title: Paracrine regulation of endometrial function: interaction between progesterone and corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and activin A.
abstract: Under the influence of ovarian steroid hormones, endometrial cells aer able to produce a wide variety of growth factors and peptide hormones that area believed to promote: (1) physiological growth and differentiation during the endometrial cycle; (2) decidualization, an essential preparative event for establishment of pregnancy; and (3) pathological growth and differentiation in endometriosis and cancer. Among the local factors produced by the human endometrium, corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and activin A have been evaluated in terms of localization and effects. CRF is a neuropeptide expressed by the epithelial and stromal cells of the human endometrium in increasing amounts from the endometrial proliferative to the secretory phase. CRF expression also increases in the pregnant endometrium, from early in the pregnancy until term. CRF-type 1 receptor mRNA is only expressed by stromal cells. Progesterone induces CRF gene expression and release from decidualized cells and CRF decidualizes cultured stromal endometrial cells. Urocortin, a CRF-related peptide, has been identified in endometrial epithelial and stromal cells, and its function is still under investigation. Activin A is a growth factor expressed in increasing amounts throughout endometrial phases by both epithelial and stromal cells. This growth factor is secreted into the uterine cavity with higher levels in the secretory phase. Maternal decidua expresses activin A mRNA in increasing amounts from early pregnancy until term. Human endometrium also expresses activin-A receptors and follistatin, its binding protein. Activin A decidualizes cultured human endometrial stromal cells (an effect reversed by follistatin) and modulates embryonic trophoblast differentiation and adhesion. Activin A is expressed in endometriosis and endometrial adenocarcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Reproductive Medicine, University of Siena, Policlinico Le Scotte, viale Bracci, Siena 53100, Italy.
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Florio
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: Matthildur
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sigurdardottir
authors.forename: Pasquapina
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ciarmela
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Luisi
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Viganò
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Grasso
authors.forename: Giovina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fiore
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cobellis
authors.forename: Anna Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Di Blasio
authors.forename: Felice
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Petraglia
mesh_terms: D028341:Activins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002455:Cell Division; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism*; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism; D004715:Endometriosis; D004717:Endometrium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D028322:Inhibin-beta Subunits / Q000378:metabolism*; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry; D011247:Pregnancy; D011374:Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D054832:Urocortins
chemical_list: D010455:Peptides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D054832:Urocortins; C422405:activin A; D028341:Activins; D011374:Progesterone; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; D028322:Inhibin-beta Subunits