Immunohistochemical detection of progesterone receptors in the canine uterus and their relation to sex steroid hormone levels

Abstract

The aim of this immunohistochemical study is to describe the normal distribution of progesterone receptors in the various cell types of the canine uterine horns, body and cervix. The results can be used for research on uterine and endocrinological pathology, since the impact of progesterone on different uterine cell types is partly determined by the receptor availability. Nuclear staining for progesterone receptors was observed in epithelial cells of the surface epithelium, glandular ducts and basal glands of the endometrium, in endometrial stroma cells and in myometrial smooth muscle cells. This staining was positively correlated with the estradiol-17 beta:progesterone ratio, and reflects the positive effect of estradiol-17 beta and the negative influence of progesterone on the receptors. Staining scores were high during proestrus and decreased through estrus to early metestrus. In late metestrus, staining scores of the stromal and smooth muscle cells increased again. In anestrus, high scores of the surface-epithelial cells contrasted with minimal scores of the basal glands. This finding suggests a different hormonal regulation of the progesterone receptor expression in both epithelial cell groups. The higher staining intensities for progesterone receptors in stromal cells compared with epithelial cells might be explained by the fact that stromal cells mediate some effects of steroid hormones on the epithelial cells in the genital tract. Therefore, the role of stromal cells in regulation of the cyclic endometrial changes and in pathologic changes of uterine tissue should not be underestimated.

The Normal Genital Tract of the Female California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus): Cyclic Changes in Histomorphology and Hormone Receptor Distribution

“…In most species, PR mRNA levels and protein synthesis are increased by estrogen via ER-mediated gene transcription and decreased by progesterone (Critchley and Healy). The relatively consistent expression of PR throughout the sea lion reproductive cycle is unusual, as cyclic changes in receptor expression similar to that observed with ERa have been noted in other species (Lessey and Gorell, 1981;Watson et al, 1992;Vermeirsch et al, 2000a;Kimmins and MacLaren, 2001). Low sample size may account for absence of statistically significant differences in hormone receptor expression during differing times of the sea lion reproductive cycle.…”

“…The distribution of steroid hormone receptors in the human female reproductive tract, in relationship to cyclic changes and histomorphology, has been well documented (Press et al, 1986). Similar studies have documented hormone receptor distribution in the reproductive tract of animal species including the dog (De Cock et al, 1997;Vermeirsch et al, 2000a;Vermeirsch et al, 2002), cat (Li et al, 1992), mare (Watson et al, 1992), sow (Sukjumlong et al, 2003), and cow (Kimmins and MacLaren, 2001). To our knowledge, reproductive tract hormone receptors have not been examined in any marine mammal species.…”

“…Sections of canine uterus known to be positive for ERa and PR were included in each procedure as positive controls. Antibodies utilized have been shown to be cross reactive to ERa and PR in an number of animal species (Vermeirsch et al, 2000a;Vermeirsch et al, 2000b;Martin de las Mulas et al, 2002;Vermeirsch et al, 2002;D'Haeseleer et al, 2006;D'Haeseleer et al, 2007). Negative controls were sections of sea lion uterus incubated with omission of the primary antibody.…”

Presencia de Receptores de Estrógeno, Progesterona y CBG en el Tracto Genital de Ovejas y Perras: Estudio Inmmunocitoquímico Comparativo

“…Vermeirsch et al (1998Vermeirsch et al ( , 1999Vermeirsch et al ( , 2000, estudiaron la presencia de receptores de estrogeno y progesterona en útero y tubas uterinas de perra y observaron que su fluctuación fue más pronunciada en el estroma endometrial que en el epitelio glandular, concluyendo que el papel de la células estromales en la regulación de los cambios ciclicos endometriales normales como patológicos no debe ser subestimado, ya que ellas podrían mediar la acción de varias hormonas esteroidales sobre el epitelio.…”

Cyclic Changes of the Canine Endometrial Surface: An Electron-Microscopic Study

“…On that day the dogs were sedated with medetomidine (Domitor ® , SmithKline Beecham A.H., Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium) 80 Ìg/kg intravenously and subsequently euthanized with T61 ® (Hoechst Animal Health Benelux) 0.3 ml/kg i.v. After euthanasia the serological and cytological findings were confirmed by a histological examination of the uterus and both ovaria [Vermeirsch et al, 1999[Vermeirsch et al, , 2000. Two dogs were in proestrus, 2 in estrus and 2 in early metestrus.…”