Stimulatory action of progesterone on the synthesis of glycogen in primary cell culture of human endometrium.

Abstract

AbstractThe effects of progesterone and its antagonist, RU486, on the synthesis of glycogen were investigated using a primary cell culture of human endometrium. Progesterone stimulated the glycogen synthesis in a dose‐dependent manner. The minimal effective dose of progesterone is 10‐9 M with maximal effect occurring at 10‐7 M. Stimulation of glycogen synthesis was apparent as early as after 6 hours of incubation. Progesterone induced the activity of glycogen synthetase and reduced the activity of glycogen phosphorylase. The addition of RU486 with progesterone completely eliminated the action of progesterone in both the synthesis of glycogen and the activity of glycogen synthetase. These results clearly demonstrate the stimulatory action of progesterone in glycogen synthesis in cultured human endometrial cells. Moreover, the antiprogesterone, RU486, is shown to counteract the progesterone action in glycogen synthesis in vitro.