11T07:20:16Z","timestamp":1357888816000},"page":"900-910","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":18,"title":["Role of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor in Maintenance of Pregnancy in Mice"],"prefix":"10.1210","volume":"154","author":[{"given":"Yoshiko","family":"Wada","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Molecular Pharmacology (Y.W., H.O., N.A., A.M., K.S., T.Nak., K.I.)"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Hiromi","family":"Ozaki","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Molecular Pharmacology (Y.W., H.O., N.A., A.M., K.S., T.Nak., K.I.)"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Naomichi","family":"Abe","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Molecular Pharmacology (Y.W., H.O., N.A., A.M., K.S., T.Nak., K.I.)"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Asami","family":"Mori","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Molecular Pharmacology (Y.W., H.O., N.A., A.M., K.S., T.Nak., K.I.)"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kenji","family":"Sakamoto","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Molecular Pharmacology (Y.W., H.O., N.A., A.M., K.S., T.Nak., K.I.)"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Tohru","family":"Nagamitsu","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Organic Synthesis (T.Nag.), Kitasato University School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokyo 108-8641, Japan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Tsutomu","family":"Nakahara","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Molecular Pharmacology (Y.W., H.O., N.A., A.M., K.S., T.Nak., K.I.)"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kunio","family":"Ishii","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Molecular Pharmacology (Y.W., H.O., N.A., A.M., K.S., T.Nak., K.I.)"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"80","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2013,1,10]]},"reference":[{"key":"2020071612090361700_B1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"367.e1","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ajog.2008.08.002","article-title":"Adverse neonatal outcomes: examining the risks between preterm, late preterm, and term infants","volume":"199","author":"Bastek","year":"2008","journal-title":"Am J Obstet Gynecol"},{"key":"2020071612090361700_B2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"35","DOI":"10.1097\/01.AOG.0000297311.33046.73","article-title":"Neonatal mortality and morbidity rates in late preterm births compared with births at term","volume":"111","author":"McIntire","year":"2008","journal-title":"Obstet Gynecol"},{"key":"2020071612090361700_B3","first-page":"1115","article-title":"ACOG Committee Opinion. 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