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Objective: Preclinical characterization of methylprednisolone aceponate. Results: The local antiinflammatory potency of methylprednisolone aceponate was equal to the very strong glucocorticoid clobetasol 17‐propionate but higher than the potency of hydrocortisone 17‐butyrate after topical application in 2 animal models of inflammation. Methylprednisolone aceponate is activated enzymatically in the skin. This activation proceeds faster in inflamed tissue. In contrast to clobetasol 17‐propionate, methylprednisolone aceponate was devoid of systemic effects after topical application for 3 days. Finally, whereas clobetasol 17‐propionate induced marked skin atrophy, methylprednisolone aceponate induced only slight atrophogenic changes after long‐term application (up to 43 days) on rat skin, comparable to the effects of hydrocortisone 17‐butyrate. Conclusions: Methylprednisolone aceponate combines high local antiinflammatory potency with very low systemic side effects and only minor local atrophogenic activity. The reason for the dissociation between local antiinflammatory and atrophogenic effects is not known so far. It may be speculated that one of the reasons for the very strong local antiinflammatory activity may reside in the faster enzymatic activation in inflamed tissue. Methylprednisolone aceponate represents a new corticosteroid with which it is possible to improve the dissociation between desired antiinflammatory activity and undesired side effects of topical glucocorticoids.

Using the immunoperoxidase technique and specific goat anti-serum to uteroglobin, selective immunochemical staining products are localized in the epididymal epithelium of the caput and proximal corpus region, at the adluminal border of the cauda epididymidis and, as well known, in epithelial cells of the endometrium of pregnant and progesterone-treated rabbits. Specific staining is also seen on spermatozoa. A uteroglobin-like antigen has been similarly localized in alveolar and bronchial epithelial cells of the lung. Testis, prostate, seminal vesicle and ductus deferens do not seem to contain in their tissues immunoreactive uteroglobin-like antigens. Similarly, the uterus and ductus epididymidis of immature rabbits are devoid of immunoreactivity. The presence of uteroglobin-like antigens in tissues other than the endometrium, particularly the ductus epididymidis, stimulates new discussions on the function of this protein in reproductive physiology and fertility research.

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