PARENT SESSION
SLIDE SESSION 15: UTERUS & OVIDUCT
Chairs: Ron Magness, Frank Bartol, Gonzalo Rivera (Trainee)
Univ Ottawa-Morisset 218
1:30 PM-3:30 PM
270
VASCULAR PROLIFERATION IN THE RHESUS MACAQUE ENDOMETRIUM: CORRELATION WITH VEGF.
Nayak, Nihar1, Slayden, Ov1, Brenner, Robert1, 1
ABSTRACT- There are no quantitative studies of vascular endothelial proliferation during the menstrual cycle in the rhesus macaque endometrium. Also, the relationships between endothelial proliferation, hormones and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) are not known for this species. Here we report new data on endometrial vascular proliferation in rhesus and correlate these with VEGF expression. Animals were ovariectomized and treated with estradiol (E) for 14 days and then E plus progesterone (P) for 14 days. In one set of animals, P was withdrawn and E was maintained (proliferative phase) and in another set, both P and E were withdrawn (spay). Uteri were obtained from both sets on days 5-6 (early-proliferative or 5/6d spay), 8-10 (mid-proliferative or 8/10d spay) and 14 (late-proliferative or 14d spay) after P withdrawal. In other animals, P was added back after 14 days E and samples obtained on days 7 (mid-secretory) and 14 (late-secretory). Proliferating endothelial cells were identified by a double immunocytochemistry (ICC) procedure with a mouse monoclonal antibody to Ki-67 for proliferating cells and a rabbit polyclonal antibody to von Willebrand factor (vWF) for endothelium. Bromodeoxyuridine uptake was used to confirm DNA synthesis in proliferating cells. The mean (+SE) percentages of Ki-67 positive endothelial cells during early, mid, and late proliferative phases were: 9.0+4.9, 57+16.7, and 5.8+0.9, respectively; during mid, and late secretory phases: 5.5+2.2 and 5.8+1, respectively; after 5/6d spay, 8/10d spay, and 14d spay: 2.8+2.1, 0.7+0.4, and 0+0, respectively. The dramatic, E-dependent mid-proliferative peak in endothelial proliferation correlated with a peak in stromal VEGF mRNA expression detected by in situ hybridization with [35S]UTP-labeled riboprobes. The degree of stromal VEGF mRNA expression generally followed the pattern of vascular proliferation. These data provide new insight into the relationship between VEGF and vascular proliferation in the primate endometrium. Supported by Mellon Foundation (NRN), HD19182 (RMB), and U5418185.
KEY WORDS: endothelial cell proliferation, VEGF, Ki-67, endometrium