Prostaglandin content of human endometrium

Autor: Monte J. Levitt, John B. Josimovich, Hector Tobon
Rok vydání: 1975
Předmět:
Zdroj: Fertility and sterility. 26(3)
ISSN: 0015-0282
Popis: Prostaglandin levels in 46 human endometrium specimens were determined and expressed as both total uterine content and on a dry weight basis. Concentrations of PGF2alpha and PGE did not differ significantly between specimens obtained during the proliferative or secretory phases of the menstrual cycle. There was, however, a fourfold higher total uterine content of prostaglandins during the secretory phase. There was also a more than fourfold higher level of PGF2alpha than of PGE during the secretory phase. The two types of prostaglandins were present in nearly equal amounts during the proliferative phase. Atrophic endometrium was characterized by a high concentration of prostaglandins, but a low total amount consisting of nearly equal amounts of PGF2alpha and PGE.The study objective was to establish the endogenous levels of prostaglandins in endometrium by specific radioimmunoassays and to express the determined values in terms of dry weight of tissue examined. Endometrial specimens were obtained from 46 patients (age range 23-59 years) at Magee-Womens Hospital in Pittsburgh who were undergoing medically warranted abdominal or vaginal hysterectomy. Each uterus was bisected vertically within 5 minutes of the final clamping of the uterine blood supply. The endometrium was sharply dissected from the more normal-appearing half uterus and homogenized at high speed for 5 minutes in methanol. The remaining half of the uterus was examined histologically and categorized as being obtained during either the proliferative or the secretory phase of the menstrual cycle or as atrophic. Radioimmunoassays were performed with regents obtained from Clinical Assays, Inc. (Cambridge). All 46 specimens were analyzed for prostaglandin F2alpha (PGF2alpha). 3 were excluded because their antigenic behavior did not parallel that of known PGF2alpha. Of 28 specimens analyzed for prostaglandin E (PGE), 2 were excluded because of nonparallelism. Concentrations of PGF2alpha and PGE did not differ significantly between specimens obtained during the proliferative or secretory phases of the menstrual cycle. There was a 4-fold higher total uterine content of prostaglandins during the secretory phase, and there was a more than 4-fold higher level of PGF2alpha than of PGE during the secretory phase. The 2 types of prostaglandins were present in nearly equal amounts during the proliferative phase. Atrophic endometrium was characterized by a high concentration of prostaglandins but a low total amount consisting of nearly equal amounts of PGF2alpha and PGE.
Databáze: OpenAIRE