Effect of endogenous and exogenous progesterone on human endometrial enzymes.

Activities of 9 enzymes were determined biochemically in the endometrium. In Trial I (five women) 25 mg progesterone were injected i.m. on day 9 of the cycle; and endometrial biopsy taken 24 hours later was compared with endometrium from day 10 and day 21, taken in two untreated cycles from the same volunteers. Similarly, in Trial II (five women) 50 mg progesterone were injected on day 9, biopsy taken on day 11 and compared with days 11 and 21 from untreated cycles. The specific activites of lactate dehydrogenase, isocitrate dehydrogenase (ICDH), malate dehydrogenase, glutamate dehydrogenase, beta-glucuronidase, acid phosphatase (ACP) and alkaline phosphatase (AP) were significantly higher in the secretory phase. Twenty-five milligrams progesterone (after 24 hours) caused increases of some enzymes, significant only for AP. Fifty milligrams (after 48 hours) increased significantly the activity of ICDH and ACP. Biochemical changes, especially increase of ICDH, can be used for detection of the effect of progesterone on the endometrium.