Study of Oestrogen and Progesterone Receptors in Normal Human Endometrium during the Menstrual Cycle by Immunocytochemical Analysis

Abstract

Monoclonal antibodies to human oestrogen and progesterone receptors were applied to frozen sections of normal endometrium in various phases of the menstrual cycle. Both oestrogen and progesterone receptors were localised within the nuclei of target cells. There are no oestrogen or progesterone receptors in endometrial vessels. Oestrogen receptor contents remained fairly constant during the proliferative and early secretory phases but decreased markedly in the late secretory phase. This decline was more obvious in the glandular cells than in the stromal cells, where receptor staining disappeared in most cases. The receptors were localised predominantly in the glandular cells at most stages of the menstrual cycle except in the late secretory phase, where the reverse was observed. In contrast, progesterone receptors rose gradually throughout the proliferative and early secretory phases followed by a decrease to various degrees depending on the cell types in the late secretory phase. This decrease was more marked in the glandular cells where again receptor staining disappeared in most cases, whereas the receptor contents in the stromal cells only decreased to the level of the late proliferative phase. The progesterone receptors were also localised predominantly in the glandular cells at most stages in the cycle apart from the late secretory phase.

Cell kinetic study of the endometrium by nonisotopic in situ hybridization for histone H3 messenger RNA and immunohistochemistry for Ki‐67 and for estrogen and progesterone receptors

“…This pattern of change in the proliferative activity of endometrial epithelial cells during the normal menstrual cycle can be explained by the cyclic regulation of the epithelial expressions of ER and PR (Li et al, 1993;Nisolle et al, 1997). Indeed, it has been reported, and was confirmed here, that the changes in the proliferative activity of the endometrial epithelial cells correlate with the changes in the epithelial expressions of ER and PR in the endometrium, since in the epithelial cells of the functional layer the greatest staining for ER and PR appears in the late proliferative or early secretory phase, and both ER and PR decrease in the mid-to late secretory phases (Scharl et al, 1988;Lessey et al, 1989;Pickartz et al, 1990;Bouchard et al, 1991;Fung et al, 1994;Nisolle et al, 1994Nisolle et al, , 1997Felix et al, 1997).…”

“…The first peak in proliferative activity (in the midproliferative phase) can be explained by the raised expressions of ER and PR in the stromal cells in this phase (Li et al, 1993;Nisolle et al, 1997). On the other hand, the second peak in proliferative activity (in the late secretory phase) can be explained as PR-dependent proliferative activity among stromal cells that have transformed into predecidual cells, which express PR in the mid-to late secretory phases (Li et al, 1993;Fung et al, 1994;Nissole et al, 1994Nissole et al, , 1997.…”

New approaches to the estimation of endometrial dysfunction

“…Андрогены могут усиливать синтез собственных рецепторов. Прогестерон не только не усиливает синтез собственных рецепторов, но и подавляет их, также подавляет и синтез рецепторов эстради-ола [11][12][13][14][15].…”

Oestrogen and Progesterone Receptors in Normal Human Endometrium: Comparison of Immunocytochemical Analysis on Frozen and Paraffin Sections with or without Enzymatic Pretreatment

“…Fresh endometrial tissue was obtained by dilatation and curettage of 27 patients who satisfied the strict selection criteria for normal endometrium during the study of oestrogen and progesterone recep tors in the menstrual cycle [10], They were immediately transferred on ice, for processing within half an hour. One portion of the tissue was snap-frozen in liquid nitrogen after being embedded in TissueTek OCT compound (Miles Laboratory, Naperville, 111., USA) for immunocytochemical assay (ICA).…”

“…During our prospective study into oestrogen and pro gesterone receptor contents throughout the menstrual cy cle, using normal human endometrium [10], we com pared the results of various enzymatic pretreatments on paraffin sections with that on frozen sections.…”