Expression of Glucocorticoid Receptor α and Its Regulation in the Bovine
Endometrium: Possible Role in Cyclic Prostaglandin F2α Production |
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Authors: | Mariko KUSE Hwa-Yong LEE Tomas J ACOSTA Takuo HOJO Kiyoshi OKUDA |
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Institution: | 1)Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Okayama 700-8530, Japan |
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Abstract: | Cortisol (Cr), the most important glucocorticoid (GC), is well known to suppress uterine
prostaglandin F2α (PGF) production. However, the details of the regulatory mechanisms
controlling the cyclic changes in endometrial PGF production remain unclear. Here we
investigated the expression of the GC receptor (GC-Rα), the actions of cortisol throughout
the estrous cycle and the regulatory mechanism of GC-Rα in the bovine endometrium. The
levels of GC-Rα protein were greater at the mid-luteal stage (Days 8–12) than at the other
stages. Cr more strongly suppressed PGF production at the mid-luteal stage than at the
follicular stage. GC-Rα expression was increased by progesterone (P4) but decreased by
estradiol-17β (E2) in cultured endometrial stromal cells. The overall results suggest that
ovarian steroid hormones control the cyclic changes in endometrial PGF production by
regulating GC-Rα expression in bovine endometrial stromal cells. |
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Keywords: | Cattle Endometrium GC-Rα Prostaglandins Steroids |
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