Photoperiod-induced differences in uterine growth in Phodopus sungorus are evident at an early age when serum estradiol and uterine estrogen receptor levels are not different

Sexual development is inhibited in Siberian hamsters (Phodopus sungorus) in short days (SD), and a small uterus is an obvious indicator of photo-inhibition. The small uterus in SD is presumably due to the delayed onset of estrous cycles. However, in an earlier study, the investigators reported that serum estradiol (E2) concentration was significantly higher in young females raised in SD than in long days (LD), with the highest concentrations measured in SD at 4 weeks of age. These seemingly contradictory findings were investigated in the present study. First, uterine mass and body mass were measured in SD- and LD-reared hamsters from 1 to 12 weeks of age. Uterine mass was significantly greater in LD than in SD by 3 weeks of age and onward. Thereafter, our investigation focused on 4-week-old hamsters. Serum E2 concentrations in LD and in SD were not significantly different and there were no significant LD-SD differences in uterine estrogen receptors (ER), as measured by immunohistochemistry and quantitative real-time RT-PCR. Therefore, alternative explanations for the photoperiodic difference in uterine size in young Siberian hamsters are considered.