Early effects of oestradiol-17 on the chromatin and activity of the deoxyribonucleic acid-dependent ribonucleic acid polymerases (I and II) of the rat uterus.

Oestradiol-17beta (1.0mug) was injected intravenously into ovariectomized rats. The earliest detectable hormonal response in isolated uterine nuclei was an increase (10-15min) in RNA polymerase II activity (DNA-like RNA synthesis), which reached a peak at 30min and then decreased to control values (by 1-2h) before displaying a second increase over control activity from 2 to 12h. The next response to oestradiol-17beta was an increase (30-60min) in polymerase I activity (rRNA synthesis) and template capacity of the chromatin. The concentrations of acidic chromatin proteins did not begin to increase until 1h after injection of oestradiol-17beta and histone concentrations showed no significant changes during the 8h period after administration. The early (15min) increase in RNA synthesis in ;high-salt conditions' can be completely eliminated by alpha-amanitin, an inhibitor of the RNA polymerase II. The exact nature of this early increase in endogenous polymerase II activity remains to be determined, e.g. whether it is caused by the increased availability of transcribable DNA of the chromatin or via direct hormonal activation of the enzyme per se.