Molecular Human Reproduction, Vol. 7, No. 5, 437-446,
May 2001
© 2001 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology
Uterine physiology |
Changes in expression and subcellular localization of nuclear retinoic acid receptors in human endometrial epithelium during the menstrual cycle
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, South-1 West-16 Chuo-ku, Sapporo 060, Japan
Abstract
The endometrium is a uniquely dynamic tissue in that it undergoes monthly cycles of proliferation and secretory activity, and is regulated by ovarian steroid hormones. In this study, we focused on retinoic acid receptors (RAR and RXR) which are ligand-dependent transcription factors belonging to the large family of steroid hormones and are expected to affect to cell growth and differentiation in the endometrium. We analysed the expression and subcellular localization of the RA receptors in 57 samples of human endometrium by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. In the nuclei of the endometrial epithelium, the RA receptors were expressed strongly in the proliferative phase. However, RAR were drastically reduced in the epithelial nuclei during the secretory phase in association with changes in serum oestradiol and in the expression of the oestrogen receptor. The expression of RXR was localized in the epithelial nuclei throughout the menstrual cycle. Confocal laser scanning microscopical observation clearly showed the difference in the localization between RAR and RXR in the secretory phase. Furthermore the findings of immuno-electron microscopy showed pooled RAR around the rough endoplasmic reticulum, suggesting that transport of these receptors to the nuclei is inhibited. These findings suggest that RAR and RXR work mainly in the proliferative phase and that in the endometrium RXR may play a different role to RAR during the secretory phase.
endometrium/menstrual cycle/nuclear localization/retinoic acid/retinoic acid receptor
Notes
1 To whom correspondence should be addressed at: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sapporo Medical University, S-1, W-16, Chuo-ku, Sapporo 060-0061, Japan. E-mail: tsaito{at}sapmed.ac.jp
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  E. J Su, Y.-H. Cheng, R. T Chatterton, Z.-H. Lin, P. Yin, S. Reierstad, J. Innes, and S. E Bulun Regulation of 17-Beta Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 2 in Human Placental Endothelial Cells Biol Reprod, September 1, 2007; 77(3): 517 - 525. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 H. N. Jabbour, R. W. Kelly, H. M. Fraser, and H. O. D. Critchley Endocrine Regulation of Menstruation Endocr. Rev., February 1, 2006; 27(1): 17 - 46. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 A. Vienonen, S. Miettinen, M. Blauer, P. M. Martikainen, E. Tomas, P. K. Heinonen, and T. Ylikomi Expression of Nuclear Receptors and Cofacotrs in Human Endometrium and Myometrium Reproductive Sciences, February 1, 2004; 11(2): 104 - 112. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 L. Deng, G. L. Shipley, D. S. Loose-Mitchell, G. M. Stancel, R. Broaddus, J. H. Pickar, and P. J. A. Davies Coordinate Regulation of the Production and Signaling of Retinoic Acid by Estrogen in the Human Endometrium J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., May 1, 2003; 88(5): 2157 - 2163. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|