J Clin Endocrinol Metab 41: 412, 1975
ENDOMETRIAL PROGESTERONE CONCENTRATIONS DURING THE MENSTRUAL CYCLE F. BAYARD, J.P. LOUVET, M. MONROZIES, A. BOULARD and G. PONTONNIER Service d'Endocrinologies C.H.U. de Toulouse, 31052 Cedex, France. ABSTRACT : Endometrial progesterone concentrations have been determined during the menstrual cycle and compared to plasma progesterone and estradiol-17 p concentration. There is a good relationship between endometrial and plasma progesterone concentrations but none between endometrial progesterone and estradiol-17 p concentrations. INTRODUCTION The concentrations of progesterone (P) in venous plasma throughout the normal menstrual cycle have been previously reported (1, 2) but there are few reports of progesterone concentrations in uterine tissues (3, 5). One may imagine however that the tissue concentrations of hormone could be related to the specific progesterone receptor concentrations in the cells. Large variation of the progesterone receptor concentrations have been described in the cycling guinea pig (6) and it would be of interest to determine such variations in human. The present report describes the concentrations of P in the endometrium of 30 normal women during different phases of the menstrual cycle and related these measurements to the plasma 'concentrations of the hormone. MATERIALS AND''METHODS
Endometrial biopsies were obtained from 30 normal women consulting for sterility or candidates for an I.U.D. All had an history of normal menstrual cycles. The time of sampling was determined as follicular, periovulatory or luteal part of the cycle. This information was supported by measuring the concentration of estradiol (E~) and P in plasma collected at the same time as the endometrium. The endometrium washed with isoto-
Submitted April, 29, 1975.
nic saline to be free of blood, was frozen and at -20 C until analysis. The plasma of the blood samples was also kept at -20 C until hormonal determinations were performed. Th& tissue samples were weighed, minced and homogenized in 4 ml of isotonic saline using a mechanical homogenizer.300 yd were stored for protein analysis by the method of Lowry (7). Approximately- 500 cpm of tritiated P (1, 2,6,7 H Progesterone, 100 Ci/mM purchased from New England Nuclear) were added to the homogenate. After equilibration for one hour at room temperature, the samples were extracted 3 times with 4 ml of fresh diethyl ether (Merck-Darmstadt-Germ). The three extracts were pooled, an aliquot removed for recovery and two duplicates of different volumes (1.2 and 3.6 ml) for radioimmunoassy. The recovery of radiolabeled steroid was 80 % or higher. The radioimmmoassay methods for P and £«, have been previously reported (8). Briefly, rabbit antisera to progesterone-11-hemisuccinate -BSA and estradiol 17 p-7
ENDOMETRIAL PROGESTERONE CONCENTRATIONS DURING THE MENSTRUAL CYCLE F. BAYARD, J.P. LOUVET, M. MONROZIES, A. BOULARD and G. PONTONNIER Service d'Endocrinologies C.H.U. de Toulouse, 31052 Cedex, France. ABSTRACT : Endometrial progesterone concentrations have been determined during the menstrual cycle and compared to plasma progesterone and estradiol-17 p concentration. There is a good relationship between endometrial and plasma progesterone concentrations but none between endometrial progesterone and estradiol-17 p concentrations. INTRODUCTION The concentrations of progesterone (P) in venous plasma throughout the normal menstrual cycle have been previously reported (1, 2) but there are few reports of progesterone concentrations in uterine tissues (3, 5). One may imagine however that the tissue concentrations of hormone could be related to the specific progesterone receptor concentrations in the cells. Large variation of the progesterone receptor concentrations have been described in the cycling guinea pig (6) and it would be of interest to determine such variations in human. The present report describes the concentrations of P in the endometrium of 30 normal women during different phases of the menstrual cycle and related these measurements to the plasma 'concentrations of the hormone. MATERIALS AND''METHODS
Endometrial biopsies were obtained from 30 normal women consulting for sterility or candidates for an I.U.D. All had an history of normal menstrual cycles. The time of sampling was determined as follicular, periovulatory or luteal part of the cycle. This information was supported by measuring the concentration of estradiol (E~) and P in plasma collected at the same time as the endometrium. The endometrium washed with isoto-
Submitted April, 29, 1975.
nic saline to be free of blood, was frozen and at -20 C until analysis. The plasma of the blood samples was also kept at -20 C until hormonal determinations were performed. Th& tissue samples were weighed, minced and homogenized in 4 ml of isotonic saline using a mechanical homogenizer.300 yd were stored for protein analysis by the method of Lowry (7). Approximately- 500 cpm of tritiated P (1, 2,6,7 H Progesterone, 100 Ci/mM purchased from New England Nuclear) were added to the homogenate. After equilibration for one hour at room temperature, the samples were extracted 3 times with 4 ml of fresh diethyl ether (Merck-Darmstadt-Germ). The three extracts were pooled, an aliquot removed for recovery and two duplicates of different volumes (1.2 and 3.6 ml) for radioimmunoassy. The recovery of radiolabeled steroid was 80 % or higher. The radioimmmoassay methods for P and £«, have been previously reported (8). Briefly, rabbit antisera to progesterone-11-hemisuccinate -BSA and estradiol 17 p-7
![Human endometrial renin levels during the menstrual cycle [proceedings].](/assets/img/hold.png)
