EFFECTS OF EXOGENOUS PROGESTERONE AND OESTRADIOL ON PROSTAGLANDIN F AND 13,14-DIHYDRO-15-OXO PROSTAGLANDIN F2α CONCENTRATIONS IN UTERI AND PLASMA OF OVARIECTOMIZED EWES

Abstract

SUMMARY The control of prostaglandin (PG) production by steroid hormones has been investigated in non-pregnant bilaterally ovariectomized sheep, prepared with indwelling utero-ovarian venous catheters and treated with physiological amounts of oestradiol and progesterone. Oestradiol treatment alone (2 × 15 μg/day for 9 days) had no effect on the prostaglandin F (PGF) concentration in uterine caruncles or intercaruncular tissue, on the release of PGF or of 13,14-dihydro-15-oxo PGF (PGFM) from these tissues during incubation in vitro, or on the concentrations of PGF in the utero-ovarian vein or PGFM in the jugular vein. However, oestradiol did accumulate in the uterine tissues. Progesterone treatment alone (2 × 10 mg/day for 9 days) provoked a significant increase in the concentration of PGF in the caruncles, a significant increase in the release of PGF from the caruncles during incubation with arachidonic acid and increased mean concentrations of PGFM in the jugular vein. When oestradiol was superimposed on a progesterone-primed system, there was a further marked increase in the PGF content of the caruncles, release of PGF into the utero-ovarian vein, and increased concentrations of PGFM in the jugular vein. The caruncles always contained more PGF than the intercaruncular area, and released more PGF and PGFM during incubation in vitro. In the progesterone+oestradiol group, there was good correlation between the PGF concentrations in simultaneous samples from the right and left utero-ovarian veins, and for all groups there was a high correlation between utero-ovarian PGF and peripheral PGFM concentrations. The caruncular epithelium of the progesterone-treated animals contained more lipid droplets than those of the other groups. These data are consistent with a requirement for progesterone in activating 'prostaglandin synthetase' activity, and promoting PGF production, largely from the caruncles. After progesterone priming, the synthesis of PGF by the caruncles and PG release into the vascular system was increased further by oestradiol treatment, whereas oestradiol alone was without effect.