Effect of hormone replacement therapy on the elemental contents of uterine tissue

For the past years, different therapies based on steroid hormone supplementation or modulators of estrogen receptors have been used after menopause to prevent or manage osteoporosis. Although these treatments seem to be beneficial, they have some negative effects in the uterus and breast. The objective of this study was to assess variations for the concentrations of K, Ca, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, and Se in uterine tissue of Wistar rats. Ovariectomized rats were subjected to estrogen, progesterone, raloxifene, and tibolone supplementation and compared with nonovariectomized control animals. Elemental contents determined by the particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) technique revealed major alterations in Fe, Ca, Mn, and Se in the uterus of ovariectomized rats relative to control animals. After ovariectomy, a significant increase in Ca and Fe and a significant decrease in Mn and Se contents were determined in the uterus. For the ovariectomized groups in which animals received raloxifene, tibolone, estrogen, and estrogen combined with progesterone supplementation, an overall recovery in Mn, Fe, and Se contents was verified. Elemental concentration in the progesterone-supplemented group did not significantly differ from ovariectomized animals receiving placebo. The alterations found for ovariectomized animals receiving placebo and progesterone suggest tissue impairment and trace element imbalance, contrasting with the remaining supplemented groups where an enhancement of tissue activity might justify similar concentration levels relative to controls, because most of the elemental contents altered after ovariectomy.