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During both the estrous cycle and pregnancy, the uterus undergoes significant changes that have many similarities to inflammatory processes. These changes include edema, prostaglandin and leukotriene production, neovascularization, and infiltration of blood-borne cells including macrophages (1), lymphocytes (2), neutrophils (3, 4) and eosinophils (5); each of these responses occurs as part of the normal physiology of this organ. Leukocyte influx in the rodent uterus occurs in response to estrogen in ovariectomized adult and in immature animals (5), and this infiltration resembles one of the major events in a classical inflammatory response (6). Classical inflammatory processes entail complex interactions between many cell types and involve not only the infiltration, but also the activation of leukocytes. The concomitant production of various soluble mediators, including macrophage-derived cytokines (7, 8), is central to the inflammatory response. Although the presence of macrophages and other inflammatory cells within the endometrial stroma has been detected by morphological and histochemical means, their activation in the uterus during early pregnancy has not been examined.

Synchronized development of the embryo to the blastocyst stage and differentiation of the uterus to the receptive state are critical to the process of implantation (1). The attainment of a differentiated uterus to support embryo development and implantation is primarily the result of the coordinated effects of estrogen and progesterone (P4) (1, 2). In rodents the first conspicuous sign that the implantation process has been initiated is an increased endometrial vascular permeability at the site of the blastocyst apposition. This can be visualized as discrete blue bands along the uterus after an intravenous (IV) injection of a macromolecular blue dye solution (1). This increased vascular permeability coincides with the initial attachment reaction between the trophectoderm and uterine luminal epithelium (ULE) (3). The permeability reaction is considered one of the earliest prerequisite events in the implantation process (1). In the mouse the attachment reaction occurs at 2200–2300 h on day 4 of pregnancy and is preceded by luminal closure that results in an intimate apposition of the blastocyst to the ULE (1, 3, 4). The attachment reaction is followed by stromal decidualization and ULE apoptosis at the site of blastocyst (3, 5). This results in the subsequent adherence and penetration by trophoblasts through the underlying basement membrane (6). Trophoblast invasion continues through the stroma in a regulated manner by the remodeling of the extracellular matrix (ECM).

Heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF) is a newly discovered member of the EGF family of growth factors. HB-EGF can bind to two loci on cell surfaces, heparan sulphate proteoglycans and EGF-receptor (EGFR), and either one or both of these interactions could play a role in cell-cell interactions. In the rodent, increased endometrial vascular permeability at the site of blastocyst apposition is considered to be an earliest discernible prerequisite event in the process of implantation and this event coincides with the initial attachment reaction between the blastocyst trophectoderm and uterine luminal epithelium. This investigation demonstrates that the HB-EGF gene is expressed in the mouse uterine luminal epithelium surrounding the blastocyst 6-7 hours before the attachment reaction that occurs at 2200-2300 hours on day 4 of pregnancy. It was further demonstrated that this gene is not expressed in the luminal epithelium at the site of the blastocyst apposition during the progesterone-maintained delayed implantation, but is readily induced in the luminal epithelium surrounding an activated blastocyst after termination of the delay by an estrogen injection. In vitro studies showed that HB-EGF induced blastocyst EGF-R autophosphorylation, and promoted blastocyst growth, zona-hatching and trophoblast outgrowth. These results suggest possible interactions between the uterine HB-EGF and blastocyst EGF-R very early in the process of implantation, earlier than any other embryo-uterine interactions defined to date at the molecular level.

Endometrial cancer (EMC) is the most common gynecological malignancy causing approximately 7,000 deaths each year in the United States. The underlying causes of EMC are not clearly understood, and treatment options for patients with advanced stages are limited. The gene with the highest frequency of alteration in EMC is Phosphatase and tensin homolog (Pten). The loss of Pten results in increased PI3K activity with enhanced Akt activation. Increased levels of activated Akt (pAkt) stimulate both cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and mammalian targets of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) activity. Although these activities are also heightened in human EMC, it is not clear whether they are the critical players in cancer initiation and progression or whether they work interactively. Animal models that spontaneously develop cancers are powerful tools for studying mechanisms of cancer initiation and progression and for developing treatment strategies. We recently generated an EMC mouse model in which uterine Pten was conditionally deleted by crossing floxed Pten mice with progesterone receptor (PR)-Cre (PRcre/+) mice. All PtenloxP/loxP/PRcre/+ mice developed EMC by one month of age with invasion occurring by 3 months. Tumor phenotypes in these mice mimic many aspects of human EMC. Using this mouse model, we found that uteri of these mice show heightened levels of COX-2 and mTORC1 activities. These observations led us to examine whether inhibiting COX-2 and/or mTORC1 activities reduces the growth of EMC. PtenloxP/loxP/PR+/+ (control) and PtenloxP/loxP/PRcre/+ mice were treated with rapamycin (an inhibitor of mTORC1 signaling) and/or celecoxib (an inhibitor of COX-2 activity) by oral gavages every alternate day starting from 30 days of age for 29 days. We found that although treatment with rapamycin or celecoxib attenuated tumor growth, maximum reduction in tumor growth and progression was noted for PtenloxP/loxP/PRcre/+ females receiving both rapamycin and celecoxib. These results suggest that a combined treatment with celecoxib and rapamycin is an effective therapeutic strategy for combating EMC. This study was supported in parts by grants from NIH-P01-CA-77839 (S.K.D), Concern Foundation (T.D.) and Ohio Cancer Research Associates (T.D.). Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 826. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-826

The effects of cadmium (Cd) exposure during the preimplantation period of pregnancy on the subsequent development and implantation of mouse embryos were examined. Injection of a high dose of Cd (38 mumol Cd/kg body wt.) on day 2 (D1 = vaginal plug), when the embryo is at the two-cell stage, had little effect on the initiation and maintenance of pregnancy when examined on D8. The initiation of implantation (localized sites of increased uterine vascular permeability) in a similarly treated group of mice was assessed in the morning of D5, and these sites were absent in 62% of the animals examined. Thus, Cd treatment on D2 delayed temporarily, but did not prevent implantation and was not embryolethal. In marked contrast, the same dose of Cd administered on D4 caused pregnancy failure in all mice examined on D8. No implantation sites were detected on D5 and the few blastocysts recovered were degenerating. To explore the mechanisms underlying these in vivo stage-specific effects of Cd, preimplantation embryos (two-cell, four-cell, eight-cell and morulae) were exposed in vitro to a high concentration of Cd (50 microM) for 8 h followed by reculture to monitor their potential to develop to the blastocyst stage. Two-cell embryos were remarkably resistant to Cd, but toxicity increased with development, and morulae readily degenerated after Cd exposure. Analysis of the accumulation of 109Cd (50 microM) by preimplantation embryos showed little or none in two-cell embryos, but rapid accumulation and efflux of this metal by blastocysts. Removal of the zona pellucida had no influence on Cd accumulation. Nifedipine (500 nM), a potent voltage-gated calcium channel blocker, and zinc (Zn; 100-fold molar excess) each significantly reduced (approximately 50% in 2 h) Cd accumulation by blastocysts, whereas N-ethylymaleimide (NEM; 20 microM) increased it. These results provide evidence that pregnancy failure after Cd exposure during the preimplantation period reflects a direct embryotoxic effect of Cd, although maternal injury by Cd may also contribute. Resistance to Cd at the two-cell stage (D2) reflects a lack of uptake of this metal, whereas sensitivity to Cd at the blastocyst stage (D4) reflects the ability to accumulate Cd.

Effects of cannabinoid on expression of β-type transforming growth factors (TGF-β1, -β2 and -β3), insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and c- myc genes in the uteri of adult ovariectomized mice were examined using Northern blot hybridization. Mice were exposed to 9-ene-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) alone or in combination with an injection of estradiol-17β (E 2 ) and/or progesterone (P 4 ), and uteri were analyzed at various times thereafter. TGF-β isoform messenger RNAs (mRNAs) persisted in ovariectomized uteri and their levels were not altered after THC treatment, whereas an injection of E 2 caused a modest increase in TGF-β1 and -β3 mRNA levels at 24 h. Imposition of THC treatment advanced the stimulatory effects of E 2 by changing the timing for the peak of TGF-β3 mRNA levels to 12 h. In comparison, E 2 treatment substantially elevated the levels of TGF-β2 mRNA at 6 h, and THC potentiated this E 2 response without affecting the timing for the response. Imposition of P 4 treatment did not antagonize any of these responses. P 4 treatment alone or with THC had insignificant effects on mRNA levels for these TGF-β isoforms. Uterine levels of IGF-I and c- myc mRNAs were low in ovariectomized mice and THC did not alter these mRNA levels. In contrast, E 2 treatment induced a rapid, but transient, increase in IGF-I and c- myc mRNAs, and THC antagonized the rapid c- myc mRNA response and altered the timing of the IGF-I mRNA response. P 4 treatment alone also caused the transient induction of these mRNAs, but THC failed to antagonize these effects. An injection of P 4 plus E 2 resulted in further modest increases in IGF-I and c- myc mRNA levels as compared to E 2 or P 4 treatment alone. However, THC did not antagonize these transient stimulatory effects of the combined ovarian steroids. The data suggest that THC should not be classified as estrogenic or antiestrogenic. However, this compound can modulate (potentiate, antagonize and/or alter timing) the effects of ovarian steroids on uterine gene expression.

The delayed implantation model was used to study epidermal growth factor receptor(s) (EGF-R) in the mouse blastocyst. Delayed implantation and blastocyst dormancy were induced by ovariectomy on day 4 of pregnancy and were maintained by daily (days 5-7) injections of progesterone (P4). Blastocyst activation and implantation were initiated by coinjection of estradiol-17 beta (E2) with P4 on the 3rd day of delay. Immunostaining of EGF-R, autoradiographic detection of 125I-labeled EGF binding, and measurement of EGF-inducible subcellular protein tyrosine phosphorylation demonstrated the loss of EGF-R from blastocysts (dormant) recovered 24 h after ovariectomy or on the 3rd day of P4-maintained delay. However, increased EGF-R levels were detected in blastocysts (activated) recovered 12 or 24 h after E2 injection. Blastocyst EGF-R mRNA levels were quantitated by reverse transcriptase (RT)-PCR and distribution of this mRNA was examined by in situ hybridization. To provide a homologous probe for these studies, a mouse EGF-R partial cDNA was cloned and used as the template for synthesis of antisense- and sense-strand EGF-R RNA. Quantitative RT-PCR demonstrated an 8- to 10-fold reduction in EGF-R mRNA copies per cell in dormant blastocysts. In contrast, an 8-fold increase in EGF-R mRNA copies per cell was detected in activated blastocysts 8 h after injection of E2. In situ hybridization detected EGF-R mRNA in most cells of normal day 4 blastocysts but not in those of dormant blastocysts. These studies establish that expression of the EGF-R gene in mouse blastocysts is tightly regulated by maternal steroid hormonal status.

Effects of estradiol (E2) and catechol-estrogens (CEs: 2-OHE2 and 4-OHE2) on uterine ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity have been compared in immature rats. The intensity of their actions by s.c. (1 μg) and intrauterine right-horn (i.u., 25 ng) injection was in the order of: 4-OHE2 ≧E2>2-OHE2. Although i.u.-injection of E2 caused an increase in ODC activity in the left (intact)-horn, which was about 60% that of the right-horn, the effects by CEs were limited only to the right-horn. The results are consistent with the previous view about the order of the potency of 4-OHE2 and 2-OHE2 and also suggest that locally produced CEs may play a role in the physiological functions of the production site.

Several early (Phase I) and late (Phase II) estrogenic effects of 9-ene-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) were examined in the adult mouse uterus. An injection of THC (2.5 or 10 mg/kg body wt) in ovariectomized mice neither stimulated uterine water imbibition or accumulation of [ 125 I]bovine serum albumin (Phase I responses) at 6 h, nor antagonized these Phase I responses elicited by estradiol-17β (E 2 ). With respect to Phase II responses, although single injections of THC (2.5, 5.0 and 10 mg/kg body wt) alone were ineffective in influencing uterine weight at 24 h or incorporation of [ 3 H]thymidine at 18 h, this drug interfered with these responses elicited by E 2 in a dose-dependent manner. In contrast, an injection of THC in progesterone (P 4 )-primed ovariectomized mice modestly enhanced (61%) uterine incorporation of [ 3 H]thymidine. However, E 2 -stimulated uterine thymidine incorporation in P 4 -primed ovariectomized mice was antagonized by THC treatment. Effects of THC on blastocyst implantation were examined. Single or multiple injections of various doses of THC neither induced implantation in P 4 -primed delayed implanting mice, nor interfered with E 2 -induced implantation. Furthermore, daily injections of THC (10 mg/kg body wt) during the periimplantation period had no apparent adverse effects on implantation, or on experimentally induced decidualization (deciduomata). The data suggest that THC is neither pro- nor antiestrogenic with respect to Phase I responses. However as regards Phase II responses, THC is modestly proestrogenic in the P 4 -treated uterus, but is antiestrogenic in the presence of E 2 . These estrogen agonistic/antagonistic effects of THC on uterine Phase II responses do not adversely affect the process of implantation and decidualization.

Embryos recovered from sows on Days 9-13 of pregnancy (Day 0 = first day of estrus) exhibited saturable and time-dependent specific binding of 125I-epidermal growth factor (EGF). The specific binding (pg/mg protein) was greater (P less than 0.001) for Day 13 elongated conceptuses than for conceptuses of earlier stages. Scatchard analyses showed two classes of binding sites (Kd = 7.0 +/- 2.6 x 10(-11) M, Bmax = 6.2 +/- 1.4 fmol/mg protein and Kd = 3.4 +/- 0.2 x 10(-8) M, Bmax = 420 +/- 80 fmol/mg protein). The EGF receptor in Day 13 conceptus membranes is a 170-kDa protein and was phosphorylated in the presence of EGF and adenosine triphosphate. EGF stimulated protein tyrosine kinase activity about 1.6-fold over basal levels. The results show that the preimplantation pig conceptus possesses EGF-binding sites with the properties of functional EGF-receptors.

The stage and cell-specific accumulation of mammalian isoforms of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta 1, TGF-beta 2, and TGF-beta 3) and TGF-beta binding were examined in the preimplantation embryo and in progesterone (P4)-treated delayed or P4 plus estradiol-17 beta (E2)-treated activated blastocysts in the mouse. Immunocytochemical studies revealed that while all three immunoreactive TGF-beta isoforms were present in one-cell embryos, very little or no immunostaining was observed in two-cell embryos. However, distinct immunostaining of these isoforms was again observed in four-cell embryos and persisted through the blastocyst stage. Among the isoforms studied, TGF-beta 2 immunostaining showed a unique pattern in late morulae. In many of these morulae, the staining was primarily observed in outside cells. However, in blastocysts, immunostaining for all three isoforms was present both in the inner cell mass (ICM) and trophectoderm (Tr). Immunostaining in sectioned blastocysts and immunosurgically isolated ICMs confirmed immunostaining in Tr and ICM cells. To ascertain whether preimplantation embryos can produce TGF-beta isoforms, immunostaining was performed in embryos grown in vitro from two-cell stage in simple balanced salt solution. Immunoreactive TGF-beta s 1-3 were present in embryos at all stages of development examined (four-cell embryos through blastocysts). The virtual absence of immunoactive TGF-beta s in two-cell embryos but their accumulation in embryos at later stages of development in vitro provides evidence that these growth factors were produced by embryos. In order to assess at what stages of development preimplantation embryos could be responsive to TGF-beta s, specific binding of [125I]TGF-beta 1 and [125I]TGF-beta 2 was performed in embryos and examined by autoradiography. Low levels of binding were first detected in eight-cell embryos. The binding increased in morulae followed by a further increase in blastocysts. Analysis of binding of [125I]TGF-beta 2 in immunosurgically isolated ICMs indicated that binding was primarily evident in Tr cells. Affinity labeling of TGF-beta 1 or TGF-beta 2 in Day 4 blastocysts revealed three classes of binding proteins with approximate molecular sizes of 65 kDa (type I), 90 kDa (type II), and greater than 250 kDa (type III), in addition to a doublet of 130 and 140 kDa proteins. This observation is similar to those reported for other cell types. The data suggest that embryos are likely to be responsive to TGF-beta s after the third cleavage.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Many of the organochlorine pesticides have been shown to elicit estrogenic responses in laboratory animals. Two estrogenic actions, initiation of implantation and maintenance of pregnancy, were examined in progesterone-primed, delayed-implanting, hypophysectomized rats exposed to several polychlorinated hydrocarbons. The insecticide P,P'-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) was nearly devoid of estrogenic activity for initiating implantation, as was a dichloro analog, 1,1-dichloro-2-[p-chlorophenyl],2-[o-chlorophenyl]ethane (O,P'-DDD), but another such analog, 1,1-dichloro-2-(p-chlorophenyl),2-(o-chlorophenyl)ethylene (O,P'-DDE), was nearly as estrogenic as the O,P'-DDT isomer of DDT and the methoxylated analog methoxychlor. The latter three compounds not only initiated implantation, but maintained pregnancy when given in large (200 mg/kg) and repeated doses. Another insecticide, chlordecone (Kepone) was more estrogenic than any of the DDT analogs and maintained pregnancy with a single dose of 50 mg/kg. 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), a toxic contaminant of herbicide production, did not induce implantation at a dose of 125 micrograms/kg, but inhibited the implantation initiated by estrone in 35% of the animals. The mechanism of this antiestrogenicity is unknown but most probably does not involve direct action via the classical estrogen receptor. The possible interference with the normal blastocyst-uterine interactions of these polychlorinated xenobiotics may be an important factor in their being considered reproductive toxins.

Uterine expression of lactoferrin (LF) during the preimplantation period and its regulation by the ovarian steroids estradiol (E2) and/or progesterone (P4) in ovariectomized adult mice were examined. Immunoblot detection of LF in uterine cell lysates demonstrated the presence of this protein from days 1-8 of pregnancy [day 1 (D1) = day of vaginal plug]. Immunoprecipitation of 35S pulse-labeled uterine proteins showed that the relative rate of LF synthesis was high on D1, but below the level of detection by D4. Immunolocalization of LF in uterine sections showed intense luminal and glandular epithelial staining on D1 and D2, and progressively decreased staining through D4. Immunoreactive protein was also detected in cells, primarily concentrated in the stroma. The relative number of these cells was greatest on D1 and decreased progressively to a low number by D4. These cells were morphologically similar to neutrophils, which are known to contain LF protein, but little or no LF mRNA. Northern blotting showed that uterine LF mRNA levels were very high on D1 and D2 of pregnancy and decreased to low, but detectable, levels by D4. In situ hybridization to uterine sections showed that LF mRNA was highly abundant only in glandular and luminal epithelial cells, and followed the same pattern as immunolocalization on D1-D4 in epithelial cells. These results document two sources of LF in the preimplantation mouse uterus: neutrophils and epithelial cells. The synthesis of LF in the uterus reflects the abundance of epithelial LF mRNA, which is high on the first 2 days of pregnancy. Neutrophils that contain LF are also abundant in the uterine stroma during this time. E2 and/or P4 regulation of uterine LF was examined. LF mRNA was rapidly induced by E2 in ovariectomized adult mice, and this mRNA was localized exclusively to epithelial cells. P4 had little effect on uterine LF mRNA levels, but antagonized the prolonged induction of this gene by E2. E2 induced the accumulation of immunoreactive LF in uterine epithelial cells and the appearance of numerous immunopositive neutrophils distributed throughout the uterine stroma. P4 also antagonized these effects. Thus, E2 regulates LF gene expression in uterine epithelial cells and causes the recruitment of neutrophils into the uterus. These results suggest that LF may play an important role in early pregnancy and that uterine LF gene expression is regulated by a balance between estrogen and P4.

In order to provide information concerning gene expression and regulation in the preimplantation mammalian embryo, and to explore the roles of metallothionein (MT) during this period of development, the constitutive and metal-induced MT mRNA levels in mouse ova, preimplantation embryos, and oviducts were determined. These results were correlated with the effects of transient exposure to high levels of metals (zinc (Zn) or cadmium (Cd] on the continued development of preimplantation embryos into blastocysts in culture. RNA from preimplantation mouse embryos at different stages of development (Days 1 through 4 of gestation; D1 = vaginal plug) was analyzed using the reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to specifically amplify MT-I and MT-II mRNA transcripts. MT-I mRNA in ova, preimplantation embryos, and oviducts was detected using in situ hybridization. This mRNA in the oviduct was also analyzed by Northern blotting. The results establish that the mouse MT genes are coordinately and constitutively expressed at low basal levels in ova and preimplantation mouse embryos. In unfertilized (ova), fertilized (one-cell) eggs, and two-cell embryos, the MT-I gene was not detectably responsive to metal ions, whereas in later cleavage stage embryos (four- and eight-cell) the MT-I gene was detectably responsive to metals in some blastomeres of some of the embryos. In contrast, after the third cleavage this gene was highly metal-inducible in essentially all cells of the embryo (morula/blastocyst). Surprisingly, the appearance of metal responsiveness of the MT genes during development correlated with decreased Zn toxicity and increased Cd toxicity; two-cell embryos were Zn-sensitive and Cd-resistant, whereas eight-cell and older embryos were Zn-resistant and Cd-sensitive. In the oviduct, MT-I mRNA was not abundant in total RNA, but was detected specifically in the epithelial cells of the isthmus region and was elevated in these cells on D3 and D4 of gestation. In the oviduct, only isthmus epithelial cells responded to metals (Zn or Cd) by increased accumulation of this mRNA. These studies suggest that preimplantation mouse embryo develops the capacity to respond to metals in the environmental milieu by induction of MT gene expression at about the third cleavage. Whether the lack of responsiveness of these genes before this stage reflects transcriptional repression or attenuated metal ion influx and/or enhanced efflux remains to be determined. Sensitivity and resistance of preimplantation embryos to acute metal toxicity involve mechanisms other than MT gene expression in preimplantation mouse embryos.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

The implantation process is a complex interaction between embryonic and uterine cells. Major critical events of the implantation process are: (i) synchronized development of the preimplantation embryo to the blastocyst stage and establishment of the receptive uterus; (ii) increased capillary permeability in the receptive uterus at the site of blastocyst apposition; (iii) localized decidualization of the uterine stroma immediately following blastocyst attachment; and (iv) controlled invasion of the stroma by the embryonic trophoblast (1). These events are primarily dependent upon temporal and cell type-specific interactions between progesterone (P4) and estrogen (E). However, the molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in these P4/E regulated processes are not clearly understood. One emerging concept is that P4/E effects in the uterus and/or the embryo are transduced by growth factors which function in an autocrine/paracrine manner. These growth factors are likely to be central elements in the regulation of the implantation process. This manuscript will focus on the role of growth factors, especially of epidermal growth factor (EGF), on embryo-uterine interactions during the peri-implantation period.

Immunohistochemistry and in situ and Northern blot hybridization were employed to determine temporal and spatial expression of transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF beta 1) in the mouse uterus during the periimplantation period. The polyclonal antisera anti-LC-(1-30) and anti-CC-(1-30), raised against two different preparations of a peptide corresponding to the amino-terminal 30 amino acids of TGF beta 1, were used for histochemical analyses because of their distinct staining patterns. Anti-LC shows intracellular staining, while staining by anti-CC is primarily extracellular. The colocalization of intracellular staining by anti-LC with in situ hybridization of TGF beta 1 mRNA in the luminal and glandular epithelia on days 1-4 of pregnancy (day 1 = vaginal plug) indicates that the epithelial cells are the primary sites of TGF beta 1 synthesis during the preimplantation period. On the other hand, staining of the extracellular matrix of the stroma by anti-CC during this period suggests an active accumulation of TGF-beta 1 that is synthesized in and secreted from the epithelia. While intracellular staining and accumulation of TGF-beta 1 mRNA in the epithelia were clearly evident on days 1-4, the extracellular staining showed temporal fluctuations. The clear extracellular staining of the stroma that was observed on day 1 was absent on day 2; moderate staining was again visualized in the stroma on day 3 and was markedly increased on day 4.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

We have established a model that shows cooperative interaction among preimplantation embryos and the role of growth factors on their development and growth. Two-cell mouse embryos cultured singly in 25-microliters microdrops had inferior development to blastocysts and lower cell numbers per blastocyst compared with those cultured in groups of 5 or 10. The inferior development of singly cultured embryos was markedly improved by addition of epidermal growth factor (EGF) or transforming growth factor alpha or beta 1 (TGF-alpha or TGF-beta 1) to the culture medium. The stage of embryonic development, primarily affected by these treatments, was between eight-cell/morula and blastocyst. Furthermore, blastocysts developed from eight-cell embryos cultured in groups or singly in the presence of EGF showed a higher incidence of zona hatching compared with those cultured singly in the absence of EGF. Detection of EGF receptors on the embryonic cell surface at eight-cell/morula and blastocyst stages suggests beneficial effects of EGF or TGF-alpha on preimplantation embryo development and blastocyst functions. Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) had no influence on embryo development. To further document the cooperative interactions among embryos, the volume of the culture medium was doubled to 50 microliters. This increase in culture volume was even more detrimental to the development of singly cultured embryos. However, this detrimental effect was significantly reversed by EGF and reversed even more markedly by a combination of EGF and TGF-beta 1 but not by TGF-beta 1 alone. Although TGF-beta 1 plus IGF-I caused a modest improvement of embryo development, the response was not as great as shown by EGF alone. Furthermore, IGF-I had no additive effect on EGF-induced embryonic development. The study presents clear evidence that specific growth factors of embryonic and/or reproductive tract origin participate in preimplantation embryo development and blastocyst functions in an autocrine/paracrine manner.

At least 48 hr of progesterone (P4) priming has been documented to be essential for P4 and estrogen to initiate implantation in the rat. However, the length of this P4 priming requirement for implantation in the mouse has not been experimentally defined. Therefore, our first objective was to determine the length of P4-priming requirement for implantation in the mouse. Day 4 blastocysts were transferred into the uteri of Day 5 or Day 6 pseudopregnant mice that were ovariectomized on Day 1 (= vaginal plug) and treated with a single injection of P4 and 17 beta-estradiol (E2) only on Day 5, or a single injection of P4 on Day 5 followed by a second injection of P4 plus E2 on Day 6, respectively. Although none of the transferred blastocysts implanted in the uteri of P4-unprimed recipients, 46% of the transferred blastocysts implanted into the uteri of all recipients that were first primed with P4 24 hour prior to a second injection of P4 and E2. These results suggest that in contrast to the rat, the mouse uterus requires at most 24 hr of P4 priming before P4 and estrogen can initiate implantation. Our second objective was to determine whether P4 priming has a long-term effect on implantation in the mouse. Our present results and those of others suggest that the mouse uterus is exposed to rising P4 levels for 24 hr prior to implantation on Day 4 of pregnancy. Therefore, in the present investigation, induction of implantation by an injection of P4 and E2 following 5 days of ovariectomy performed on Day 4 of pregnancy clearly suggests that once exposed to P4 for 24 hr, the mouse uterus retains a long-term effect, i.e., following P4 withdrawal for several days, 24 hr of initial P4 priming is no longer required for P4 and estrogen to initiate implantation. Our next objective was to explore whether this long-term effect of P4 priming on implantation can be prolonged and potentiated by increasing the length of initial P4 priming. Thus, when the mice were ovariectomized on Day 4 of pregnancy and treated with P4 beginning on Day 5 for 4 days, the long-term effect on implantation was prolonged (8 days vs 5 days following P4 withdrawal) and potentiated (94% vs 0% mice with implantation following 8 days of P4 withdrawal) as compared with those with no P4 priming after ovariectomy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Immunocytochemical analyses, using several mouse epidermal growth factor (EGF) polyclonal antibodies, detected immunoreactivity only in uterine luminal and glandular epithelia on late proestrus, estrus, and early on day 1 of pregnancy, but not late on day 1. This immunoreactivity was not detected in the ovariectomized uterus, but after estrogen stimulation it was detected first in the luminal epithelium between 12-24 h and then also in the glandular epithelium by 48 h. After 72 h of estrogen withdrawal, EGF immunoreactivity was no longer detected. This response was specific for estrogen and did not occur after progesterone injection (2 mg/day for 4 days). Using antipeptide antibodies specific for prepro-EGF, no immunoreactivity was detected in the ovariectomized uterus, weak reactivity was detected in the estrogenized uterus and submandibular gland, and strong reactivity was detected in the kidney. Northern blot analysis of uterine RNA failed to detect the expected 4.8-kilobase prepro-EGF mRNA, but, instead, a rare transcript of 2.4 kilobases was detected, which suggests that EGF mRNA is alternately processed in the uterus. The presence of an EGF-coding uterine transcript was further documented by hybridization of an EGF-coding region-specific oligodeoxyribonucleotide (oligo) to polymerase chain reaction-amplified uterine cDNA. In situ hybridization, using a prepro-EGF cRNA probe as well as an EGF-coding region-specific oligo, showed hybridization that colocalized with the EGF immunostaining (epithelia) and was absent from non-EGF-immunoreactive cells. Pulse labeling experiments coupled with immunoaffinity chromatography showed that estrogen induced an increase in the relative rate of synthesis of an acid-soluble immunoreactive protein which was the same size as authentic EGF. Furthermore, analysis of acid-soluble uterine proteins fractionated by DEAE-cellulose chromatography demonstrated a single coincident peak of antigenic activity and receptor-binding activity which coeluted from the column with authentic EGF. Electron microscopy localized EGF immunoreactivity to the Golgi of luminal epithelial cells. Taken together these results suggest that estrogen regulates expression of the EGF gene specifically in uterine epithelial cells. Increased expression of this gene results in an increase in the relative rate of synthesis of this protein and the accumulation of mature EGF.

Pig blastocysts have the capacity to convert estradiol into catechol estrogens. Our present study shows that they also have the capacity to hydroxylate estradiol in cycloaliphatic C-atom 15, and this aliphatic hydroxylation reaction is more predominate than the aromatic hydroxylations. The conversion of [4-14C]estradiol to [4-14C]15α-hydroxyestradiol by mitochondrial-rich/microsomal fractions was examined by isolation of this product using reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) attached to a radiometric flow detector, and its identification by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The enzyme kinetics for estrogen 15α-hydroxylase were performed in the pig blastocyst obtained on Day 13 of pregnancy (Day 0 = first acceptance of the male). The enzyme follows classical Michaelis-Menten kinetics. The apparent Kms for estradiol were 2.47 and 1.85μM, and the apparent Vmaxs were 0.25 and 0.197 nmol/mg/min in the mitochondrial-rich and microsomal fractions, respectively. The enzyme activity was inhibited by different steroidal compounds and non-steroidal estrogens, as well as by CO, SKF-525A, piperonyl butoxide and antibody to cytochrome P450 reductase. Ontogenesis of the blastocyst's estrogen 15α-hydroxylase follows a similar pattern to that of estrogen - 2 4 - hydroxylase . Thus, highest activity was observed on Days 12 and 13 and lowest was on Day 15 of pregnancy. Furthermore, the enzyme is abundant primarily in the extraembryonic tissues rather than in the embryo proper. The abundance of the enzyme in the extraembryonic tissues, and its surge at a critical time of pregnancy recognition and just prior to implantation suggest that 15α -hydroxylated estradiol could be involved in these processes.

Nat. Med. 10, 1074–1080 (2004). In the online version of this article, the right axis of the graph in Figure 1a was missing its label. It should be labeled 'average litter size.' Also in the online version, the link for Figure 2 was incorrect. This has now been corrected.

Cyclooxygenase (COX) is the rate-limiting enzyme in the formation of prostaglandins from arachidonic acid. COX exists in 2 isoforms, COX-1 and COX-2. These isoforms are encoded by separate genes and demonstrate cell-specific expression and regulation. Peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor (PPAR) is a nuclear transcription factor that is activated by prostacyclin. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a proangiogenic factor that is up-regulated in various tumors. Vascular endothelial growth factor has been shown to interact with COX-derived prostaglandins in angiogenesis. To better understand the roles of these genes in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCCA), we examined the differential expression of the COX1, COX2, VEGF, and PPARδ genes in these tumors. Tissue samples from patients with HNSCCA were analyzed for COX-1, COX-2, VEGF, and PPAR messenger RNAs (mRNAs) by in situ hybridization. COX-1 and COX-2 mRNAs were also evaluated with Northern blot hybridization. Immunohistochemistry was used to analyze for COX-2 and PPAR proteins. Results showed focal areas of accumulation for COX-2, VEGF, and PPAR but not COX-1 in human HNSCCA. Northern blot hybridization showed higher levels of COX-2 mRNA in HNSCCA than in normal tissue. This suggests a supportive role of COX-2 in development and/or progression of HNSCCA. In addition, PPAR may be a receptor for COX-2–produced prostaglandins in HNSCCA. There is a potential role for selective COX-2 inhibitors in the treatment of these lesions. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2001;127:1253-1259

Erratum to ‘‘COX-2 compensation in the uterus of COX-1 deficient mice during the pre-implantation period’’ [Mol. Cell. Endocrinol. 150 (1999) 23–31] Jeff Reese , Naoko Brown , Bibhash C. Paria , Jason Morrow , Sudhansu K. Dey a a Department of Pediatrics, Uni6ersity of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160-7338, USA b Molecular and Integrati6e Physiology, Uni6ersity of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160-7338, USA c Department of Medicine and Pharmacology, Vanderbilt Uni6ersity Medical Center, Nash6ille, TN 37232-6602, USA www.elsevier.com/locate/mce

Isoform-Specific Expression of Neuregulin Family Members in the Mouse Uterus During Embryo Implantation 299

Reduced Uterine Vascular Permeability During the Pre-Implantation Period in Cox-1 Deficient Mice. † 300

Temporal and Spatial Expression of neu Differentiation Factor (NDF) in the Mouse Uterus during the Periimplantation Period. • 286

The activities of phosphofructokinase, pyruvate kinase, citrate synthase and creatine kinase were determined in blastocysts from rabbits at 144 h post coitum and in similar blastocysts cultured for 24 h with or without oestradiol-17beta (1 microgrm/ml). There was a significant increase in all the enzymes during the 24-h culture period but oestradiol had no effect.

Anemia induced experimentally either by administration of phenylhydrazine or by splenectomy stimulated spermatogenic and steroidogenic activities in the testes of the toad (Bufo melanostictus). It is concluded that the stimulated activity of the testes is mediated through the hypothalamo-pituitary axis.

Formation of the catechol estrogens 2- and 4-hydroxyestradiol (2-OHE2 and 4-OHE2) from estradiol by pig blastocysts was studied using a direct product isolation assay for estrogen-2/4-hydroxylase (E-2/4-H). Blastocyst E-2/4-H activity was characterized biochemically using homogenates of blastocysts obtained on day 12 of pregnancy. This information was used to establish appropriate incubation conditions for the assay of E-2/4-H activity in blastocysts during the preimplantation period. Catechol estrogen formation was linear with time for up to 30 min and with blastocyst protein concentrations of up to 100 micrograms in a reaction volume of 150 microliters. The E-2/4-H activity of pig blastocysts was maximal at pH 7.9 and was not affected by the nonionic detergent Tween-80. The E-2/4-H activity was dependent on nicotinamide cofactor, with NADPH preferred over NADH for 2-OHE2 formation. The predominant catechol estrogen formed was 2-OHE2: maximum velocities (Vmax) for the formation of 2- and 4-OHE2 were 1570 and 174 pmol/mg protein . 30 min, respectively. The apparent Km values with respect to estradiol for 2- and 4-OHE2 were similar, 4.39 and 4.27 microM, respectively. Blastocyst E-2/4-H activity was detectable in one of two samples of blastocysts from day 10 of pregnancy (4.4 pmol 2-OHE2/mg protein . 30 min), increased to a maximum on days 12 and 13 (628 +/- 153 and 516 +/- 227 pmol 2-OHE2/mg protein . 30 min, respectively), and declined by day 14 (63.2 +/- 32.9 pmol 2-OHE2/mg protein . 30 min). The activity of E-2/4-H was positively correlated with aromatase activity assayed in the same tissue samples from days 10-14 of pregnancy. The surge in E-2/4-H activity coincides with several of the critical events that occur near the time of implantation. Our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that catechol estrogens mediate some of the actions of estrogens in early pregnancy in the pig.

Prostaglandins (PGs) appear to have a role in the appearance of the increased uterine vascular permeability and subsequent decidualization observed at implantation in many species. However, the sites of production of these PGs have not been clearly established. To clarify the PG synthetic capacity of the blastocyst and the various types of cells in the uterus at implantation, we have studied the immunohistochemical localization of PG synthase in the rat blastocyst on Days 5 to 7 and uterus on Days 1, 4, 5, 6, and 7 of pregnancy. Labeling of PG synthase was negligible in the uterus on Day 1 of pregnancy. On Day 4, there was increased labeling in the luminal and glandular epithelium, in stromal cells adjacent to the luminal epithelium, and in blood vessels and some leukocytes. PG synthase was detected in the blastocysts on Days 5 to 7, but there was a gradual loss of label in the luminal and glandular epithelial cells during this period. Early differentiating stromal cells adjacent to the luminal epithelium in the implantation site on Day 5 showed bright labeling, whereas peripheral stromal cells were only slightly labeled. By Day 7, the differentiated cells of the primary decidual zone showed little or no label, but cells in the secondary decidual zone were brightly labeled. These results indicate that PG synthase is present in the rat blastocyst and in several kinds of uterine cells, and that its localization in uterine cells changed markedly during the implantation process.

We have measured by radioimmunoassay the production of leukotrienes (LTC4 and LTB4) and prostaglandins (PGE2 and PGF2 alpha) in the rat uterus on Days 1 through 6 of pregnancy. The production is defined as the synthesis minus the degradation for a defined period. The production of LTC4 or LTB4 remained unaltered on days 1-3, but exhibited a marked increase on Day 4 showing a peak at noon. This was then followed by a sharp decline on Day-5 morning. A small but consistent peak in uterine LT production was also noticed on Day-5 noon prior to implantation and this was followed by a decline on Day-6 morning i.e. after initiation of implantation. The production profile of PGE2 and PGF2 alpha showed a striking resemblance to that of LTs; one exception being that maximal PG production was noticed on Day-4 morning and preceded the peak production of LTs. These vasoactive arachidonate derivatives reached their peak production rates at around the time when a surge in estrogen level is noticed in the uterus on Day 4. Implantation is a local proinflammatory type of reaction that is associated with increased uterine vascular permeability. Vascular changes in inflammatory reactions are provoked by two kinds of chemical mediators: vasodilators and agents that increase vascular permeability. PGs (especially of the E series) are known as vasodilators, while LTs and histamine mediate increases in vascular permeability. Therefore, an interaction between LTs, PGs, and histamine could be important for uterine preparation for implantation and/or implantation per se.

Catechol estradiol can induce implantation of the embryo in a progesterone-primed uterus, but we do not know whether conversion of estrogen to a catechol is essential for implantation. The present study examined the ability of fluorinated estradiols that have a reduced capability of catechol formation to induce implantation. Delayed implantation in rats that were hypophysectomized on the third day postcoitum was maintained by daily injection of progesterone. On the fifth day of progesterone treatment they were injected intravenously with estradiol-17 beta (E2), or various doses of 2-fluoroestradiol-17 beta (2-F1-E2) or 4-fluoroestradiol-17 beta (4-F1-E2) and examined 24 hr later for evidence of initiation of implantation. All animals treated with 25 ng of E2 showed normal numbers of implantation sites, as did those receiving 60 ng of 4-F1-E2. In contrast, 2-F1-E2 failed to initiate implantation with doses as high as 300 ng per animal; there were only single sites in two of eight rats treated with 500 ng. Initiation of implantation was not correlated with lack of uterotropic estrogenicity. The results suggest that formation of catechol estrogen may be an important step in mediating estrogen function for implantation of the embryo.

Pregnant hamsters were ovariectomized on Day 2 (Day 1 = sperm positive) and given progesterone replacement therapy daily (200 microgram sc in sesame oil). Either 2 or 4 mg indomethacin (Indo) given on Day 3 and early Day 4 delayed shedding of the zona pellucida and the onset of implantation on Day 4. One mg Indo administered on Day 3 was only partially effective. By Day 5, approximately half of the hamsters receiving either 2 or 4 mg Indo exhibited implantation sites whereas all controls and hamsters receiving 1 mg Indo had sites. At the dosages used, estradiol cypionate, histamine, prostacyclin and prostaglandin E2 did not overcome the effects of Indo. The results indicate that Indo interferes with zona shedding and implantation of blastocysts in the ovariectomized-progesterone treated hamster.

The levels of prostaglandins (PGs) were measured by radioimmunoassay in the interimplantation and the implantation sites as well as in the implantation site without the blastocyst in the rabbit on day 7 of pregnancy (168 h post coitum). The concentrations of PGs were also determined in the blastocyst (PGF:101.59+/-4.33 and PGE-A:29.74+/-3.11 ng/blastocyst, n=6) and the blastocoel fluid (PGF:253.55+/-39.56 and PGE-A:83.29+/-6.60 ng/100 microliters, n=4) on day 7. The levels of both PGF and PGE-A were significantly higher in the implantation site as compared to interimplantation site (PGF:73.63+/-6.68 vs. 0.59+/-0.21 and PGE-A:25.52+/-3.30 vs. 1.22+/-0.18 ng/100 mg wet weight, n=8). The removal of the blastocyst from the implantation site drastically reduced the concentrations of PGs in this site (PGF:8.71+/-2.80 and PGE-A:1.64+/-0.12 ng/100 mg wet weight, n=8). The results provide evidence that the blastocyst is the major source of PGs which contribute to the high concentration in the implantation site in the rabbit.

An interaction between the blastocyst and the uterus is essential for establishment of pregnancy. Because maternal estrogen is not an absolute requirement, estrogen of embryonic origin has been implicated in this process in the pig and the rabbit. Furthermore, estrogen forming capacity has been documented in the blastocyst of these species. However, while the complete machinery for steroid synthesis in the pig balstocyst has been demonstrated, the issue is still unresolved for the rabbit blastocyst. In the present communication we have shown that 17α-hydroxylase and C17–20-lyase, enzymes involved in the formation of androgens (C19-steroids) from C21-steroids (progestins), are present in day-6 rabbit blastocysts. C17–20-lyase activity was undetectable to low in day-5 and increased in day-6 balstocysts. The activity was further increased in day-6 blastocysts cultured for 24 h. Because prostaglandins have been implicated in uterine vascular changes at about the time of implantation and pregnancy establishment, and because catechol estrogens are more potent than phenolic estrogens in stimulating prostaglandin synthesis in the blastocyst and the uterus, we determined catechol estrogen forming capacity in the rabbit and pig blastocyst. Catechol estrogen forming capacity (estrogen-2/4-hydroxylase) in the pig blastocyst appears on day 10 of pregnancy, peaks on day 12 and then declines. Our preliminary experiments also indicate that day-6 rabbit blastocysts have catechol estrogen forming capacity. On the basis of our present findings and of others, we propose that catechol estrogens of embryonic origin mediate the stimulatory effect of estrogens on prostaglandin synthesis in the embryo and/or the uterus and thus participate in the process of establishment of pregnancy.

In previous studies (1–3), we have shown that Δ 5 -3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSD) activity in rat embryos begins on Day 4 of pregnancy (Day 1 = day of finding spermatozoa in the vagina), it peaks on Day 5, and sharply declines on Day 6. The present study investigated the presence of estradiol-17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17β-HSD) in rat embryos recovered on Days 4, 5 and 6. The pattern of the 17β-HSD activity was similar to that of 3β-HSD. Thus, the present results strengthen our previous contention that rat morulae and blastocysts synthesize steroid hormones; moreover, the results suggest that one of the hormones synthesized is estrogen.

The histamine producing capacity of rabbit blastocysts and uterine endometrial tissues was determined by measuring their histidine decarboxylase activities (HDC). The production rate of 14C02 using carboxy labeled L-histidine as substrate was used as the index of HDC. No enzyme was detectable in the 20,000 X g supernatant of endometrial extracts, but significant activity was found in the extracts from Day 5, 6 or 7 blastocysts; the greatest activity was found in Day 6 embryos. Extracts of late Day 6 or Day 7 (Day 6 blastocysts cultured for 24 h) embryos appeared to contain an “inhibitor” of HDC when measured against the enzyme activity of fetal tissues. The intraluminal injection of DL-�-methylhistidine dihydrochloride (DL-o-MH), a specific inhibitor of HDC, on Day 5 of pregnancy, interrupted implantation; normal implantation rates were found in contralateral horns instilled with the same amount of L-histidine. The inhibiting action of DL-a-MH could be partially overcome by the co-injection of L-histidine. The results are consistent with the view that rabbit blastocysts have an active histamine forming system and that inhibition of the enzyme can alter implantation.

Suppression of succinic dehydrogenase (SDH) activity resulted in stimulation of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) and Δ5-3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (Δ5-3β-OHD) activities in the immature rat ovary after malonate treatment. The same treatment also produced depletion in the ovarian ascorbic acid and elevation in cholesterol concentrations, together with increase in the ovarian and uterine weight. The results indicate that stimulation of ovarian steroidogenesis, resulting from accelerated pentose phosphate pathway in combination with increased concentration of cholesterol in the gland, is possibly due to a direct effect of malonate on the immature rat ovary. The rise in ovarian and uterine weights is not due to the decreased inactivation of oestrogen in the liver, but rather to stimulation of steroid hormone synthesis in the immature ovary following malonate administration.

A histochemical study of the NAD- and NADP-linked dehydrogenases, Δ5-3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (Δ5-3β-ODH) and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD), and the corresponding tetrazolium reductases in prepubertal rat ovaries following the administration of oxythiamine HCl revealed diminution in the activities of the two dehydrogenases, while the NAD- and NADP-tetrazolium reductase activities remained unchanged. The same treatment resulted in stimulation of dihydrolipoic dehydrogenase (DLDH) and succinic dehydrogenase (SDH) activities in the ovarian tissues. Supplementary histochemical demonstration of Δ5-3β-OHD activity in phosphate buffer at pH 9.0 revealed a similar localization of the enzyme as that observed at pH 7.1 and which was free of the NAD-linked diaphorase activity. A diminution of this ovarian enzyme activity at this pH was also evident, following oxythiamine treatment. The results indicate a suppression of ovarian steroidogenesis in the prepubertal rats as a result of an alteration of the pentose phosphate pathway enzyme, G-6-PD, following treatment with oxythiamine HCl.

We previously described spatiotemporal expression of various epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like ligands and receptor subtypes, ErbB1 and ErbB2, during the peri-implantation period. To better understand the roles of these ligands and their possible signaling schemes in implantation, it is important to define the status of all the ligands and receptor subtypes in the uterus/embryo. No information is available about uterine and embryonic status of ErbB3 or ErbB4 during implantation. We cloned mouse erbB3 and erbB4 cDNAs and examined their expression and bioactivity in the peri-implantation uterus (days 1-8). Two erbB3 (cytoplasmic and extracellular) and three erbB4 (two cytoplasmic and one extracellular) clones were generated. Both forms of the erbB3 clone showed similar transcript profiles, while different transcript profiles were obtained with erbB4 clones. The steady-state levels of erbB3 and erbB4 mRNAs in whole uterine poly(A)+ RNA samples showed little changes during the peri-implantation period, while their unique cell-specific accumulation was noted. erbB3 is predominantly expressed in the epithelial cells, although decidual and embryonic cells also accumulate this mRNA. In contrast, the erbB4 mRNA is primarily expressed in the submyometrial stroma and myometrial connective tissues during this period. Additionally, the extracellular form of the erbB4 clone detected signals in a subpopulation of stromal cells. Autophosphorylation and immunoprecipitation studies provided evidence that uterine ErbB3 and ErbB4 are biologically active. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of possible ligand-receptor signaling schemes for EGF-like ligands in implantation.

The underlying causes of endometrial cancer (EMC) are poorly understood, and treatment options for patients with advanced stages of the disease are limited. Mutations in the phosphatase and tensin homologue gene are frequently detected in EMC. Cyclooxygenase 2 (Cox2) and mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) are known downstream targets of the phosphatase and tensin homologue protein, and their activities are up-regulated in EMC. However, it is not clear whether Cox2 and mTORC1 are crucial players in cancer progression or whether they work in parallel or cooperatively. In this study, we used a Cox2 inhibitor, celecoxib, and an mTORC1 inhibitor, rapamycin, in mouse models of EMC and in human EMC cell lines to explore the interactive roles of Cox2 and mTORC1 signaling. We found that a combined treatment with celecoxib and rapamycin markedly reduces EMC progression. We also observed that rapamycin reduces Cox2 expression, whereas celecoxib reduces mTORC1 activity. These results suggest that Cox2 and mTORC1 signaling is cross-regulated and cooperatively exacerbate EMC.

The inhibition of the cyclooxygenase and/or the lipoxygenase pathways by indomethacin or nordihydroguaiaretic acid during Phase I of estrogen action interfered with estriol-induced initiation of implantation, but not uterine macromolecular uptake and water imbibition. This inhibition of implantation was completely reversed by supplementation with prostaglandin E2 or leukotriene C4. These results suggest that estrogen-induced initiation of implantation in a progesterone-primed uterus is mediated via prostaglandins and leukotrienes as components of Phase I of estrogen action.

Estrogen has been shown to induce a rapid transient increase in c-myc mRNA in the rat uterus. However, no studies of the cell specificity of c-myc expression in the uterus have been reported, and nothing is known about the expression of c-myc in response to other steroids or during normal uterine preparation for implantation. To this end, the cell type-specific localization of c-myc protein was determined in the ovariectomized mouse uterus after progesterone (P4) and/or 17 beta-estradiol (E2) injection as well as during the periimplantation period. After E2 injection, a rapid accumulation of c-myc protein was detected exclusively in the uterine luminal and glandular epithelial nuclei in the ovariectomized mouse. Essentially all of these cells contained immunoreactive c-myc by 12 h postinjection. In contrast, after P4 injection, rapid accumulation of c-myc was noted exclusively in some of the stromal cell nuclei. Pretreatment of the ovariectomized mouse for 4 days with P4 (P4 priming) followed by E2 injection resulted in an increase in the number of c-myc-positive stromal cells, but few, if any, c-myc-positive cells were detected in the luminal and glandular epithelia. These uterine cell type-specific localizations of c-myc protein, induced by E2 or P4 injection, were followed within 18-24 h by DNA synthesis ([ 3H]thymidine incorporation) restricted to the epithelia or stroma, respectively. c-Myc was detected in the nuclei of luminal and glandular epithelia during proestrus and on days 1 and 2 of pregnancy, a period when the uterus is under the influence of estrogen. c-Myc-positive cells were detected in the stroma on day 3, and by day 4 a large number of stromal cell nuclei were c-myc positive. These changes are coincident with increasing P4 levels during early pregnancy. At the implantation chamber on day 5, many cells in the primary decidual zone as well as some of the deeper stromal cells were c-myc protein positive, whereas on day 6, c-myc protein was detected only in the secondary decidual zone. During this period of uterine preparation for embryo implantation and subsequent decidualization, there was a positive correlation between c-myc protein localized in specific populations of uterine cells and subsequent DNA synthesis in those cell types. Thus, both E2 and P4 induce cell type-specific accumulation of c-myc protein in the uterus of the ovariectomized mouse, with E2 induction of c-myc being restricted to epithelia, and P4 induction restricted to stroma.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)