Interaction between PGs and catecholamines on cervical collagen synthesis

Specimens from the upper part of the cervix were excised and chopped into 1 mm thick slices. These were incubated in buffer containing [3H] proline fortified with PGE2 and/or NA and the incorporation into total protein was measured after various incubation periods. In certain experiments the slices were preincubated with reserpine to deplete the tissue stores of catecholamines. Both PGE2 and NA were able to influence the incorporation of [3H] proline in such a way that the stimulatory effect of PGE2 was counteracted by reserpine in the luteal phase of the cycle, while NA-stimulated incorporation of [3H] proline was inhibited by PGE2 in the late follicular phase. Both clinical and experimental studies have shown that PGs per se interfere with the biophysical and biochemical properties of the cervix. The present results indicate that there also exists an interaction between PGs and catecholamines.