Effect of Steroid Hormones on Aquaporin Genes Expression in the Ovariectomized Mouse Uterus

초록

The aquaporins(AQPs) are a family of homologous water channels expressed in many epithelial and endothelial cells involved in fluid transport. To date, 11 AQPs, numbered 0-10, have been cloned in mammals. Estrogen and progesterone are steroids that play important roles in the regulation of mammalian reproduction. One primary action of these hormones is to regulate the development and function of the uterus. The luminal fluid microenvironment of the uterus is important for sperm capaciation and preimplantation embryo development. So, the aim of this study was to determine the expression of aqp genes regulated by these steroids in ovariectomized(OVX) mouse uterus. To evaluate the effects of estrogen and progesterone on AQP gene expression, adult virgin OVX females were allowed to recover(2wks) and treated with 17β -estradiol(300ng/head, sc), progesterone(1㎎/head, sc), or a combination of these. One group of OVX females received 17β -estradiol was killed 6, 12, and 24hr later. A second group of mice given progesterone was killed 6, 12, and 24hr later. A third group of mice was given progesterone following 17β -estradiol for 24hr, and was killed 6, 12, and 24hr after 17β -estradiol injection. The levels of aqp mRNA were analyzed by RT-PCR and real-time PCR. The aqp4 and 5 mRNA were up-regulated in the OVX uterus after 17β -estradiol injection. The aqp8 expression were peaked at the time of 6hr in the uterus of OVX mouse after 17β -estradiol only injection or combination of 17β -estradiol and progesterone. The present results suggest that 17β -estradiol and progesterone up-regulated expression of aqp genes in the uterus during preimplantation period and thus regulate water imbibition and luminal fluid production in the mice.