Regulation of human oviductin mRNA expression in vivo

Abstract

Objective: To examine changes in oviductin mRNA expression in oviductal mucosal tissue from fertile women throughout an ovulatory cycle. Design: Semiquantitative reverse-transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis of oviductin mRNA. Setting: University-based obstetrics and gynecology department. Subject(s): Twenty women undergoing laparoscopy for tubal sterilization or hysterectomy for uterine fibroids. Intervention(s): The mucosal layer was isolated from the oviduct tissue, and semiquantitative RT-PCR was performed. Main Outcome Measure(s): The relationship between serum estradiol, luteinizing hormone, and progesterone concentrations and the expression of oviductin mRNA. Result(s): There was a significant positive correlation between serum estradiol and luteinizing hormone concentrations and oviductin mRNA expression. There was a significant inverse correlation between serum progesterone concentrations and oviductin mRNA expression. Conclusion(s): Little is known about the regulation of human oviductin. This study was the first to examine the relationship between oviductin mRNA expression and serum estradiol and luteinizing hormone and progesterone concentrations in fertile women. Estradiol and luteinizing hormone both have a stimulatory effect on oviductin mRNA in humans, however, it is difficult to determine whether the effects are independent of one another, as the luteinizing hormone surge is dependent on the estradiol increase. Progesterone shows a clear inhibitory effect on oviductin mRNA.