The effect of progesterone on the release of arachidonic acid from human endometrial cells stimulated by histamine.

Progesterone at concentrations of 10(-7)M and 10(-8)M inhibits release of [3H]-arachidonic acid from stimulated, perfused, endometrial cells. The effect is independent of the mechanism of stimulation. Cortisol (10(-5)M but not 10(-7)M) has a similar effect in this system but estradiol (10(-7)M) is without effect. There was a positive correlation (p less than 0.05) between the magnitude of inhibition by progesterone and the day of cycle. The inhibitory action of progesterone on the release of arachidonic acid was greater in endometrial cells than in decidual cells and was apparent after fifteen minutes. The activities of commercial and endometrial cell-free preparations of phospholipase A2 and phospholipase C were unaffected by the presence of progesterone. We conclude that progesterone modulates release of [3H]-arachidonic acid from endometrial cells by a rapid, indirect action on phospholipase activity.