The inductive effects of progestogens on aromatase activity in stromal cells of human uterine endometrium

Toshiya Yamamoto, K. Shiroshita, Jo Kitawaki, Hiroji Okada
In: Journal of Endocrinological Investigation · 1989 · vol. 12(3) , pp. 201–204 · doi:10.1007/bf03349962 · PMID:2524520 · W2068375193
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Endometrial stromal cells showed higher aromatase activity in the proliferative phase than the secretory phase, with progestogens like MPA and norethindrone significantly enhancing this activity across all cycle phases.

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The study measured aromatase activity for androstenedione in stromal cells from human uterine endometrium across the menstrual cycle, and tested how progestogens affected this enzyme activity. Aromatase activity was higher in proliferative-phase stromal cells than in secretory-phase cells, and exposure to medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) or norethindrone (ENT) at 0.1–1.0 µM enhanced aromatase activity in all menstrual phases, with MPA producing a stronger stimulation than ENT. The authors interpret these findings as indicating that adding progestogens can increase aromatase activity and potentially contribute to more differentiated endometrium, while noting that endogenous progesterone during menstruation is not regarded as a major influence on endometrial aromatase. Relevance to endometriosis: it focuses on progesterone/progestogen regulation of endometrial stromal aromatase, a steroidogenic pathway implicated in endometriosis-associated estrogen production, though the paper itself is about normal uterine endometrium rather than endometriosis.

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Abstract

Aromatase activity for androstenedione was measured in stromal cells of human uterine endometrium throughout the menstrual cycle. The effect of progestogen on aromatase activity was also examined in the endometrial stromal cells. Aromatase activity tended to be high in the proliferative cells compared to the secretory cells. Moreover, its enzyme activity was enhanced at the concentration of 0.1 or 1.0 µM of medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) and norethindrone (ENT) in all phases of menstrual cycle. MPA stimulated aromatase activity in the stromal cells more strongly than did ENT. These results may suggest that although aromatase in uterine endometrium is not regarded to be so much influenced by endogenous progesterone during menstruation, the increase of aromatase activity by progestogen added lead to the more differentiated endometrium. Similar content being viewed by others

References

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