title: Inhibition of decidual induction in rats by clomiphene and tamoxifen.
abstract: The objective of this study was to characterize the estrogen action that confers endometrial sensitization to nontraumatic deciduogenic stimuli by use of antiestrogens. Tamoxifen, ethamoxytriphetol, and clomiphene and its two component enantiomers inhibited decidual induction in pseudopregnant rats when administered 17 h before pyrathiazine. Unexpectedly, clomiphene (250 micrograms/rat) and tamoxifen (25 micrograms/rat) proved inhibitory at all times up to and including the time of induction. Clomiphene, administered in the hours preceding decidual induction, inhibited the increase of ornithine decarboxylase activity, which normally marks the end of the induction phase. Clomiphene had no inhibitory effect on the availability or receptor binding of progesterone. Clomiphene also inhibited implantation of blastocysts when administered at the time of their adherence to the uterus. The inhibition by antiestrogens of decidual induction could not be explained on the basis of the current understanding of mechanisms of estrogen action. The discrepancies were that no latent period between the time of antiestrogen administration and decidual induction was observed and no difference was observed in the inhibitory activities of the isomers of clomiphene.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, George S. Wise Faculty of the Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Barkai
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kidron
authors.forename: P F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Kraicer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002996:Clomiphene / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003656:Decidua / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D010064:Embryo Implantation / Q000187:drug effects*; D004965:Estrogen Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D004967:Estrogens / Q000502:physiology; D004978:Ethamoxytriphetol / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D009955:Ornithine Decarboxylase / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D011374:Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D004965:Estrogen Antagonists; D004967:Estrogens; D013629:Tamoxifen; D002996:Clomiphene; D011374:Progesterone; D004978:Ethamoxytriphetol; D009955:Ornithine Decarboxylase