Plasminogen activators in the human endometrium, cellular origin and hormonal regulation

Endometrial tissue explants in culture were found to release urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA) and tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA). In order to identify their cellular origin and possible hormonal regulation, enriched cultures of glandular epithelial cells and stromal cells were prepared from fresh endometrium, and the cultures treated with hormones. Both epithelial and stromal cell cultures were found to secrete u-PA and t-PA. Treatment of epithelial cell cultures with oestradiol, progesterone and DH-testosterone had no effect on the secretion of t-PA or u-PA. In stromal cell cultures, on the other hand, the secretion of u-PA was significantly reduced after treatment with progesterone, whereas oestradiol and DH-testosterone had no effect. This reduction of u-PA antigen in the tissue culture medium did not result from a reduction of the relative level of u-PA mRNA in the cells, suggesting that the synthesis of u-PA was not reduced. Alternatively, an increased clearance of u-PA by the cells from the medium may explain the reduction. This in vitro observation probably reflects the in vivo reduction of u-PA in endometrial secretion during the secretory phase.