[The three mechanisms underlying progesterone withdrawal in late pregnancy in mammals]

Endocrine hormones are important factors in maintaining pregnancy as well as initiation of parturition. Progesterone is the major hormone maintaining myometrium quiescence, while glucocorticoids, prostaglandins and estrogen are among the major hormones involved in the initiation of parturition. Therefore progesterone withdrawal at the end of pregnancy is the prerequisite for the initiation of parturition. However, unlike most of the other species of mammals that the withdrawal of progesterone is achieved via reduction of progesterone synthesis or increased conversion of progesterone to estrogen, some mammals including the primates maintain high progesterone level throughout gestation and even during parturition. Accumulating lines of evidence indicate that the withdrawal of progesterone in human being is attained via the changes of the expression ratio of progesterone receptor subtypes and the changes of co-activators required for the activation of transcriptional activity of progesterone receptor. Here we reviewed the three major mechanisms, namely luteolysis, upregulation of placental P450c17 hydroxylase and changes of progesterone receptor functions, underlying progesterone withdrawal in late pregnancy in mammals.