Effects of cortisol on prostaglandin F2α secretion and expression of genes involved in the arachidonic acid metabolic pathway in equine endometrium – In vitro study.

This research paper focuses on the study of the impact of cortisol, an active form of glucocorticoids, on prostaglandin synthesis in the endometrial tissue and cells of horses. The results show that cortisol appears to suppress the production of prostaglandin by affecting the arachidonic acid (AA) cascade in the equine endometrium during the estrous cycle.

Study Objectives and Design

• The primary aim of the study was to investigate how cortisol impacts prostaglandin F (PGF) synthesis in horse endometrial tissue and cells using in vitro methods.
• The research was divided into 3 experiments. The first established the presence and expression level of the glucocorticoid receptor (GCR) in the endometrial tissue during the estrous cycle.
• The second and third experiments explored how cortisol affects PGF secretion, as well as the expression of genes associated with the AA cascade, in both endometrial tissues and cells.

Methodology and Findings

• Endometrial tissues from different phases of the estrous cycle were exposed to varying concentrations of cortisol for 24 hours. The PGF secretion, as well as the expression of genes related to the AA cascade, were then analysed.
• The study confirmed that GCR was present both in the cytoplasm and the nucleus of the luminal and glandular endometrium as well as in the stroma. The abundance of endometrial GCR protein was shown to increase during the late luteal phase of the estrous cycle.
• The researchers found that as cortisol concentration increased, there was a corresponding decrease in PGF secretion, and in the expression of PLA2G2A and PLA2G4A, which are genes involved in the AA cascade, in endometrial tissues.
• In addition to this, cortisol treatment also resulted in decreased PGF secretion from endometrial epithelial and stromal cells.
• Moreover, cortisol was found to have affected the PLA2G2A, PLA2G4A, and PTGS2 transcripts in endometrial stromal cells.

Conclusions of the Research

• The research study provides evidence that cortisol suppresses the production of PGF in the equine endometrium during the estrous cycle by influencing the AA cascade.
• This conclusion adds to the understanding of the role played by cortisol, as an active form of glucocorticoids, in the reproductive process, particularly in relation to the equine endometrium which holds significant implications for equine reproduction.