Medroxyprogesterone acetate antagonizes inhibitory effects of conjugated equine estrogens on coronary artery atherosclerosis.
Abstract: Although estrogen replacement therapy is associated with reduced risk of coronary heart disease and reduced extent of coronary artery atherosclerosis, the effects of combined (estrogen plus progestin) hormone-replacement therapy are uncertain. Some observational data indicate that users of combined hormone replacement consisting of continuously administered oral conjugated equine estrogens (CEE) and oral sequentially administered (7 to 14 days per month) medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) experience a reduction in risk similar to that of users of CEE alone. However, the effects of combined, continuously administered CEE plus MPA (a prescribing pattern that has gained favor) on the risk of coronary heart disease or atherosclerosis are not known. We studied the effects of CEE (monkey equivalent of 0.625 mg/d) and MPA (monkey equivalent of 2.5 mg/d), administered separately or in combination, on the extent of coronary artery atherosclerosis (average plaque size) in surgically postmenopausal cynomolgus monkeys fed atherogenic diets and treated with these hormones for 30 months. Treatment with CEE alone resulted in atherosclerosis extent that was reduced 72% relative to untreated (estrogen-deficient) controls (P < .004). Atherosclerosis extent in animals treated with CEE plus MPA or MPA alone did not differ from that of untreated controls. Although treatment had marked effects on plasma lipoprotein patterns, statistical adjustment for variation in plasma lipoproteins did not alter the between-group relationships in atherosclerotic plaque size, suggesting that these factors do not explain substantially the atheroprotective effect of estrogen or the MPA-associated antagonism. Although the mechanism(s) remains unclear, we conclude that oral CEE inhibits the initiation and progression of coronary artery atherosclerosis and that continuously administered oral MPA antagonizes this atheroprotective effect.
Publication Date: 1997-01-01 PubMed ID: 9012659DOI: 10.1161/01.atv.17.1.217Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- U.S. Gov't
- P.H.S.
Summary
This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.
The research examines the effects of combined hormone replacement therapy (HRT), specifically conjugated equine estrogens (CEE) and medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA), on coronary artery atherosclerosis, using postmenopausal monkeys as subjects. The results indicate that while CEE alone significantly reduces atherosclerosis, MPA seems to counter this beneficial effect when used in combination with CEE.
Objective and Approach
- The primary objective of the study was to investigate the effects of combined hormone replacement therapy (HRT) involving conjugated equine estrogens (CEE) and medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) on the development and progression of coronary artery atherosclerosis.
- To achieve this, the research team utilized postmenopausal cynomolgus monkeys fed atherogenic diets as the study subjects.
- Over 30 months, the monkeys were treated with CEE and MPA either separately or in combination, mimicking the doses used in humans.
- The primary measure of interest was the average plaque size in the monkeys’ coronary arteries, indicating the extent of atherosclerosis.
Findings
- Treatment with just CEE showed a significant reduction in atherosclerosis by 72% when compared with untreated control subjects.
- In contrast, animals treated with a combination of CEE and MPA or MPA alone did not show a significant difference in atherosclerosis extent compared to untreated controls.
- The researchers observed a marked effect on plasma lipoprotein patterns due to the treatment. However, statistical adjustment for variations in plasma lipoproteins did not significantly alter the relationships between treatment regimens and plaque size.
- This finding implies that the variation in plasma lipoproteins does not contribute materially to the atheroprotective effect of estrogen or the MPA-associated inhibition.
Conclusion
- The research concluded that orally administered CEE can significantly inhibit the initiation and progression of coronary artery atherosclerosis.
- However, when continuously administered oral MPA is added to the CEE treatment, it seems to antagonize, or counteract, this beneficial effect.
- While the exact mechanisms through which this occurs remain uncertain, the findings have important implications for hormone replacement therapy in postmenopausal women and the potential risk for coronary heart disease or atherosclerosis.
Cite This Article
APA
Adams MR, Register TC, Golden DL, Wagner JD, Williams JK.
(1997).
Medroxyprogesterone acetate antagonizes inhibitory effects of conjugated equine estrogens on coronary artery atherosclerosis.
Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, 17(1), 217-221.
https://doi.org/10.1161/01.atv.17.1.217 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Comparative Medicine Clinical Research Center, Bowman Gray School of Medicine, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC 27157-1040, USA. madams@cpm.bgsm.edu
MeSH Terms
- Administration, Oral
- Animals
- Coronary Artery Disease / chemically induced
- Drug Antagonism
- Drug Therapy, Combination
- Estrogen Replacement Therapy / adverse effects
- Estrogens / administration & dosage
- Female
- Macaca fascicularis
- Medroxyprogesterone Acetate / administration & dosage
- Ovariectomy
- Progesterone Congeners / administration & dosage
Grant Funding
- HL-P0145666 / NHLBI NIH HHS
Citations
This article has been cited 54 times.- Hodis HN, Mack WJ. Menopausal Hormone Replacement Therapy and Reduction of All-Cause Mortality and Cardiovascular Disease: It Is About Time and Timing.. Cancer J 2022 May-Jun 01;28(3):208-223.
- Johnson CSC, Shively CA, Michalson KT, Lea AJ, DeBo RJ, Howard TD, Hawkins GA, Appt SE, Liu Y, McCall CE, Herrington DM, Ip EH, Register TC, Snyder-Mackler N. Contrasting effects of Western vs Mediterranean diets on monocyte inflammatory gene expression and social behavior in a primate model.. Elife 2021 Aug 2;10.
- Zimmerman MA, Hutson DD, Mauvais-Jarvis F, Lindsey SH. Bazedoxifene-induced vasodilation and inhibition of vasoconstriction is significantly greater than estradiol.. Menopause 2019 Feb;26(2):172-181.
- Chen JT, Kotani K. Different Effects of Oral Contraceptive and Dydrogesterone Treatment on Oxidative Stress Levels in Premenopausal Women.. J Clin Med Res 2018 Feb;10(2):146-153.
- Yang X, Zhang W, Chen Y, Li Y, Sun L, Liu Y, Liu M, Yu M, Li X, Han J, Duan Y. Activation of Peroxisome Proliferator-activated Receptor γ (PPARγ) and CD36 Protein Expression: THE DUAL PATHOPHYSIOLOGICAL ROLES OF PROGESTERONE.. J Biol Chem 2016 Jul 15;291(29):15108-18.
- Ohkura Y, Ueno M, Iizuka T, Haruta S, Tanaka T, Udagawa H. Factors Predicting Effectiveness of Neoadjuvant Therapy for Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.. Medicine (Baltimore) 2016 Apr;95(15):e3365.
- Chen YH, Hsieh TF, Lee CC, Wu MJ, Fu YC. Estrogen Therapy and Ischemic Stroke in Women with Diabetes Aged Over 55 Years: A Nation-Wide Prospective Population-Based Study in Taiwan.. PLoS One 2015;10(12):e0144910.
- Register TC, Appt SE, Clarkson TB. Atherosclerosis and Vascular Biologic Responses to Estrogens: Histologic, Immunohistochemical, Biochemical, and Molecular Methods.. Methods Mol Biol 2016;1366:517-532.
- Gordon JL, Girdler SS. Hormone replacement therapy in the treatment of perimenopausal depression.. Curr Psychiatry Rep 2014 Dec;16(12):517.
- Maric-Bilkan C, Gilbert EL, Ryan MJ. Impact of ovarian function on cardiovascular health in women: focus on hypertension.. Int J Womens Health 2014;6:131-9.
- Li R, Singh M. Sex differences in cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease.. Front Neuroendocrinol 2014 Aug;35(3):385-403.
- Clarkson TB, Ethun KF, Pajewski NM, Golden D, Floyd E, Appt SE. Effects of bazedoxifene, conjugated equine estrogens, and a tissue-selective estrogen complex containing both bazedoxifene and conjugated equine estrogens on cerebral artery atherosclerosis in postmenopausal monkeys.. Menopause 2014 Jan;21(1):8-14.
- Clarkson TB, Ethun KF, Chen H, Golden D, Floyd E, Appt SE. Effects of bazedoxifene alone and with conjugated equine estrogens on coronary and peripheral artery atherosclerosis in postmenopausal monkeys.. Menopause 2013 Mar;20(3):274-81.
- Singh M, Su C. Progesterone-induced neuroprotection: factors that may predict therapeutic efficacy.. Brain Res 2013 Jun 13;1514:98-106.
- Singh M, Su C. Progesterone and neuroprotection.. Horm Behav 2013 Feb;63(2):284-90.
- Yang FL, Hu KQ, Wang X, Liu ZM, Hu Q, Li JF, He H. Combination of raloxifene, aspirin and estrogen as novel paradigm of hormone replacement therapy in rabbit model of menopause.. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2011 Aug;32(8):1031-7.
- Sai AJ, Gallagher JC, Fang X. Effect of hormone therapy and calcitriol on serum lipid profile in postmenopausal older women: association with estrogen receptor-α genotypes.. Menopause 2011 Oct;18(10):1101-12.
- Zhang H, von Schoultz B, Cline JM, Sahlin L. Distribution of cyclooxygenases 1 and 2 in the uterus and breast of cynomolgus monkeys-effects of hormone treatment.. Menopause 2011 Sep;18(9):1001-9.
- Zheng S, Huang J, Zhou K, Xiang Q, Zhang Y, Tan Z, Simoncini T, Fu X, Wang T. Progesterone enhances vascular endothelial cell migration via activation of focal adhesion kinase.. J Cell Mol Med 2012 Feb;16(2):296-305.
- Hill GD, Moore AB, Kissling GE, Flagler ND, Ney E, Cline JM, Dixon D. Effects of hormonally active agents on steroid hormone receptor expression and cell proliferation in the myometrium of ovariectomized macaques.. Toxicol Pathol 2011 Apr;39(3):508-15.
- Harman SM, Vittinghoff E, Brinton EA, Budoff MJ, Cedars MI, Lobo RA, Merriam GR, Miller VM, Naftolin F, Pal L, Santoro N, Taylor HS, Black DM. Timing and duration of menopausal hormone treatment may affect cardiovascular outcomes.. Am J Med 2011 Mar;124(3):199-205.
- Yang XP, Reckelhoff JF. Estrogen, hormonal replacement therapy and cardiovascular disease.. Curr Opin Nephrol Hypertens 2011 Mar;20(2):133-8.
- do Nascimento GR, Barros YV, Wells AK, Khalil RA. Research into Specific Modulators of Vascular Sex Hormone Receptors in the Management of Postmenopausal Cardiovascular Disease.. Curr Hypertens Rev 2009 Nov;5(4):283-306.
- Khalil RA. Potential approaches to enhance the effects of estrogen on senescent blood vessels and postmenopausal cardiovascular disease.. Cardiovasc Hematol Agents Med Chem 2010 Jan;8(1):29-46.
- Ross RL, Serock MR, Khalil RA. Experimental benefits of sex hormones on vascular function and the outcome of hormone therapy in cardiovascular disease.. Curr Cardiol Rev 2008 Nov;4(4):309-22.
- Freudenberger T, Oppermann M, Marzoll A, Heim HK, Mayer P, Kojda G, Weber AA, Schrör K, Fischer JW. Differential effects of medroxyprogesterone acetate on thrombosis and atherosclerosis in mice.. Br J Pharmacol 2009 Dec;158(8):1951-60.
- Kavanagh K, Davis MA, Zhang L, Wilson MD, Register TC, Adams MR, Rudel LL, Wagner JD. Estrogen decreases atherosclerosis in part by reducing hepatic acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase 2 (ACAT2) in monkeys.. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2009 Oct;29(10):1471-7.
- Ma Q, Sun X, Chen Y, Chen X, Zhi G, Tan G. Progesterone levels and carotid intima-media thickness: a negative association in older northern Chinese men.. Tex Heart Inst J 2009;36(4):303-8.
- Castelo-Branco C, Sanjuán A, Ascaso C, Colodrón M, Blümel JE, Casals E, Ordi J, Vanrell JA. Tibolone inhibits aortic atherosclerotic lesionformation in oophorectomized cholesterol-fed rabbits.. Exp Clin Cardiol 2003 Spring;8(1):21-5.
- Register TC. Primate models in women's health: inflammation and atherogenesis in female cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis).. Am J Primatol 2009 Sep;71(9):766-75.
- Smiley DA, Khalil RA. Estrogenic compounds, estrogen receptors and vascular cell signaling in the aging blood vessels.. Curr Med Chem 2009;16(15):1863-87.
- Jung BH, Jeon MJ, Bai SW. Hormone-dependent aging problems in women.. Yonsei Med J 2008 Jun 30;49(3):345-51.
- Voytko ML, Higgs CJ, Murray R. Differential effects on visual and spatial recognition memory of a novel hormone therapy regimen of estrogen alone or combined with progesterone in older surgically menopausal monkeys.. Neuroscience 2008 Jul 17;154(4):1205-17.
- Cann JA, Register TC, Adams MR, St Clair RW, Espeland MA, Williams JK. Timing of estrogen replacement influences atherosclerosis progression and plaque leukocyte populations in ApoE-/- mice.. Atherosclerosis 2008 Nov;201(1):43-52.
- Meendering JR, Torgrimson BN, Miller NP, Kaplan PF, Minson CT. Estrogen, medroxyprogesterone acetate, endothelial function, and biomarkers of cardiovascular risk in young women.. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2008 Apr;294(4):H1630-7.
- Ko HS, Kim CJ, Ryu WS. Overweight and effect of hormone replacement therapy on lipid profiles in postmenopausal women.. Korean J Intern Med 2005 Mar;20(1):33-9.
- Mishra RG, Hermsmeyer RK, Miyagawa K, Sarrel P, Uchida B, Stanczyk FZ, Burry KA, Illingworth DR, Nordt FJ. Medroxyprogesterone acetate and dihydrotestosterone induce coronary hyperreactivity in intact male rhesus monkeys.. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2005 Jun;90(6):3706-14.
- Rosano GM, Vitale C, Lello S. Postmenopausal hormone therapy: lessons from observational and randomized studies.. Endocrine 2004 Aug;24(3):251-4.
- Harman SM, Brinton EA, Clarkson T, Heward CB, Hecht HS, Karas RH, Judelson DR, Naftolin F. Is the WHI relevant to HRT started in the perimenopause?. Endocrine 2004 Aug;24(3):195-202.
- Hermsmeyer RK, Mishra RG, Pavcnik D, Uchida B, Axthelm MK, Stanczyk FZ, Burry KA, Illingworth DR, Juan C, Nordt FJ. Prevention of coronary hyperreactivity in preatherogenic menopausal rhesus monkeys by transdermal progesterone.. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2004 May;24(5):955-61.
- Greenwood PM, Parasuraman R. Normal genetic variation, cognition, and aging.. Behav Cogn Neurosci Rev 2003 Dec;2(4):278-306.
- Brower GL, Gardner JD, Janicki JS. Gender mediated cardiac protection from adverse ventricular remodeling is abolished by ovariectomy.. Mol Cell Biochem 2003 Sep;251(1-2):89-95.
- LaRosa JC. Evidence-based management of dyslipidemias in women.. Curr Atheroscler Rep 2003 Sep;5(5):379-85.
- Register TC, Cline JM, Shively CA. Health issues in postmenopausal women who drink.. Alcohol Res Health 2002;26(4):299-307.
- Murphy S, McCullough L, Littleton-Kearney M, Hurn P. Estrogen and selective estrogen receptor modulators: neuroprotection in the Women's Health Initiative era.. Endocrine 2003 Jun;21(1):17-26.
- Wang H, Isaksson E, von Schoultz B, Cline JM, Sahlin L. Effect of long-term treatment with steroid hormones or tamoxifen on the progesterone receptor and androgen receptor in the endometrium of ovariectomized cynomolgus macaques.. Reprod Biol Endocrinol 2003 Feb 5;1:7.
- Hodis HN, Mack WJ, Lobo R. What is the cardioprotective role of hormone replacement therapy?. Curr Atheroscler Rep 2003 Jan;5(1):56-66.
- LaRosa JC. Outcomes of lipid-lowering treatment in postmenopausal women.. Drugs Aging 2002;19(8):595-604.
- Limacher MC. Hormones and heart disease: what we thought, what we have learned, what we still need to know.. Trans Am Clin Climatol Assoc 2002;113:31-40; discussion 40-1.
- Johnson RR, Sweeney ME. Debate: The potential role of estrogen in the prevention of heart disease in women after menopause.. Curr Control Trials Cardiovasc Med 2000;1(3):139-142.
- Al-Azzawi F. The menopause and its treatment in perspective.. Postgrad Med J 2001 May;77(907):292-304.
- Mosca L. Hormone replacement therapy in the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis.. Curr Atheroscler Rep 2000 Jul;2(4):297-302.
- Wells G, Herrington DM. The Heart and Estrogen/Progestin Replacement Study: what have we learned and what questions remain?. Drugs Aging 1999 Dec;15(6):419-22.
- Wenger NK, Grady D. Postmenopausal hormone therapy, SERMs, and coronary heart disease in women.. J Endocrinol Invest 1999 Sep;22(8):616-24.
Use Nutrition Calculator
Check if your horse's diet meets their nutrition requirements with our easy-to-use tool Check your horse's diet with our easy-to-use tool
Talk to a Nutritionist
Discuss your horse's feeding plan with our experts over a free phone consultation Discuss your horse's diet over a phone consultation
Submit Diet Evaluation
Get a customized feeding plan for your horse formulated by our equine nutritionists Get a custom feeding plan formulated by our nutritionists