Differential Expression of Progestin Receptor Isoforms in the Hypothalamus, Pituitary, and Endometrium of Rhesus Macaques*

Abstract

Abstract The progestin receptor exists in at least two isoforms: a long form (PR-B) and a short form (PR-A), which can be separated and detected with Western blot analysis. It has been suggested from in vitro transfection experiments that differential expression of the two isoforms may provide one mechanism for tissue specific actions of progesterone (P). However, more information from in vivo experimentation is needed. It has been reported that P down-regulates the expression of PR in the endometrium and pituitary of E primed macaques. However, PR protein and PR messenger RNA expression in the hypothalamus is maintained with P treatment of E-primed macaques. Thus, there is tissue-specific regulation of PR by its cognate ligand in the nonhuman primate. To gain insight into the tissue-specific regulation of PR by P, we questioned whether differential expression of the isoforms of PR exists in the endometrium, pituitary, and hypothalamus of rhesus monkeys. The expression of PR-A and PR-B was examined after E (28–30 days) and E + P (14 days E + 14 days E + P) treatment in the primate endometrium, pituitary, and hypothalamus. After E or E + P treatment, the levels of PR-A were 5 times higher than PR-B in the endometrium. PR-A was 1.6-fold higher than PR-B in the pituitary. In the hypothalamus, the ratio of A to B ranged from less than 1 (B exceeds A) to unity (A and B equimolar). There was no difference in the ratio of A to B between E-treated and E + P-treated groups in any tissue examined. These observations (a) provide further support of the hypothesis that differential expression of the isoforms of PR may subserve the tissue specific actions of P and (b) also suggest that P does not differentially affect the expression of the isoforms of its cognate receptor in the endometrium, pituitary, or hypothalamus.