Effects of clomiphene citrate on cytosolic estradiol and progesterone receptor concentrations in secretory endometrium.

Cytosolic estradiol and progesterone receptor concentrations were measured in luteal phase endometrial biopsy samples obtained from 12 anovulatory or oligoovulatory women on clomiphene citrate therapy and from 40 normal control subjects. Clomiphene citrate treatment (250 to 750 mg per cycle) decreased both endometrial estradiol and progesterone receptor concentrations. Estradiol receptor levels were nondetectable in seven tissue samples and progesterone receptor levels in four samples from the 12 subjects given clomiphene citrate compared to nondetectable estradiol receptor concentrations in one tissue sample and progesterone receptor concentrations in two samples from the 40 normal control subjects. In histologically dated endometrium, mean estradiol receptor concentrations on days 20 to 23 and progesterone receptor levels on days to 24 to 27 were lower than the values observed in the comparable dated endometrium of normal ovulatory women. Steroid receptor concentrations correlated negatively with the duration of clomiphene citrate therapy, which implies a time-dependent suppressive effect of clomiphene citrate on measurable cytosolic estradiol and progesterone receptor concentrations during the luteal phase of the cycle.