Changes of glycosaminoglycan composition of uterine myometrium of rabbit induced by female sex steroids.

Glycosaminoglycan fractions were separately prepared from the myometrium of control, estrogen-treated, and estrogen-progesterone-treated rabbits after digestion with pronase. The glycosaminoglycan composition of each glycosaminoglycan fraction was determined by digestion with specific mucopolysaccharidases and nitrous acid. It was found that foregoing hormones showed no effects on the total glycosaminoglycan content, expressed as mg per g of the delipidated dry tissue. These hormones, however, markedly affected the glycosaminoglycan composition. As compared with the control, the estrogen-treatment decreased the contents of hyaluronic acid and dermatan sulfate, but increased those of chondroitin 4- and 6-sulfates. The effect of estrogen on the content of hyaluronic acid was strikingly enhanced by subsequent treatment with progesterone, and those of chondroitin 4- and 6-sulfates were also enhanced. On the other hand, progesterone abolished effect on the content of dermatan sulfate. Although no effect was observed on the content of heparan sulfate by the estrogen treatment, subsequent treatment with progesterone decreased the content of this glycosaminoglycan.