In vitro and ex vivo binding to uterine progestin receptors of the rat as a tool to assay progestational activity of glucocorticoids.

The competition of some widely employed glucocorticoids with the binding of [3H]-promegestone, a highly potent synthetic progestagen, to uterine cytosol progestin receptors of the immature rat has been studied both in in vitro and ex vivo experiments. The relative binding affinities (RBA's) to progesterone were determined in vitro: fluocinolone acetonide greater than triamcinolone acetonide greater than betamethasone 17-valerate greater than prednisolone, betamethasone, triamcinolone and cortisol. After pretreating rats in vivo with progesterone or chlormadinone acetate (subcutaneously), a dose-dependent decrease in in vitro binding of [3H]-promegestone to uterine cytosol was evident. Similar decreases were obtained after pretreatment with some of the other glucocorticoids tested. Potency ratios to progesterone, arbitrarily set at 1.0, were: fluocinolone acetonide 86.7, triamcinolone acetonide 5.6, betamethasone valerate 4.1, chlormadinone acetate 2.6. Prednisolone, betamethasone, triamcinolone and cortisol were inactive. Both the in vitro and the ex vivo results clearly indicate that glucocorticoids interact with the uterine cytosol progestin receptor system, depending on their chemical structures; this interaction may account for some of their unwanted side-effects in the endocrine system. Moreover, this experimental system may prove to be a useful tool for evaluation of the progestational activities of glucocorticoids and other steroids, using the rat as an animal model.