Endocrinology, Vol 127, 629-636, Copyright © 1990 by Endocrine Society

ARTICLES

Oxytocin and vasopressin receptors in bovine endometrium and myometrium during the estrous cycle and early pregnancy

AR Fuchs, O Behrens, H Helmer, CH Liu, CM Barros and MJ Fields
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cornell University Medical College, New York, New York 10021.

The binding of [3H]oxytocin ([3H]-OT) and [3H]arginine vasopressin ([ 3H]-AVP) by bovine endometrial and myometrial membrane preparations obtained on days 0, 7, 14, 17, and 21 after estrus or mating was investigated. [3H]OT was bound with higher affinity than [3H]AVP by both tissues; the mean dissociation constants (KdS) were 0.95 x 10(-9) M and 1.56 x 10(-9) M for OT and AVP, respectively, P less than 0.0001, with no significant variations in the KdS during the cycle. The concentration of [3H]OT binding sites was on the average 50% higher than [3H]AVP across the cycle in both tissues. Endometrial receptor levels varied significantly during the cycle; it was lowest on days 7 and 14, rose significantly on day 17, and peaked on day 21. Myometrial receptor levels decreased from levels at estrus on days 7 and 14, but the changes were not significant. The ratio between endometrial and myometrial receptor concentrations changed from about 10 at estrus to less than 1 in the luteal phase. In early pregnancy, the receptor levels did not differ from nonpregnant levels on days 7 and 14, but on day 17 the endometrial receptor concentrations were significantly lower, and on day 21 those in both tissues were significantly lower. The endometrial OT and AVP receptor concentrations were inversely correlated with plasma progesterone levels (P = 0.005) with no correlation to plasma estradiol, whereas the myometrial receptor concentrations showed no correlation to plasma progesterone but an inverse correlation with plasma estradiol (P = 0.004). We conclude that the endometrial OT and AVP receptor concentrations are more tightly controlled by progesterone than myometrium, and that the bovine conceptus suppresses endometrial OT and AVP receptor concentrations in the preattachment stage either by a local action on the endometrium or indirectly via an antiluteolytic effect.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				F. Stormshak and C. V. Bishop BOARD-INVITED REVIEW: Estrogen and progesterone signaling: Genomic and nongenomic actions in domestic ruminants J Anim Sci, February 1, 2008; 86(2): 299 - 315. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. R. Bilby, A. Guzeloglu, L. A. MacLaren, C. R. Staples, and W. W. Thatcher Pregnancy, Bovine Somatotropin, and Dietary n-3 Fatty Acids in Lactating Dairy Cows: II. Endometrial Gene Expression Related to Maintenance of Pregnancy. J Dairy Sci, September 1, 2006; 89(9): 3375 - 3385. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				V. Terzidou, Y. Lee, T. Lindstrom, M. Johnson, S. Thornton, and P. R. Bennett Regulation of the Human Oxytocin Receptor by Nuclear Factor-{kappa}B and CCAAT/Enhancer-Binding Protein-{beta} J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., June 1, 2006; 91(6): 2317 - 2326. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Guzeloglu, T. R. Bilby, A. Meikle, S. Kamimura, A. Kowalski, F. Michel, L. A. MacLaren, and W. W. Thatcher Pregnancy and Bovine Somatotropin in Nonlactating Dairy Cows: II. Endometrial Gene Expression Related to Maintenance of Pregnancy J Dairy Sci, October 1, 2004; 87(10): 3268 - 3279. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. L. Siebel, H. M. Gehring, C. D. Nave, R. A.D. Bathgate, C. E. Borchers, and L. J. Parry Up-Regulation of Mesotocin Receptors in the Tammar Wallaby Myometrium Is Pregnancy-Specific and Independent of Estrogen Biol Reprod, May 1, 2002; 66(5): 1237 - 1243. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				C.-W. Ou, Z.-Q. Chen, S. Qi, and S. J. Lye Increased Expression of the Rat Myometrial Oxytocin Receptor Messenger Ribonucleic Acid during Labor Requires Both Mechanical and Hormonal Signals Biol Reprod, November 1, 1998; 59(5): 1055 - 1061. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				A.-R. Fuchs, P. Drolet, M. A. Fortier, M. Balvers, and M. J. Fields Ontogeny of Oxytocin Receptors and Oxytocin-Induced Stimulation of Prostaglandin Synthesis in Prepubertal Heifers Endocrinology, June 1, 1998; 139(6): 2755 - 2764. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]