Neuromodulation of the luteal regression: presence of progesterone receptors in coeliac ganglion

GHERSA F; BURDISSO J; VALLCANERAS S; FUENTES F; DE LA VEGA M; DELGADO SM; TELLERIA CM; CASAIS M

EXPERIMENTAL PHYSIOLOGY.

WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC

Lugar: Cambridge ; New York, NY, USA : Published for the Physiological Society by Cambridge University Pres; Año: 2015

0958-0670

The corpus luteum (CL) is a transitory endocrine gland that produces progesterone (P). At the end of its useful life, it suffers a process of functional and structural regression until its complete disappearance from the ovary. To investigate if P is able to regulate the process of luteal regression through the peripheral neural pathway, we used the coeliac ganglion (CG)- superior ovarian nerve-ovary system from rats on day 21 of pregnancy. We stimulated the CG with P and analysed the functional regression through ovarian P release measured by RIA, expression by RT-PCR and activity of luteal 3β-HSD and 20α-HSD, anabolic and catabolic P enzymes, respectively. The luteal structural regression was evaluated through a study of apoptosis measured by TUNEL assay and the expression of apoptotic factors such as Bcl-2, Bax, Fas and FasL by RT-PCR. To explore if the effects mediated by P on the CL may be associated to P receptors (PR), their presence in CG was investigated by immunohistochemistry. In the group stimulated with P in the CG, the ovarian P release and the 3β-HSD activity increased whereas the expression and activity of 20α-HSD decreased. Besides, a decrease in the number of apoptotic nuclei and a decrease of the expression of FasL were observed. We demonstrated the presence of PR in CG. Overall, our results suggest that the regression of the CL of late pregnancy may be reprogrammed through the peripheral neural pathway, and this effect might be mediated by P bound to its receptor in the CG.