Biology of Reproduction, Vol 19, 908-912, Copyright © 1978 by Society for the Study of Reproduction

The Effect of Estrogen and Progesterone on the Level of Amidase Activity in Fluid Flushed from the Uteri of Ovariectomized Mice

¹ Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Oregon Health Sciences Center, Portland, Oregon 97201

The effect of estrogen and progesterone on the level of chymotrypsin-like amidase activity was estimated in fluid flushed from the uteri of ovariectomized mice by hydrolysis of the peptide homolog glutarl-L-phenylalanyl--naphthylamide (GPAN). Mice were ovariectomized and injected with either progesterone alone, progesterone followed by a combination of estrogen and progesterone or estrogen alone. The level of activity was found to be low and constant for several days in animals receiving progesterone alone; the addition of estrogen caused an increase in activity that reached maximum in 18 h and then returned to the baseline level. In contrast, the level of amidase activity increased and remained elevated following the injection of estrogen alone. A similar experiment was done with -N-benzoyl-DL-arginine--naphthylamide HCl (BANA) to estimate the level of amidase with trypsin-like activity: no trypsin-like amidase was detected. These findings demonstrate that estrogen is capable of increasing chymotrypsin-like amidase activity in the uterine lumen and that progesterone alters the pattern of this response. The possible implications of hormone regulation of amidase activity in the uterine lumen is discussed with respect to normal and delayed implantation.

Note:
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This research was supported by Grant No. HD 08496 from the Public Health Service and by Grant No. HD 00020 from NICHD (Career Development Award to HMW). The assistance of Dr. D. Clarkson with the statistical analysis is gratefully acknowledged.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				P. M. Martin, A. E. Sutherland, and L. J. Van Winkle Amino Acid Transport Regulates Blastocyst Implantation Biol Reprod, October 1, 2003; 69(4): 1101 - 1108. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. J. Van Winkle Amino Acid Transport Regulation and Early Embryo Development Biol Reprod, January 1, 2001; 64(1): 1 - 12. [Abstract] [Full Text]