Effects of estradiol on prostaglandin F2 alpha levels in primary monolayer cultures of epithelial cells from human proliferative endometrium.

Primary monolayer cultures of glandular epithelial or stromal cells isolated from human proliferative endometrium release prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha) into the medium. In epithelial cell cultures maintained in medium containing charcoal-stripped calf serum, estradiol (10(-8) M) increased the levels of PGF2 alpha 2.5- to 5-fold during the first 24 h and as much as 40-fold during the second and third days in culture. A similar response was seen with estradiol at a concentration of 10(-10) M. The response to estradiol was only about half as great in medium containing untreated calf serum. Preliminary measurements of PGF2 alpha levels in stromal cell cultures showed that estradiol did not increase PGF2 alpha levels in the medium and even reduced it in some preparations. The estradiol-stimulated increase in PGF2 alpha levels in the epithelial cell cultures contrasts with the lack of responsiveness of proliferative endometrium in organ culture. This finding suggests that the ability of glands to respond to estradiol is repressed in proliferative endometrium.