Abstract:
In the present studies, we observed the regulation of water channel gene (AQP-CHIP) expression by estradiol (E
2) and anordiol, an antiestrogen with agonist activity, in immature female rat uterus. Antisense and sense oligonucleotide primers corresponding to the concensus sequences of two rats AQP-CHIP water channels were synthesized and used to amplify a cDNA fragment that was reversetranscripted from rat uterine total RNA preparation. E
2 administered as a single dose of 40 μg·kg
-1 to immature female rats induced a significant increase in AQP-CHIP mRNA expression 9 h after treatment. The lowest effective doses of E
2 and anordiol were 40 and 50 μg·kg
-1, respectively. The stimulatory effect of anordiol was more pronounced than that of E
2. The present results suggest that AQP-CHIP water channel gene expression may be involved in E
2- and anordiol-mediated water imbibition and luminal fluid production in the uterus.