Concerted effects of progestin, estrogen, intracellular cAMP, and relaxin on aromatase in endometrial stromal cells [Poster 07]

Hormonal regulation of aromatase activity in human endometrial stromal cells was studied in primary cell culture. Medroxy-progesterone acetate (MPA) stimulated the aromatase activity, ˜10-fold over the control, and estradiol (E₂), relaxin (RLX), or forskolin (Fk) enhanced this stimulation, ˜20 to 500-fold over the control. Since progesterone, estrogen, and relaxin are actively produced by the ovary after conception, the multihormonal regulation of endometrial aromatase must be taking place after conception. Indeed, aromatase activity measured in intact endometria revealed that the activity in decidua was ˜500-fold higher than that of endometria obtained during the menstrual cycle.