Distribution of arteriolovenous vessels, capillaries and eNOS expression in the bovine corpus luteum during the estrous cycle: a possible implication of different sensitivity by luteal phase to PGF(2alpha) in the increase of luteal blood flow.

We have shown that luteal blood flow increases in the peripheral vasculature of the mature corpus luteum (CL) prior to the onset of luteolysis in response to prostaglandin F(2alpha) (PGF(2alpha)) in the cow, but this phenomenon does not occur in the early CL. We therefore hypothesize that this acute increase of luteal blood flow occurs by vasodilation of large blood vessels due to local release of nitric oxide (NO). In the present study, we characterized the CL vasculature together with endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) expression during the estrous cycle in the cow. Immunohistochemistry was used to quantify the number of arteriolovenous vessels (surrounded with smooth muscle actin-positive smooth muscle cells), capillaries (with von Willebrand Factor-positive endothelial cells) and eNOS protein. The arteriolovenous vessels existed more in the periphery of the matured CL (mid, late and regressing CL) than in the center region. In the early CL, there were as many arteriolovenous vessels in the periphery as in the center, while more capillaries existed in the center than in the periphery of the mid and late CL. Also, eNOS protein existed in the periphery more than in the center of the matured CL. These results indicate that the early CL has a homogeneous vascular and eNOS distribution. In contrast, the matured CL is a heterogeneous organ having a higher vascular and eNOS distribution in the periphery than in the center. In conclusion, the distribution of arteriolovenous vessels and eNOS in the matured CL was higher in the periphery than in the center of the CL. Thus, this suggests that this structural change from the early (homogeneous) to the mid (heterogeneous) luteal phase is related to the difference in the CL response of blood flow increase due to PGF(2alpha), which is only observed in the mature CL.