Kazuhiro Tamura, Kenichi Kumasaka and Hiroshi Kogo
Department of Pharmacology, Tokyo University of Pharmacy & Life Science,
1432-1 Horinouchi, Hachioji, Tokyo 192-0392, Japan
Abstract: The effects of ovarian steroids on the expression of granulocyte-macrophage
colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in rat uterus were examined. Intense
expression of GM-CSF mRNA was dispersedly located in the endometrial-myometrial
junction and stroma of the uterus. GM-CSF was immuno-histochemically localized
in stromal cells and luminal epithelium. Ovariectomy significantly reduced
the appearance of GM-CSF-mRNA-positive cells and the levels of expression
for GM-CSF mRNA in the whole uterus, whereas treatment with 17beta-estradiol
(E2) or a combination of E2 and progesterone (P4)
for 5 days on ovariectomized animals recruited GM-CSF-mRNA-positive cells
and stimulated its expression. The combined treatment with E2
and P4 also stimulates the expression for GM-CSF mRNA and the
production of immunoreactive GM-CSF in the stromal tissues. These data suggest
that the expression of GM-CSF in uterine stromal cells is partially regulated
by ovarian steroids.
Keywords: Uterine stroma, Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor
(GM-CSF), Ovarian steroid