Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital das Clínicas, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Av. Alfredo Balena 110 - 9o andar, Belo Horizonte, MG 30130-100, Brazil.
J Mol Histol. 2012 Oct;43(5):597-602. doi: 10.1007/s10735-012-9427-x. Epub 2012 Jun 9.
The vasoactive peptide angiotensin (Ang)-(1-7) has vasodilator, antifibrotic and antihypertrophic properties, but little is known about its regulation in the uterus. The aim of this study was to evaluate Ang-(1-7) and its receptor Mas expression throughout rat uterine tissues, in ovariectomized animals treated with estrogen alone or combined with progestin. Adult Wistar rats (n = 19) were ovariectomized and randomly assigned into three different groups 1 week later. One group received a single dose of estradiol benzoate (1.5 mg/kg, i.m. injection, n = 6). Another group received estradiol associated with depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (3 mg/kg, i.m. injection, n = 6). Control group (n = 7) received oil injection. One week later, the rats were euthanized and their uteri were fixed and stained by immunohistochemistry, using a polyclonal antibody specific to Ang-(1-7) and its receptor Mas. Ang-(1-7) was detected in all uterine tissues, but it was weak or absent in the circular myometrium of treated animals. The intensity of the immunostaining decreased in the glandular epithelium of hormonally treated animals when compared to controls. In estrogen treated rats, Ang-(1-7) labeling was scattered and sometimes included the nuclei of glandular cells. We also detected Ang-(1-7) expression in longitudinal myometrium and uterine serosa. Mas receptor was present in all tissues with similar intensity among the tissue types in the control and estrogen plus progestin groups. In the estrogen group, Mas staining was stronger in the luminal and glandular epithelium when compared with stroma or circular myometrium. In conclusion, ovarian steroids are not required to allow endometrial expression of Ang-(1-7) and its receptor Mas in rats, as it remains abundant in ovariectomized animals. However, estrogen and progestin may modulate the distribution pattern of this peptide in the endometrium, especially in the glandular compartment.
血管活性肽血管紧张素（Ang）-（1-7）具有血管扩张、抗纤维化和抗肥厚作用，但对其在子宫中的调节知之甚少。本研究旨在评估 Ang-（1-7）及其受体 Mas 在去卵巢大鼠子宫组织中的表达，这些大鼠接受雌激素单独或与孕激素联合治疗。成年 Wistar 大鼠（n = 19）被去卵巢，1 周后随机分为 3 组。一组接受苯甲酸雌二醇（1.5 mg/kg，肌肉注射，n = 6）单次剂量。另一组接受雌二醇联合 depot 醋酸甲羟孕酮（3 mg/kg，肌肉注射，n = 6）。对照组（n = 7）接受油注射。1 周后，处死大鼠，用多克隆抗体对 Ang-（1-7）及其受体 Mas 进行免疫组织化学染色，固定和染色其子宫。在所有子宫组织中均检测到 Ang-（1-7），但在接受治疗的动物的环形平滑肌中较弱或缺失。与对照组相比，激素处理动物的腺上皮中免疫染色强度降低。在接受雌激素治疗的大鼠中，Ang-（1-7）标记物呈散在分布，有时包括腺细胞的核。我们还在纵向平滑肌和子宫浆膜中检测到 Ang-（1-7）的表达。Mas 受体存在于所有组织中，在对照组和雌激素加孕激素组中，各组织类型的受体强度相似。在雌激素组中，与基质或环形平滑肌相比，Mas 染色在腔上皮和腺上皮中更强。总之，在大鼠中，卵巢类固醇不是子宫内膜表达 Ang-（1-7）及其受体 Mas 所必需的，因为它在去卵巢动物中仍然丰富。然而，雌激素和孕激素可能调节这种肽在子宫内膜中的分布模式，特别是在腺腔中。
