Progesterone receptors, oestrogen receptor α and glucocorticoid receptors in the bovine intercaruncular uterine wall around parturition

The bovine intercaruncular uterine wall expresses steroid hormone receptors throughout pregnancy. Concentrations of specific hormones undergo massive changes during the peripartal period and modulate the synthesis of their own receptors. This is well documented for the placentome, but respective data concerning the intercaruncular uterine wall are completely lacking.Thus, intercaruncular uterine wall segments from cows (I) being 8 and 9 months pregnant (slaughtered cows) and (II) cows undergoing a premature caesarean section 269–282 days after artificial insemination (AI) with (IIa, b) or without (IIc) induction of birth with PGF2α agonist or (III) receiving a caesarean section during severe dystocia (n = 6, 5, 5, 5, 6 and 4 animals, respectively) were studied. In four naturally calving cows (IV) endometrial biopsies were obtained within 30 min after the expulsion of the calf. All tissue probes were fixed for 24 h in 4% formaldehyde, routinely embedded in paraffin, and cut at 4 μm. Progesterone receptors (PR), estrogen receptor α (ERα) and glucocorticoid receptors (GR) were assessed using specific antibodies and staining intensities were documented employing an immunoreactive score (IRS). PR, ERα and GR exhibited cell type- and location-specific distribution patterns. IRS for PR and ERα did not differ between groups. GR-IRS of endometrial stromal cells, however, were higher in animals undergoing premature caesarean section after induction of birth compared to animals slaughtered during month 8 or 9 of pregnancy or animals receiving caesarean section following dystocia.Results of the present study indicate that steroid hormone receptor amounts within the intercaruncular uterine wall do not (PR, ERα) – or in a tissue-specific manner (GR) only – change during the peripartal period, although respective hormones undergo massive changes during this period. This is in strict contrast to the placentome. Comparatively lower local tissue estrogen concentrations around term may be one cause for this difference.