Effect of ovarian hormones on lysosomal acid hydrolase activities in rat myometrium

The activities of the lysosomal acid hydrolases-cathespin D, acid phosphatase, beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase, and beta-glucuronidase-were measured in rat myometrium under the following hormonal conditions: during the estrus stage of the estrous cycle (NE); at 1,2, and 3 wk after ovariectomy; and in 3-wk postovariectomized females after hormone replacement therapy with 17 beta-estradiol (E2), progesterone (P), or E2 + P. Activities per milligram protein and per milligram DNA of the enzymes were significantly decreased after ovariectomy and were restored to the NE level or above after injecting E2 or E2 + P. Lysosomal enzyme activities did not change with hormonal state in hypophysectomized rats, suggesting that other hormones are required for mediation of enzyme activity. Acid hydrolase activities in other tissues and nonlysosomal enzyme activites in the myometrium did not fluctuate with hormonal state. Studies of lysosomal membrane integrity suggested that one population of lysosomes richer in cathepsin D and acid phosphatase and another rich in beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase and beta-glucuronidase may be present in rat myometrium. Estrogen seemed to labilize the lysosomal membrane of at least the latter of the two proposed populations of myometrial lysosomes.