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Microsomal epoxide hydrolase expression in the endometrial uterine corpus is regulated by progesterone during the menstrual cycle

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Abstract

We have shown previously that high expression levels of microsomal epoxide hydrolase (mEH) correlate with a poor prognosis of breast cancer patients receiving tamoxifen, suggesting that enhanced mEH expression could lead to antiestrogen resistance (Fritz et al. in J Clin Oncol 19:3–9, 2001). Thus, the purpose of this study was to gain insights into the role of mEH in hormone-responsive tissues. We analyzed biopsy samples of the endometrium by immunohistochemical staining, pointing to a regulation of mEH during the menstrual cycle: during the first half mEH expression was low, increased during the second half and reached highest levels during pregnancy. Additionally, the progesterone receptor (PR) positive human endometrial cell lines IKPRAB-36 (estrogene receptor α [ERα] negative) and ECC1-PRAB72 (ERα positive) were chosen to further investigate the hormonal regulation of mEH expression. Western Blot and quantitative RT-PCR analysis revealed an increase of mEH expression after treatment with medroxy-progesterone 17-acetate (MPA) in the ERα containing ECC1-PRAB72 cells. In contrast our results suggest that MPA had no influence on the mEH protein level in the ERα- IKPRAB-36 cells. In conclusion, mEH expression is regulated by progesterone in the presence of both PRs and ERα.

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Acknowlegments

We thank Stefanie Laukemann and Susanne Gutzeit for excellent technical assistance and Christian Joffroy for the GUS primers and the RT-PCR protocol.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dr. Margarete Fischer-Bosch Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Auerbachstr. 112, 70376, Stuttgart, Germany

    Simone L. Popp, Ina S. Abele, Miriam B. Buck & Matthias B. Stope

  2. Department of Reproduction and Development, Erasmus University Medical Center, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    Leen J. Blok & Payman Hanifi-Moghaddam

  3. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Erasmus University Medical Center, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    Curt W. Burger

  4. Department of Clinical Pathology, Robert Bosch Hospital, Auerbachstr. 110, 70376, Stuttgart, Germany

    Peter Fritz

  5. Department of Clinical Chemistry, Robert Bosch Hospital, Auerbachstr. 110, 70376, Stuttgart, Germany

    Cornelius Knabbe

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  1. Simone L. Popp
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  2. Ina S. Abele
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Correspondence to Matthias B. Stope.

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Popp, S.L., Abele, I.S., Buck, M.B. et al. Microsomal epoxide hydrolase expression in the endometrial uterine corpus is regulated by progesterone during the menstrual cycle. J Mol Hist 41, 111–119 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10735-010-9266-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10735-010-9266-6

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