Messenger ribonucleic acid for the gonadal luteinizing hormone/human chorionic gonadotropin receptor is not present in human endometrium.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether messenger RNA for the gonadal LH/hCG receptor is present in human endometrium with the use of reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction.


METHODS
In vitro experiment.


METHODS
Academic medical center.


METHODS
Premenopausal women who were not receiving hormonally active medications and who were undergoing hysterectomy for uterine leiomyomas, menorrhagia, pelvic pain, or uterine prolapse.


METHODS
Tissue from hysterectomy specimens was processed for RNA and treated with deoxyribonuclease where appropriate, and RNA was reverse-transcribed to complementary DNA.


METHODS
An appropriately sized band after reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, followed by sequencing to confirm the results.


RESULTS
A primer pair that spanned the extracellular domain was unable to amplify receptor complementary DNA from human endometrial tissue. For a primer pair that spanned transmembrane regions 2-6 of the receptor and was contained wholly in exon 11, a 552-base pair fragment was amplified successfully in 19 of 25 human endometrial samples.


CONCLUSIONS
The traditional gonadal LH/hCG receptor does not appear to be present in human endometrial tissue. The presence of a portion of the transmembrane part of the molecule suggests that human endometrium may express a truncated or variant form of the receptor.
Stewart
E A
EA
Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Havard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA. eastewart@bics.bwh.harvard.edu
Sahakian
M
M
Rhoades
A
A
Van Voorhis
B J
BJ
Nowak
R A
RA
D000328:Adult; D004717:Endometrium / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010053:Ovary / Q000737:chemistry*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis*; D011974:Receptors, LH / Q000235:genetics*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction