Relationship between concentrations of progesterone, oxytocin, noradrenaline, gene expression and protein level for their receptors in corpus luteum during estrous cycle in the cow.

The aim of these studies was to evaluate of the relationship between luteal concentrations of oxytocin (OT), noradrenaline (NA), progesterone (P4), oxytocin receptors (OT-R) and beta(2)-adrenoreceptors (beta(2)-R) gene expression and their protein level throughout the estrous cycle in cattle. Corpora lutea (CL) collected during days 1-5, 6-10, 11-16 and 17-21 of the estrous cycle were used in these studies. Concentrations of P4, OT and NA were determined in tissue extracts. Gene expression and protein level for OT-R and beta(2)-R were investigated by RT-PCR and Western blot, respectively. Luteal concentration of P4 was higher (P<0.01) on days 6-10 and 11-16 than during days 1-5 and 17-20 of the estrous cycle. Concentration of OT was the highest on days 1-5 and 6-10 of the estrous cycle. This concentration decreased (P<0.01) during days 11-16 reaching the lowest level (P<0.001) on days 17-20 as opposed to days 1-10 of the estrous cycle. Expression of OT-R mRNA was lower on days 6-16 (P<0.05) followed by its increase on days 17-20 as opposed to the expression observed on days 1-5. Expression of OT-R mRNA was negatively correlated (P<0.05) with the profile of OT-R protein level. This latter parameter was the lowest on days 17-20 and 1-5, and the highest on days 6-10 and 11-16. Oxytocin concentration was negatively correlated (P<0.05) with expression of OT-R mRNA and positively correlated (P<0.001) with OT-R protein level. This protein level was only correlated with P4 (r=0.59; P<0.05). Concentration of OT was positively correlated with level of P4 (P<0.001). Concentration of NA was the highest on days 1-5 of the estrous cycle, whereas it was similar or lower (P<0.05) on days 6-21. Expression of mRNA for beta(2)-R was the lowest on days 1-5 and was highly increased (P<0.05) on days 6-16. The expression was the highest (P<0.001) on days 17-21 compared to all others group of the estrous cycle. Protein level for beta(2)-R was the highest on days 1-5 and decreased (P<0.05) on days 6-10 and 11-16. The expression was the lowest on days 17-20 compared to the beta(2)-R protein level in CL from all others stages of the estrous cycle. Protein level for beta(2)-R was positively correlated (P<0.05) with the OT concentration. Expression of mRNA for beta(2)-R was negatively correlated (P<0.001) with level of beta(2)-R protein. No correlation was found between beta(2)-R mRNA expression and NA concentration or between NA and P4 concentrations. Results presented in this study suggest an evident relationship between OT and NA and may play an important role in the regulation of luteal steroidogenesis during all stages of the estrous cycle.