Cubas JJM, Simões RS, Oliveira-Filho RM, Simões MJ, Baracat EC, Soares JM. Glycosaminoglycan distribution in the rat uterine cervix during the estrous cycle.
Clinics (Sao Paulo) 2010;
65:703-8. [PMID:
20668628 PMCID:
PMC2910859 DOI:
10.1590/s1807-59322010000700009]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2010] [Revised: 02/19/2010] [Accepted: 04/09/2010] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the amount of glycosaminoglycans in the uterine cervix during each phase of the rat estrous cycle.
DESIGN
Based on vaginal smears, forty female, regularly cycling rats were divided into four groups (n = 10 for each group): GI - proestrous, GII - estrous, GIII - metaestrous and GIV - diestrous. Animals were sacrificed at each phase of the cycle, and the cervix was immediately removed and submitted to biochemical extraction and determination of sulfated glycosaminoglycans and hyaluronic acid. The results were analyzed by ANOVA followed by the Bonferroni post-hoc test.
RESULTS
The uterine cervix had the highest amount of total sulfated glycosaminoglycans and dermatan sulfate during the estrous phase (8.90 +/- 0.55 mg/g of cetonic extract, p<0.001; and 8.86 +/- 0.57 mg/g of cetonic extract, p<0.001). In addition, there was more heparan sulfate at the cervix during the proestrous phase (0.185 +/- 0.03 mg/g of cetonic extract) than during any other phase (p<0.001). There were no significant changes in the concentration of hyaluronic acid in the uterine cervix during the estrous cycle.
CONCLUSION
Our data suggest that the amount of total sulfated glycosaminoglycans may be influenced by hormonal fluctuations related to the estrous cycle, with dermatan sulfate and heparan sulfate being the glycosaminoglycans most sensitive to hormonal change.
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