Skip to main content
PMC home page
The Journal of Clinical Investigation logoLink to The Journal of Clinical Investigation
. 1977 Oct;60(4):815–818. doi: 10.1172/JCI108835

Regulation of rabbit myometrial alpha adrenergic receptors by estrogen and progesterone.

L T Williams, R J Lefkowitz
PMCID: PMC372429  PMID: 197125

Abstract

The effects of estrogen and progesterone on uterine alpha-adrenergic receptors were investigated by direct receptor-binding studies. Immature female rabbits were primed with estrogen by intramuscular injections for 4 days. Other rabbits were primed with progesterone by injections of estrogen for 4 days followed by injections of progesterone for 4 days. The alpha adrenergic antagonist, [3H]dihydroergocryptine, was used to directly assess the number and affinity of alpha adrenergic receptors in membranes derived from estrogen-and progesterone-primed uteri. Membranes from estrogen-primed uteri contained 257 +/- 52 fmol of [3H]dihydroergocryptine-binding sites per mg protein whereas membranes from progesterone-primed uteri contained 83 +/- 11 fmol of of binding sites per mg protein. This reduction of alpha adrenergic receptor-binding sites by progesterone was statistically significant (P less than 0.02). In contrast, no significant difference in the binding site affinity was observed between the estrogen- and progesterone-primed groups. The progesterone-induced decrease in the number of uterine alpha adrenergic receptors provides a potential explanation for the reduced alpha adrenergic contractile response to epinephrine in the progesterone-primed myometrium.

Full text

PDF
817

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Alexander R. W., Williams L. T., Lefkowitz R. J. Identification of cardiac beta-adrenergic receptors by (minus) [3H]alprenolol binding. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1975 Apr;72(4):1564–1568. doi: 10.1073/pnas.72.4.1564. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. CIBILS L. A., POSE S. V., ZUSPAN F. P. Effect of 1-norepinephrine infusion on uterine contractility and cardiovascular system. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1962 Aug 1;84:307–317. doi: 10.1016/0002-9378(62)90127-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Cibils L. A., Zuspan F. P. Pharmacology of the uterus. Clin Obstet Gynecol. 1968 Mar;11(1):34–68. doi: 10.1097/00003081-196803000-00003. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. LOWRY O. H., ROSEBROUGH N. J., FARR A. L., RANDALL R. J. Protein measurement with the Folin phenol reagent. J Biol Chem. 1951 Nov;193(1):265–275. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Miller M. D., Marshall J. M. Uterine response to nerve stimulation; relation to hormonal status and catecholamines. Am J Physiol. 1965 Nov;209(5):859–865. doi: 10.1152/ajplegacy.1965.209.5.859. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Nesheim B. I. Comparison of alpha- and beta-receptor stimulation in the circular and longitudinal muscle of the oestrogen and progesterone dominated rabbit uterus. Acta Pharmacol Toxicol (Copenh) 1974 Apr;34(4):295–304. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0773.1974.tb03526.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. POSE S. V., CIBILS L. A., ZUSPAN F. P. Effect of 1-epinephrine infusion on uterine contractility and cardiovascular system. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1962 Aug 1;84:297–306. doi: 10.1016/0002-9378(62)90126-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Willems J. L., De Schaepdryver A. F. Adrenergic receptors in the oestradiol and allyl-oestrenol dominated rabbit uterus. Arch Int Pharmacodyn Ther. 1966 Jun;161(2):269–274. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Williams L. T., Jarett L., Lefkowitz R. J. Adipocyte beta-adrenergic receptors. Identification and subcellular localization by (-)-[3H]dihydroalprenolol binding. J Biol Chem. 1976 May 25;251(10):3096–3104. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Williams L. T., Lefkowitz R. J. Alpha-adrenergic receptor identification by (3H)dihydroergocryptine binding. Science. 1976 May 21;192(4241):791–793. doi: 10.1126/science.4894. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Williams L. T., Lefkowitz R. J. Molecular pharmacology of alpha adrenergic receptors: utilization of [3H]dihydroergocryptine binding in the study of pharmacological receptor alterations. Mol Pharmacol. 1977 Mar;13(2):304–313. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Williams L. T., Lefkowitz R. J., Watanabe A. M., Hathaway D. R., Besch H. R., Jr Thyroid hormone regulation of beta-adrenergic receptor number. J Biol Chem. 1977 Apr 25;252(8):2787–2789. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Williams L. T., Mullikin D., Lefkowitz R. J. Identification of alpha-adrenergic receptors in uterine smooth muscle membranes by [3H]dihydroergocryptine binding. J Biol Chem. 1976 Nov 25;251(22):6915–6923. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Williams L. T., Snyderman R., Lefkowitz R. J. Identification of beta-adrenergic receptors in human lymphocytes by (-) (3H) alprenolol binding. J Clin Invest. 1976 Jan;57(1):149–155. doi: 10.1172/JCI108254. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Wolfe B. B., Harden T. K., Molinoff P. B. beta-adrenergic receptors in rat liver: effects of adrenalectomy. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1976 Apr;73(4):1343–1347. doi: 10.1073/pnas.73.4.1343. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Clinical Investigation are provided here courtesy of American Society for Clinical Investigation

RESOURCES