Effects of glucocorticoids on estrogen receptor messenger ribonucleic acid in the pregnant ovine myometrium in vivo and in vitro

Abstract

We recently reported that estrogen receptor (ER) mRNA is dramatically increased in the sheep myometrium during cortisol-induced premature labor and term spontaneous labor. In this study, we compared myometrial ER mRNA and ER protein levels in tissues from pregnant sheep during infusions of two different glucocorticoids (dexamethasone and betamethasone). Tissues from glucocorticoid-infused sheep not yet in labor were compared with tissues from sheep in labor. The population of ER mRNA-containing cells in myometrium obtained from sheep in labor was determined by in situ hybridization and compared with that of sheep not in labor in order to understand how the cellular distribution of ER mRNA changed during labor. Finally, in vitro myometrial cell culture and immunolocalization of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) were used to determine 1) the effects of different steroids on ER mRNA content, 2) whether or not the myometrium is a functional site for glucocorticoid action, and 3) whether the change in ER mRNA content in the myometrium might be induced by glucocorticoid acting through GR. Increased ER mRNA and protein were found only in the myometrium associated with labor. In situ hybridization of ER mRNA and immunolocalization of ER protein showed that ER mRNA and protein were mainly located in the smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells of blood vessels. In vitro treatment of cultured myometrial cells with hydrocortisone resulted in a 3.5-fold increment in ER mRNA. In contrast, there was no obvious change in ER mRNA when myometrial cells were treated in vitro with either estradiol (10 nM) or progesterone (100 nM) for 24 h. GR was localized exclusively in the pregnant sheep myometrium. We conclude that 1) increased ER protein and ER mRNA in sheep myometrium are strongly associated with labor; 2) an increase in the population of ER-positive cells is associated with the increment of ER mRNA during glucocorticoid-induced labor; 3) in the pregnant sheep myometrium, both the smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells of blood vessels are positive for ER protein ER mRNA; and 4) hydrocortisone is a potent stimulus in vitro for increasing ER mRNA content, presumably acting through the GR present in the pregnant sheep myometrium.

Localization of prostaglandin synthase type-1 (PGHS-1) mRNA and prostaglandin synthase type-2 (PGHS-2) mRNA in ovine myometrium and endometrium throughout gestation

“…In the present study, PGHS-2 protein and mRNA were confined to the luminal epithelium and were consistent with previous studies indicating that PGHS-2 mRNA and protein were at low levels (or absent) from the endometrial stroma (Wu et al 1996b, Zhang et al 1996. It is possible that luminal epithelium was described wrongly as glandular epithelium in sections where it appears to be separate from the lumen, in some previous reports.…”

“…It is possible that luminal epithelium was described wrongly as glandular epithelium in sections where it appears to be separate from the lumen, in some previous reports. Our failure to detect mRNA encoding either PGHS isoform in myometrium is surprising since immunoreactive PGHS-2 has been identified with this tissue (Wu et al 1996b, Gyomorey et al 1999, and PGHS expression is well established in the myometrium of other species (Myatt et al 1994, Moore et al 1999. It is therefore likely that levels of steady-state mRNA encoding one or both PGHS enzymes are very low in myometrium from pregnant sheep, and certainly much lower than in the endometrial epithelium.…”

“…In other studies 35 S-labelled cDNA probes have been used with sections of the ovine uterus (e.g. Wu et al 1996b). In the latter report, the labelling procedure and methodologies are different from those we have used with oligonucleotide probes, and the present problems that we encountered are not necessarily extrapolated to these studies.…”

“…Previously it has been suggested that PGHS-2 protein localized to the glandular epithelium in endometrium from non-pregnant (Wu et al 1996b) or pregnant (Zhang et al 1996) animals. In the present study, PGHS-2 protein and mRNA were confined to the luminal epithelium and were consistent with previous studies indicating that PGHS-2 mRNA and protein were at low levels (or absent) from the endometrial stroma (Wu et al 1996b, Zhang et al 1996.…”

Correlation of Oxytocin (OTR) and Estrogen Receptor (ER) mRNA in the Canine Placenta with the Detected Circulating Levels of Oxytocin and Estrogen during Pregnancy and Parturition

“…Moreover, estrogen receptors and ER mRNAs are present in the cells surrounding the myometrial blood vessels of ewes, indicating that estrogen is involved in blood flow during pregnancy (Wu et al, 1996). Furthermore, estrogen participates in the conceptus morphological changes, such as fetal elongation and acquisition of a cylindrical form in rats (Tamada and Ichikawa, 1980).…”