Unoccupied nuclear oestradiol-receptor sites in normal human endometrium

The existence of unoccupied nuclear oestradiol-receptor sites in normal human endometrium was investigated. Nuclei were prepared from endometrial samples obtained by curettage and exposed to [3H]oestradiol, which became maximmaly bound at 0 degrees C within 1 h. This result contrasted with the binding kinetics of oestradiol--receptor complexes, since the exchange of hormone took at least 3 h at 30 degrees C and no displacement occurred at 0 degrees C. Before concluding that the nuclear sites were unoccupied, the presence of endogenous low-affinity ligands was excluded, because the association rate of oestradiol was unchanged after nuclei were stripped from their putative ligands, and the displacement of oestrone bound to nuclear receptor by oestradiol was very slow at 0 degrees C. The available sites had high affinity for oestradiol (KD 1.3 nM) and binding-specificity characteristics of oestradiol receptors. Similar results were observed with crude and purified nuclear preparations. It was concluded that a significant proportion of nuclear oestradiol receptors in normal human endometrium is unoccupied by endogenous hormones.