This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a related Letter to the Editor Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Copyright Permission Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Frasor, J. Articles by Fazleabas, A. T. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Frasor, J. Articles by Fazleabas, A. T.

Expression of Prolactin and Its Receptor in the Baboon Uterus during the Menstrual Cycle and Pregnancy¹

Departments of Physiology and Biophysics (J.F., G.G., A.T.F.) and Obstetrics and Gynecology (C.A.G., K.M.D., A.T.F.), University of Illinois, Chicago, Illinois 60612

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Asgi Fazleabas, Ph.D., Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Illinois, 820 S. Wood Street (M/C 808), Chicago, Illinois 60612.

PRL is known to be a major secretory product of the human decidua. However, the physiological role of decidual PRL during the menstrual cycle and pregnancy has not been fully defined, primarily due to the lack of an appropriate nonhuman primate model for in vivo studies. Therefore, this initial study examined the expression of PRL and its receptor in the baboon uterus during the cycle and pregnancy. PRL and PRL receptor messenger ribonucleic acid expression were detected by semiquantitative RT-PCR, and protein was localized by immunocytochemistry. PRL was shown to be expressed in myometrial smooth muscle during the follicular phase by both RT-PCR and immunocytochemistry. Expression of PRL messenger ribonucleic acid and protein was first observed in the epithelial cells of the deep basal glands during the late luteal phase. With the onset of pregnancy, PRL expression increased steadily and was evident primarily in the decidual tissue. In contrast to PRL, its receptor was expressed at constant levels in both the myometrium and endometrium during the cycle. An increase in receptor expression was evident in both the decidua and placenta throughout pregnancy. In summary, these results demonstrate that the baboon uterus is a site of both PRL production and action during the cycle and pregnancy. These studies establish the baboon as a nonhuman primate model to investigate the potential roles of PRL in implantation and maintenance of pregnancy.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				Y. S. Devi, A. Shehu, C. Stocco, J. Halperin, J. Le, A. M. Seibold, M. Lahav, N. Binart, and G. Gibori Regulation of Transcription Factors and Repression of Sp1 by Prolactin Signaling Through the Short Isoform of Its Cognate Receptor Endocrinology, July 1, 2009; 150(7): 3327 - 3335. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. J. Pepe, T. J. Lynch, W. A. Davies, and E. D. Albrecht Regulation of Baboon Fetal Pituitary Prolactin Expression by Estrogen Biol Reprod, June 1, 2009; 80(6): 1189 - 1195. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Z. Strakova, P. Mavrogianis, X. Meng, J. M. Hastings, K. S. Jackson, P. Cameo, A. Brudney, O. Knight, and A. T. Fazleabas In Vivo Infusion of Interleukin-1{beta} and Chorionic Gonadotropin Induces Endometrial Changes that Mimic Early Pregnancy Events in the Baboon Endocrinology, September 1, 2005; 146(9): 4097 - 4104. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. X. Rosario, D. N. Modi, G. Sachdeva, D. D. Manjramkar, and C. P. Puri Morphological events in the primate endometrium in the presence of a preimplantation embryo, detected by the serum preimplantation factor bioassay Hum. Reprod., January 1, 2005; 20(1): 61 - 71. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Jasinska, V. Han, A. T. Fazleabas, and J. J. Kim Induction of Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein-1 Expression in Baboon Endometrial Stromal Cells by Cells of Trophoblast Origin Reproductive Sciences, September 1, 2004; 11(6): 399 - 405. [Abstract] [PDF]

				K. S. Rehman, S. Yin, B. A. Mayhew, R.A. Word, and W. E. Rainey Human myometrial adaptation to pregnancy: cDNA microarray gene expression profiling of myometrium from non-pregnant and pregnant women Mol. Hum. Reprod., November 1, 2003; 9(11): 681 - 700. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				W. N. Jefferson, J. F. Couse, E. Padilla-Banks, K. S. Korach, and R. R. Newbold Neonatal Exposure to Genistein Induces Estrogen Receptor (ER){alpha} Expression and Multioocyte Follicles in the Maturing Mouse Ovary: Evidence for ER{beta}-Mediated and Nonestrogenic Actions Biol Reprod, October 1, 2002; 67(4): 1285 - 1296. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. M. Reis, P. Vigano, E. Arnaboldi, P. M. Spritzer, F. Petraglia, and A. M. Di Blasio Expression of prolactin-releasing peptide and its receptor in the human decidua Mol. Hum. Reprod., April 1, 2002; 8(4): 356 - 362. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. A. Gray, F. F. Bartol, B. J. Tarleton, A. A. Wiley, G. A. Johnson, F. W. Bazer, and T. E. Spencer Developmental Biology of Uterine Glands Biol Reprod, November 1, 2001; 65(5): 1311 - 1323. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Dalrymple and H. N. Jabbour Localization and Signaling of the Prolactin Receptor in the Uterus of the Common Marmoset Monkey J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., April 1, 2000; 85(4): 1711 - 1718. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				K. M. Taylor, C. A. Gray, M. M. Joyce, M. D. Stewart, F. W. Bazer, and T. E. Spencer Neonatal Ovine Uterine Development Involves Alterations in Expression of Receptors for Estrogen, Progesterone, and Prolactin Biol Reprod, April 1, 2000; 63(4): 1192 - 1204. [Abstract] [Full Text]