Effects of d-propranolol and estradiol on the cervicovaginal epithelium.

The cervicovaginal epithelium of neonatal mice produces a material with specific antigenic properties (CVA) and this material is produced in increased amounts after estradiol treatment. Using a cytochemical method, estradiol treatment was shown to result in an increase of adenylate cyclase activity in the same epithelium. When d-propranolol is injected together with estradiol, the increase in CVA is inhibited, while the hormone-induced proliferation of epithelial cells is not influenced. When adenylate cyclase activity is studied under identical conditions, the estradiol-promoted increase in enzyme activity is largely counteracted by d-propranolol. These findings would suggest that Adenosine 3"5"-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) has a role in some, but not all, estradiol-mediated effects in the neonatal cervicovaginal epithelium.