Subcellular progesterone in human myometrium during late pregnancy

Maija Haukkamaa, M Haukkamaa, K. Wichmann
Clinical endocrinology · 1977 · vol. 7(2) , pp. 111–119 · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2265.1977.tb01302.x · PMID:890995 · W2058854975
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This study measured subcellular progesterone and estrogen concentrations in human myometrium during late pregnancy, finding no significant progesterone decrease associated with labor and a distinct estrogen ratio compared to plasma.

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Abstract

Samples of myometrium were obtained from twenty-two patients undergoing caesarian sections for various obstetric indications. The myometrium was homogenized and divided into four subcellular fractions (crude nuclear, mitochondrial, microsomal and cytosol). The concentration of endogenous progesterone in these fractions was determined by radioimmunoassay. In addition the concentration of oestrone and oestradiol of fifteen cytosolic fractions was determined. The subcellular concentration of progesterone (pg/mg protein) in human myometrium was higher in samples taken during labour than in samples taken at elective caesarian sections. This finding was statistically significant in the crude nuclear (P less than 0.005) and the microsomal (P less than 0.05) fractions. The absolute concentration of progesterone was lowest in the nuclear and highest in the microsomal fraction. The relative progesterone concentrations in the four subcellular fractions were the same in both groups. The data show that there is no significant decrease in myometrial progesterone associated with labour in man. The mean concentration of oestrone was higher than the mean oestradiol concentration in the cytosol fraction of human myometrium in late pregnancy. This study shows that a completely different oestrogen ratio exists in myometrium than in plasma.

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MeSH descriptors

Myometrium Pregnancy Progesterone Uterus Estradiol Estradiol Estrone Female Humans Labor, Obstetric Myometrium Myometrium Pregnancy Trimester, Third Progesterone Subcellular Fractions Subcellular Fractions Uterus

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