Contraception
Volume 79, Issue 2 , Pages 139-145, February 2009

Effects of progesterone, levonorgestrel and medroxyprogesterone acetate on apoptosis in human endometrial endothelial cells☆☆☆

  • Chainarong Choksuchat

      Affiliations

    • CONRAD Clinical Research Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA 23507, USA
    • Faculty of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Prince of Songkla University, Hat-Yai, Songkhla 90110, Thailand
    • ,
  • Shumei Zhao

      Affiliations

    • CONRAD Clinical Research Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA 23507, USA
    • ,
  • Todd D. Deutch

      Affiliations

    • CONRAD Clinical Research Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA 23507, USA
    • ,
  • Thomas D. Kimble

      Affiliations

    • CONRAD Clinical Research Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA 23507, USA
    • ,
  • David F. Archer

      Affiliations

    • CONRAD Clinical Research Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA 23507, USA
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: +1 757 446 7444; fax: +1 757 446 8998.

Received 7 August 2008; received in revised form 27 August 2008; accepted 28 August 2008. published online 10 October 2008.

Abstract 

Background

We evaluated apoptosis in human endometrial endothelial cells (HEECs) incubated with progesterone, levonorgestrel (LNG) and medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA).

Study Design

HEECs were cultured to near confluence, and the progestogens were added.

Setting

Academic Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Patients

No patients were involved.

Interventions

Progestogens at 5-, 250- and 500-ng/mL concentrations were added to incubations of HEECs for 12, 24 and 48 h.

Main Outcome Measure

Apoptosis based on terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxy-UTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL), and semiquantification of Bax and Bcl-2.

Results

No apoptosis was found by TUNEL, Bax and Bcl-2 after 12 h incubation with any progestogen. TUNEL increased after incubation for 24 and 48 h with progesterone 500 ng/mL; LNG 250, 500 ng/mL and all concentrations of MPA (p<.001), Bax increased and Bcl-2 decreased at all concentrations of MPA and the two highest concentrations of LNG at 48 h (p<.05).

Conclusion

MPA results in apoptosis of HEECs.

Keywords: Apoptosis, Endometrial endothelial cells, Progesterone, Levonorgestrel, Medroxyprogesterone acetate

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☆ The research was supported in part by National Institutes of Health Grant R01 HD43175-01 and CONRAD Clinical Research Center Internal Funds.

☆☆ Conflict of interest: C.C. has nothing to disclose. S.Z. has nothing to disclose. T.D.D. has nothing to disclose. T.D.K. has nothing to disclose. D.F.A. has received research funding from Wyeth, Novo Nordisk, Bayer Healthcare, Warner Chilcott and Glaxo SmithKline; has served as a consultant to Wyeth, Bayer Healthcare, Novo Nordisk, Schering Plough, Merck, Warner Chilcott, Abbott Laboratories, and Agile Therapeutics and has received honoraria from Organon, Wyeth, Novo Nordisk and Ascend Therapeutics.

PII: S0010-7824(08)00449-6

doi:10.1016/j.contraception.2008.08.008

Contraception
Volume 79, Issue 2 , Pages 139-145, February 2009

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