Progesterone Regulates β-Catenin mRNA Levels in Human Endometrial Stromal Cells In Vitro

Abstract

Cadherin-catenin complexes mediate cell-cell interactions and may play a central role in intracellular signaling. To date, the factors capable of coordinately regulating cadherin and catenin expression levels within a mammalian cell remain poorly characterized. We have recently determined that progesterone is a key regulator of cadherin-11 mRNA and protein expression levels in cultured human endometrial stromal cells. As a first step in determining whether gonadal steroids are also capable of regulating stromal catenin expression, we have examined the ability of progestins, estrogens, and androgens to regulate β-catenin mRNA levels in these endometrial cell cultures. Here we report that progesterone, but not 17β-estradiol or dihydrotestosterone, increased β-catenin mRNA levels in cultured human endometrial stromal cells. The stimulatory effect of progesterone on the levels of the stromal β-catenin mRNA transcript could not be potentiated by 17β-estradiol. These studies not only demonstrate that gonadal steroids are capable of regulating β-catenin mRNA levels in human endometrial stromal cells, but may also give us useful insight into the cellular mechanisms by which gonadal steroids regulate the cyclic remodeling processes that occur in the human endometrium during each menstrual cycle.