Radioautographic study of the effect of estradiol-17 , estrone, estriol, progesterone, testosterone and corticosterone on the in vitro uptake of 2,4,6,7- 3 H estradiol-17 by uterine eosinophils of the rat

CCR3 antagonist impairs estradiol-induced eosinophil migration to the uterus in ovariectomized mice

Eosinophils are abundant in the reproductive tract, contributing to the remodeling and successful implantation of the embryo. However, the mechanisms by which eosinophils migrate into the uterus and their relationship to edema are still not entirely clear, since there are a variety of chemotactic factors that can cause migration of these cells. Therefore, to evaluate the role of CCR3 in eosinophil migration, ovariectomized C57BL/6 mice were treated with CCR3 antagonist SB 328437 and 17β-estradiol. The hypothesis that the CCR3 receptor plays an important role in eosinophil migration to the mouse uterus was confirmed, because we observed reduction in eosinophil peroxidase activity in these antagonist-treated uteruses. The antagonist also influenced uterine hypertrophy, inhibiting edema formation. Finally, histological analysis of the orcein-stained uteruses showed that the antagonist reduced eosinophil migration together with edema. These data showed that the CCR3 receptor is an important target for studies that seek to clarify the functions of these cells in uterine physiology.

Genistein selectively inhibits estrogen-induced cell proliferation and other responses to hormone stimulation in the prepubertal rat uterus

Sex hormone replacement therapy helps improve quality of life in climacteric women. However, estrogen-induced cell proliferation in the uterus and mammary gland increases the risk for cancer in these organs. The lower incidence of mammary cancer in Asian women than in western women has been attributed to high intake of soy isoflavones, including genistein. Our previous work in the prepubertal rat uterus model showed that genistein (0.5 mg/kg body weight subcutaneously) caused an estradiol-like hypertrophy in myometrial and uterine luminal epithelial cells and an increase in RNA content in luminal epithelium; however, it did not induce cell proliferation, uterine eosinophilia, or endometrial edema. The present study investigated, in the same animal model, the effect of genistein administration (0.5 mg/kg body weight subcutaneously) before treatment with estradiol-17β (0.33 mg/kg body weight subcutaneously) on uterine responses that were not induced by genistein. Pretreatment with this phytoestrogen completely inhibited estradiol-induced mitoses in uterine luminal epithelium, endometrial stroma, and myometrium and partially inhibited estradiol-induced uterine eosinophilia and endometrial edema. These findings indicate that genistein protects against estrogen-induced cell proliferation in the uterus and suggest that future studies should investigate the possibility of using this agent to decrease the risk for uterine cancer after hormone replacement therapy in climacteric women.

Effect of various doses of catecholestrogens on uterine eosinophilia in the immature rat

This paper describes the induction of uterine eosinophilia as well as of deep endometrial edema and increase of uterine wet weight in the immature rat by the catecholestrogens 2-OH-estradiol and 4-OH-estradiol. These effects are thought to be mediated by eosinophils via a specific eosinophil receptor system. 4-OH-estradiol was equipotent with estradiol, whereas the effect of 2-OH-estradiol was significantly weaker.

Degranulatory action of estradiol on blood eosinophil leukocytes in vivo and in vitro

The degranulatory activity of estradiol was tested on blood eosinophil leukocytes in vivo and in vitro. Treatment of adult ovariectomized rats with 30 micrograms estradiol/100 g body wt. increased the percentage of degranulated eosinophils from 10% to about 70% at 6 or 24 h after treatment, and increased the rate of in vitro eosinophil degranulation of those eosinophils that were non-degranulated at the time of blood sample collection. The addition of estradiol to blood samples from untreated ovariectomized rats (0.05 micrograms/ml) increased the percentage of eosinophils degranulated in vitro at 1 h of incubation from 20% to near 60%. It is suggested that estrogen acts directly on the eosinophils, probably via specific hormone receptors. Considering the hypothesis that eosinophils are involved in the mediation of a group of responses to estrogen in the uterus, it is proposed that the hormone-induced degranulation of these cells may have physiological implications in the regulation of the intensity and duration of the eosinophil-mediated responses. In addition, estrogen-induced eosinophil degranulation may interfere with the action of eosinophils that have migrated to other target organs (lymphoid organs, etc.) under the action of other agents (glucocorticoid hormones, histamine, etc.) or conditions (immune reactions, etc.).

Dissociation of uterine eosinophilia and water imbibition from other estrogen-induced responses by nafoxidine pretreatment

We investigated the effect of pretreatment of immature rats with 5 or 50 micrograms nafoxidine (UA), or with 0.05 micrograms 17 beta-estradiol (E2) on several uterine responses elicited by treatment with a test injection of 15 micrograms E2, administered 48 h after pretreatment. Early (6 h) and late (24 h) responses were measured, including wet weight, RNA, protein and glycogen content and number of blood eosinophils per uterus. The results showed that, like a 24 h pretreatment with 5 micrograms UA, a 48 h pretreatment with either of the UA doses dissociated the early wet weight response from the late responses to E2 treatment, only the former being restored. In the case of E2 pretreatment, both types of response to E2 treatment were reinstalled. By contrast, uterine eosinophilia, induced 6 and 24 h after E2 treatment, was not only restored but even markedly amplified following any of the 3 pretreatments. This was obtained without amplification of the early wet weight response and with various levels of the other parameters at the time of administration of the test E2 injection (i.e. due to the pretreatment alone). From this it may be concluded that if the previously documented correlation between estrogen-induced eosinophilia and edema actually reflects the existence of a causal link between the 2 responses, as postulated by Tchernitchin in 1972, this would be with eosinophils controlling edema, rather than the reverse. Testable working hypotheses for the mechanism of amplification of the eosinophil response are proposed.

Time-course of the effects of nafoxidine and oestradiol on separate groups of responses in the uterus of the immature rat

The effects of 0.05 or 15 micrograms oestradiol, and of 5 or 50 micrograms nafoxidine on the uterus of immature rats were investigated. Nafoxidine appeared at least as efficient as oestradiol for the action on RNA, protein and glycogen content but was less efficient for inducing early increase in wet weight and in eosinophil migration into the uterus. If eosinophil counts in the deep stroma were considered, a strong parallelism was revealed between this response and the increase in wet weight. These results represent a further argument for a dissociation between early and late effects of oestrogens and for the existence of separate sites of hormone action. They also lend support to the hypothesis of a mediation of wet weight response by eosinophils.

Elevated serum levels in human pregnancy of a molecule immunochemically similar to eosinophil granule major basic protein

We have shown that serum levels of a molecule immunochemically similar to eosinophil granule major basic protein (MBP) are elevated in pregnant women throughout gestation. MBP levels increase during gestation and plateau at approximately 7,500 ng/ml by the 20th wk (greater than 10-fold above normal). Levels return to normal after delivery, with a T1/2 of 13.7 d. The MBP in pregnancy serum is remarkably similar to the eosinophil granule MBP in that: (a) pregnancy MBP fully inhibits the binding of radiolabeled MBP standard in a double antibody radioimmunoassay; (b) this inhibition reaction is specific for human MBP because pregnancy serum produces no inhibition of the binding of radiolabeled guinea pig MBP in the guinea pig MBP radioimmunoassay; (c) in a two-site immunoradiometric assay for MBP, slopes of dose-response curves for pregnancy serum, purified MBP, and serum from a patient with hypereosinophilic syndrome are identical, and maximal binding is comparable; (d) reduction and alkylation of pregnancy sera increases measured MBP 100-fold, as previously shown for eosinophil granule MBP in serum; and (e) the MBP in pregnancy serum demonstrates the same pattern of heat lability as has been previously reported for MBP. Four observations have raised the possibility that the eosinophil is not the source of the MBP in pregnancy serum: (a) no correlation between serum MBP level and peripheral blood eosinophil count exists in pregnant women, in contrast to previous studies of patients with eosinophilia; (b) levels of three other eosinophil-associated proteins are normal or low in pregnancy sera, whereas the serum levels of these proteins are elevated in patients with eosinophilia; (c) the slopes of dose-response curves for pregnancy sera and MBP standards differ in the double antibody radioimmunoassay; and (d) the molecule in pregnancy serum elutes from Sephadex G-50 columns at the void volume, while eosinophil granule MBP and the MBP in serum of patients with eosinophilia elute at a volume consistent with the previously established molecular weight of 9,300. These findings suggest that the MBP in pregnancy serum is derived from a source other than the eosinophil.

Theophylline-estrogen interaction in the rat uterus: role of the ovary

Uterine edema induced by 0.1 microgram/100 g body wt of estradiol further increases in the presence of theophylline. Theophylline alone or in the presence of 0.001, 0.01, 0.1, and 1 microgram/100 g body wt of estradiol increases uterine RNA and protein content 6 h after its administration, as compared with the same doses of estradiol alone. Both phenomena disappear in the ovariectomized immature rat, suggesting that theophylline potentiates the action of gonadotropins, increasing the synthesis of endogenous ovarian estrogens by the immature ovary. Theophylline decreases the number of eosinophils in the blood and concurrently decreases estrogen-induced uterine eosinophilia at doses of 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10, and 30 micrograms/100 g body wt of estradiol. Estrogen binding by uterine eosinophils in vitro increases in the presence of theophylline. This effect of theophylline could also explain the increase in vivo in estrogen-induced uterine edema.

Effect of theophylline and triiodothyronine on some early estrogenic responses in the rat uterus

Theophylline increases and triodothyronine decreases uterine edema induced by physiological doses of estradiol-17 beta. Both of them decrease estrogen-induced uterine eosinophilia and the number of blood eosinophils, suggesting an explanation for the results in the uterus.

Colchicine-estrogen interactions

Colchicine does not block estrogen-induced recognition of uterine blood vessel surface by eosinophils, but interfers with their migration through endothelial lining and therefore blocks estrogen-induced uterine eosinophilia and edema.

Estrogen action in the male

Estrogen administration induces a migration of eosinophil leukocytes to ductus deferens.

Oestrogen-induced increase in uterine cGMP content: a true hormonal action?

The dependency of the oestrogen-induced increase in uterine cGMP content towards the cytosol-nuclear receptor system was investigated. The following observations were made: (1) With oestradiol-17 beta (E2-17 beta), U11-100A (UA) or CI-628 (CI) the cGMP response elicited in the uterus of immature rats followed a course that was parallel to (yet delayed by about 1 h from it) the known time-course evolution of nuclear occupancy by the complex formed by each compound with the oestrogen-receptor. (2) While a marked (about 2-fold) increase in uterine cGMP content was obtained with 0.1 microgram E2-17 beta, oestradiol-17 alpha (E2-17 alpha) given at the same dose had no effect on uterine cGMP. (3) The 2--3 h response to E2-17 beta (or to UA) could not be obtained in animals that had received a first injection of E2-17 beta, 2 h, or of one of the anti-oestrogens UA or tamoxifen, 20--22 h prior to the test injection of E2-17 beta. Those 3 treatments have in common that, at the time indicated, they create a state of depletion in the uterine cytosolic receptor population. The cGMP response to E2-17 beta was restored 20--22 h following a first injection of E2-17 beta. This time is known, in this case, to correspond to full replenishment of the cytosol-receptor population. In all those tests, the wet weight increase, measured in the same organs, behaves exactly as did the cGMP response. These results support the conclusion that the increase in uterine cGMP after oestrogen administration to the immature rat, represents a true hormonal action which, like other uterotrophic actions of oestrogens, involves binding of the hormone by the cytosol receptor.

Eosinophilic pancreatitis in the newborn infant of a diabetic mother

The authors have studied the pancreas of a premature female infant born to a diabetic mother. The findings included a peri-insular eosinophilic leucocyte infiltration, macropolinesia and a marked increase in B cells. In the exocrime parenchyma small B cells aggregates were also observed. B cells contained voluminous hypercromatic muclei and degranulated cytoplasm. Morphometric data demonstrated an increase in islet tissue. These morphological findings are indicative of excessive insulin secretion. The presence of eosinophilic leucocytes in pancreatic tissue and the pathogenic mechanism involved are discussed.

Dynamics of estrogen binding by uterine cells in vivo

The dynamics of the in vivo binding and release of tritiated estradiol in different uterine cell types are described. The very early binding of estrogens by the cytosol-nuclear and the eosinophil receptor systems is in accordance with the hypothesis that some estrogenic effects are mediated by these receptor systems.

Effect of propranolol on various parameters of estrogen stimulation in the rat uterus

Pretreatment with propranolol does not modify the estrogen-induced uterine eosinophilia, the water imbibition effect, nor the increase in uterine RNA and protein content. This confirms the independence of these parameters from the estrogen-induced early increase in uterine cAMP, since, when observed, the latter is suppressed by propranolol pretreatment.

In vitro binding of 3H-estradiol to eosinophil and neutrophil granulocytes in various tissues (normal and neoplastic) of newborn and adult rats

In vitro uptake and binding of tritiated estradiol to the specific granules of eosinophil granulocytes has been observed by ultrastructural radioautography in various tissues of the rat (liver and spleen of newborn, small intestine and bone marrow of adult animals). Binding of 3H-estradiol to granules present in the cytoplasm of neutrophil granulocytes has also been observed in bone marrow and in a cholangioma produced by chemical carcinogenesis. Neither type of granulocyte bound 3H-testosterone.

Estrogen binding by leukocytes during phagocytosis,

Estradiol binds covalently to normal leukocytes during phagocytosis. The binding involves three cell types, neutrophils, eosinophils, and monocytes and at least two reaction mechanisms, one involving the peroxidase of neutrophils and monocytes (myeloperoxidase [MPO]) and possibly the eosinophil peroxidase, and the second involving catalase. Binding is markedly reduced when leukocytes from patients with chronic granulomatous disease (CGD), severe leukocytic glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, and familial lipochrome histiocytosis are employed and two populations of neutrophils, one which binds estradiol and one which does not, can be demonstrated in the blood of a CGD carrier. Leukocytes from patients with hereditary MPO deficiency also bind estradiol poorly although the defect is not as severe as in CGD. These findings are discussed in relation to the inactivation of estrogens during infection and the possible role of estrogens in neutrophil function.

Characterization of the estrogen receptors in the uterine and blood eosinophil leukocytes

Estrogen receptors are found in the rat uterine and in the eosinophil-rich human blood leukocyte 24,000 g fractions, but not in the low-eosinophil count human blood leukocyte 24,000 g fraction. The total number of binding sites per blood eosinophil leukocyte is 7,400 sites per cell, and the Kp=5.6 X 10(-10) M.

Effect of progesterone on the in vivo binding of estrogens by uterine cells

Progesterone selectively inhibits estradiol uptake by the nuclei of the luminal epithelial cells but not by other uterine cells. This inhibition in estrogen binding parallels the inhibition by progesterone of some estrogenic responses in the luminal epithelial cells only.

New concepts on the action of oestrogens in the uterus and the role of the eosinophil receptor system

Two receptor systems for oestrogens have been demonstrated in the uterus: the cytosol-nuclear receptor system and the eosinophil receptor system. It has been proposed that the cytosol-nuclear receptor system mediates the genomic response to oestrogens in the uterus, while the eosinophil receptor system is thought to mediate the uterine edema and other early oestrogenic responses in the uterus. Cortisol is known to decrease drastically the number of eosinophils in the blood and therefore to limit their availability for migration to the uterus. The present results show that cortisol also drastically reduces both the oestrogen-induced uterine eosinophilia and the uterine wet weight responses, but does not interfere with the oestrogen-induced uterine RNA and protein increases. Oestradiol-17 beta has a higher affinity than oestriol for the cytosol-nuclear receptors and is now found to be the more potent oestrogen in inducing the genomic activation in the uterus. Estriol has a higher affinity than oestradiol-17 beta for the eosinophil receptors, and therefore, oestriol is the stronger oestrogen in inducing those oestrogenic effects which are mediated by the eosinophil receptor system. We conclude that the eosinophil receptor system for oestrogens is a new system, independent of Jensen's cytosol-nuclear receptor system, and this eosinophil receptor system is involved in the mechanism of oestrogen action in the uterus.

Dynamics of eosinophils in the uterus after oestrogen administration

To investigase the role of the eosinophil leukocytes in the early oestrogenic responses in the uterus, the kinetics of oestrogen-induced uterine eosinophilia and other parameters of oestrogen stimulation were studied at very early times. Uterine eosinophils increase as early as 5 min after an intravenous injection of oestradiol to immature rats, much earlier than several other changes in the early parameters of oestrogen stimulation. Large number of uterine eosinophils are found attached to the wall of small uterine blood vessels at early times. To elucidate the mechanisms involved in the specific attraction of eosinophils to the uterus in the presence of oestrogens, the in vivo localisation of oestrogens in the rat uterus at early times was studied using a radioautographic technique. Oestrogen receptors were found in the surface of eosinophils and in the wall of small uterine blood vessels. This simultaneous presence of both oestrogen receptors is proposed to explain the specific attachment of eosinophils to uterine blood vessels in the presence of oestrogens, which is the initial step toward eosinophil penetration into the uterus.

Correlation of estrogen-induced uterine eosinophilia with other parameters of estrogen stimulation, produced with estradiol-17beta and estriol

Estradiol-17beta is a stronger estrogen than estriol for the genomic response of estrogens. Estriol is a stronger estrogen than estradiol-17beta for the estrogen-induced uterine eosinophilia and the 6 h increase in the uterine wet weight.

Effects of cortisol on uterine eosinophilia and other oestrogenic responses

The effects of cortisol on several oestrogenic responses of the rat uterus were measured. Whether injected i.v., simultaneously with oestradiol-17 beta, or i.p,, 12 h before the oestradiol, cortisol had no effects on the oestrogen-induced increases in uterine glycogen, protein and DNA contents. In contrast, cortisol inhibited both uterine eosinophilia and the increase of wet weight. Both responses show the same higher sensitivity to i.v. injection than to i.p. injection of cortisol. Inhibition of both responses by cortisol follows identical dose-response curves. These data support our hypothesis that the water-imbibition effect of oestrogen i- mediated by uterine eosinophilia and is thus related to the eosinophil receptor system.