Effect of long-term glucocorticoid treatment on oestradiol-induced proliferation in the uterus of ovariectomized rats.
The aim of this study was to examine the effect of long-term treatment with glucocorticoids on the uterine response to oestradiol. Ovariectomized rats were treated with crystal triamcinolone acetonide (0.1 mg/100 g, i.m.) or saline (0.1 ml/100 g i.m.) for 29 days. Over this period five injections were administered, one per week. On the second day after the last triamcinolone injection, rats were treated with a single injection of oestradiol dipropionate (5 micrograms/100 g, s.c.) or vehicle (olive oil, 0.1 ml/100 g, s.c.). The effects of oestradiol in the uterus were determined by measuring mitotic index, bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU)-labelling index (BrdU was injected 2 h before the rats were killed; 2 mg/100 g, i.p.), and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)-labelling index 24, 36 and 48 h after the injection of oestradiol or vehicle. Long-term treatment with glucocorticoids resulted in dissimilar changes in oestradiol-induced proliferation in epithelial and connective-tissue (stroma) components of the uterus. In luminal and glandular epithelia, there was an initial reduction in proliferation at 24 h, followed by an increase at 36 h and a further reduction at 48 h after the oestradiol injection. In stromal cells of the endometrium, triamcinolone treatment caused a large constant increase in oestradiol-induced proliferation throughout the experiment. The glucocorticoid treatment had no effect on the parameters without oestradiol administration.
Department of Histology, Medical Institute of Chuvash State University, Cheboksary, Russia.
A G
AG
Gunin
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine / Q000378:metabolism; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004717:Endometrium / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D008940:Mitotic Index; D010052:Ovariectomy; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D013997:Time Factors; D014222:Triamcinolone Acetonide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014599:Uterus / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; D004958:Estradiol; D014222:Triamcinolone Acetonide; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine