High progesterone levels and ciliary dysfunction--a possible cause of ectopic pregnancy.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of different levels of hormones on the ciliary activity of human oviducts and, consequently, to assess their possible role in tubal implantation of the fertilized egg.


METHODS
Fallopian tube epithelial samples were incubated in media with the addition of Estradiol (E2), progesterone (P), human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG), LH, or pure FSH (Metrodin) in different concentrations. The ciliary beat frequency (CBF) was measured after 24 h of incubation. Then the media were exchanged to media without the addition of hormones and the CBF was measured again 24 h later by using the photoelectric technique.


METHODS
University teaching hospital, IVF unit.


RESULTS
Twenty-four hr after the addition of P to the culture medium in concentrations of 0.5 or 1 ng/ml a significant decline of the CBF down to 63% of the control level was observed (P < 0.001) and with P in concentration of 2 ng/ml or greater, 50-70% of the cilia were paralyzed. These effects of P were found to be reversible. Incubation with E2 induced a slight increase of 4% in the mean CBF (P = 0.002). Twenty-four hr incubation with Metrodin, Pergonal, or LH did not affect ciliary motility.


CONCLUSIONS
Higher levels of progesterone cause ciliary dysfunction and subsequently may be a possible cause of ectopic pregnancy.
Paltieli
Y
Y
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Bnai-Zion Medical Center, Technion Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel.
Eibschitz
I
I
Ziskind
G
G
Ohel
G
G
Silbermann
M
M
Weichselbaum
A
A
D000818:Animals; D002923:Cilia / Q000502:physiology; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004958:Estradiol / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D005187:Fallopian Tubes / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D008596:Menotropins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D011247:Pregnancy; D011271:Pregnancy, Ectopic / Q000209:etiology; D011374:Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology
D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; D008596:Menotropins; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone