Concentrations In Endometrium Research Articles

Adrenal androgen concentrations in endometrium and plasma during the menstrual cycle.

Concentrations of 5-androstene-3 beta, 17 beta-diol (androstenediol), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHA) and DHA sulphate (DHAS) were measured in endometrium and plasma from normal premenopausal and perimenopausal women (average ages 37 and 48 years respectively) at different stages of the menstrual cycle. Plasma levels did not vary with the stage of the cycle for any of the three steroids. Mean plasma levels of androstenediol ranged between 2.03 and 2.92 nmol/l for premenopausal women and 1.38 and 1.58 nmol/l for perimenopausal women while mean concentrations of DHA were 20.80-36.41 nmol/l (premenopausal women) and 13.87-19.07 nmol/l (perimenopausal women). The values for DHAS were more variable and ranged between 3.20 and 4.56 and 2.94 and 4.25 mumol/l for pre- and perimenopausal women respectively. In premenopausal women endometrial tissue concentrations of androstenediol and DHA increased three to fourfold in the secretory phase while no increase was observed in DHAS. There was a similar increase in androstenediol but not DHA or DHAS during the secretory phase for perimenopausal women. A significant positive correlation was found for tissue androstenediol and DHA in both groups of women but the relationship between DHAS and the other androgens was significant only for perimenopausal women. We suggest that the increase in androstenediol and DHA concentrations could be due to an increase in a receptor or binding protein, possibly progesterone dependent, present in secretory phase endometrium.

Uptake and metabolism of oestriol in human target tissues

The uptake, metabolism and subcellular distribution of oestradiol and oestriol in endometrial, myometrial and vaginal tissue of postmenopausal women under physiological conditions were studied by giving 3H-labelled oestradiol or oestriol in subphysiological doses by continuous infusion lasting 12 h before hysterectomy. The three tissues obtained from each woman were separated into three fractions: two cytosol fractions (free oestrogens and specifically bound) and one nuclear fraction. The results show an accumulation of both oestrogens in the target tissues, we found an approximately 33 times higher [ 3H]E 2 concentration in endometrium (dpm per g) than in plasma (dpm/ml), 20 times in myometrium and 10 times in vaginal tissue. After the E 3 infusions the tissue/plasma gradient was 37 for endometrium, 19 for myometrium and 11 for vagina. In plasma and tissues a metabolite of E 3 could tentatively be identified as 16α-hydroxyoestrone. The subcellular distribution showed that 60–80% of E 2 and E 3 is accumulated in the nuclear fraction of all tissues studied, no nuclear bound oestrone could be detected. From these results the conclusion was drawn that oestradiol still is the major tissue oestrogen in postmenopausal women and that it is mainly nuclear bound. Endometrium of postmenopausal women accumulates higher concentrations of E 2 and E 3 than vaginal tissue from the same individual, no preferential uptake of oestriol occurs under physiological conditions.

Oestradiol induced changes of soluble protein synthesis in human endometrium

The effect of an in vitro application of oestradiol-17-β on the soluble protein synthesis in human endometrium during the menstrual cycle was investigated. Results obtained by double-label technique and SDS-polyacrylamide gel or Cellogel electrophoresis show that synthesis of soluble proteins in human endometrium is affected by oestradiol in both follicular and luteal phases of the cycle. One of the proteins obtained after oestradiol treatment seems to be similar to IP of rat uterus as judged from its molecular weight (41,000 daltons) and electrophoretic mobility R F : 1.18–1.24 relative to BSA on Cellogel). The magnitude of this protein synthesis correlates significantly with cytoplasmic oestradiol receptor concentration in endometrium throughout the cycle. The highest induction of IP like protein(s) synthesis at follicular phase and a decreased induction during the luteal phase was detected. No quantitative relationship between the changes of progesterone receptor concentration and IP like protein synthesis was found.

Lymphocytes in the epithelial layers of decidua and normal or abnormal endometrium.

Lymphocytes in the endometrium were counted during infancy, the reproductive age including pregnancy and the postmenopausal era and in various pathological states (cystic-glandular hyperplasia, adenomatous hyperplasia, endometrial polyposis, endometrium after long-standing ingestion of oral contraceptives, endometrial carcinoma). Compared with the child-bearing era, the lymphocyte concentrations in endometrium were markedly lower during infancy and after the menopause. Lymphocyte concentrations were high in cystic-glandular hyperplasia, endometrial carcinoma and pregnancy, and low in focal adenomatous hyperplasia and endometrial polyposis. Although histological examination of the endometrium after long-standing ingestion of oral contraceptives showed atrophy, the lymphocyte count was high.

323. Steroid concentrations in endometrium and plasma from normal women and cancer patients

323. Steroid concentrations in endometrium and plasma from normal women and cancer patients

Serum levels of free fatty acids in the first trimester of pregnancy: Effect of acetylsalicylic acid

The serum levels of free fatty acids were determined before and after an oral dose of 1000 mg acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) during the 7–11th weeks of pregnancy in 11 women admitted to hospital for legal abortion and in 8 women admitted for operative (hysterectomy) treatment because of fibroids. Thirteen healthy women of reproductive age served as controls. The levels of linoleic, alpha-linolenic, myristic, oleic, palmitic and palmitoleic acids were significantly lower in pregnant women than in the hysterectomy group. The level of arachidonic acid was higher in the pregnant and hysterectomy groups than in controls. Serum free fatty acids had a negative correlation with the duration of pregnancy. ASA treatment tended to increase the levels of many fatty acids in serum. Serum arachidonic acid levels after ASA treatment correlated significantly with the salicylate concentration in myometrium and the levels of most other fatty acids with the salicylate concentration in endometrium.

Cytoplasmic estrogen receptor, estradiol and progesterone concentrations in endometrium of nonpregnant and pregnant pigs.

Specific cytoplasmic binding of lHI -estradiol-1 73 (lIll -E2#{216}) by cytoplasmic estrogen recep- tor (CER) in the low-speed supernatant (800 X g) of uterine endometrial homogenates was quanti- fied by saturation analysis and compared with cytoplasmic E213 and progesterone in 23 nonpreg- nant and 19 pregnant pigs. Endometrial samples were recovered from nonpregnant pigs on Days 4, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 and 20 after the onset of estrus and from pregnant pigs on Days 10, 12, 14, 16 and 20. Scatchard plots of the ratio of (3 Hl-E2i3 bound to free lHI -E2�3 vs (3 H) -E23 bound were linear, and the dissociation constant (7.3 ± 0.6 x 10l5 M, mean ± SEM) was not significantly affected by day or status (nonpregnant vs pregnant). The relative affinity of CER for various estrogens rhen compared with that for E23 was as follows: estrone, 16%; estriol, #{243}%; estra- diol-17n, 4%; and estrone-3-sulfate, 0.3%. Endometrial CER in nonpregnant pigs increased after the onset of estrus to a maximum on Day 10 and then declined to Day 16 (decline from 1.4 to 0.22 pmole/ mg of DNA, P�0.05). Pregnancy did not significantly affect the magnitude or the pattern of CER from Day 10 to 20. Cytoplasmic E213 was greater on Day 20 in both nonpregnant and pregnant pigs (P'�0.05) than on the earlier days sampled. Cytoplasmic progesterone declined significantly from Day 14 to 16 in nonpregnant pigs, at the end of the luteal phase of the estrous cycle, and was significantly greater on Days 16 and 20 in pregnant than in nonpregnant pigs (P�0.05). The high concentration of CER during the midluteal phase of the cycle relative to the follicular phase in the pig, which is the opposite of that in other species, may be of particular physiological significance. Estrogen secretion by the blastocysts in the pig may block the luteolytic effect of the uterus and allow maintenance of pregnancy.

Ethynyl-estradiol (EE-2) content in blood and endometrium caused by oral contraceptives

A comparison of EE-2 concentrations in blood and endometrium of women under sequential therapy (Group I: chlormadinone acetate + mestranol; 2 mg + 80μg, n = 24) and under combined therapy (Group II: norgestrel + EE-2: 0.5 mg + 30μg, n = 23), was performed. By means of reliable radioimmunoassay techniques, simultaneous determinations were made of the synthetic estrogen in both plasma and endometrium covering several days of the pseudomenstrual cycle. The mean ± SD plasma EE-2 concentrations observed for Group I was 1021 ± 140 pg/ml and that for Group II was 83 ± 16pg/ml. while endometrial concentrations (wet tissue) were: 4.7 ± 1.9 μg/g and 89 ± 13 ng/g respectively. The results show: (1) Greater EE-2 concentrations in the endometrium than in plasma, in both groups. (2) The EE-2 concentrates 10 times more in blood and in the order of μg in endometrium of Group I than in Group II. Together with data presented in other papers of this series, these simultaneous studies may permit understanding the role of circulating hormones in local biologic phenomena.

Estrogen and progestogen binding site concentrations in human endometrium and cervix throughout the menstrual cycle and in tissue from women taking oral contraceptives

Estrogen and progestogen binding site concentrations in human cervix and endometrium were measured throughout the menstrual cycle in tissue from cycling women and women taking oral contraceptives. The estrogen binding site concentrations in endometrium were higher in the proliferative and early secretory phase (days 1–17) when compared to the later secretory phase (days 18–28), while the cervical concentrations remained constant throughout the cycle. In contrast, both endometrial and cervical levels of progestogen binding sites were higher in the proliferative than in the secretory phase. Cervices from women taking oral contraceptives exhibited estrogen and progestogen binding site concentrations in the range found for proliferative phase tissues. The data from this and previous studies support the suggestion that the regulation of female sex hormone-mediated events in the human cervix occurs via receptors similar in many aspects to those found in other target tissues.

Carbonic anhydrase concentration in endometrium after oral progestins

Endometrial biopsies were performed on 28 women who were taking sequential oral contraceptive tablets which employed mestranol as the estrogen and either norethindrone or DMAP (3-desoxy-6α-methyl-17α-acetoxyprogesterone) as the progestin. Endometrial carbonic anhydrase concentration was determined by a colorimetric method, and found to vary directly with the amount of progestin which had been taken.

Effects of Age and Ovarian Status on Water and Electrolytes in the Sheep Uterus

Estrous and luteal-phase ewes had higher water concentrations in endometrium and in myometrium than did ovariectomized ewes. Estrous and luteal-phase ewes did not differ significantly in uterine water content. Young ewes had higher water content in each uterine tissue than did older ewes. Sodium and chloride concentrations in the endometrium varied among the three endocrine groups to a greater degree in young than in old ewes. Potassium concentrations in each uterine tissue were highest in estrous ewes and lowest in ovariectomized ewes. Chloride content of the myometrium was higher in young ewes.