Oxytocin receptors in bovine cervix: distribution and gene expression during the estrous cycle

Oxytocin (OT) receptor (OTR) concentrations were determined in the cervix of nonpregnant cows on cycle Days 0, 3, 7-8, 17, and 19 (n = 3-4 cows each day); [3H]OT was used as the labeled ligand. Mucosal and muscle layers of the cervix were also analyzed separately for both ligand binding and expression of the OTR gene using a newly developed RNase protection assay (RAP). Cellular localization of OTR protein was determined by immunohistochemistry. All regions of cervix from cows at estrus had high concentrations of OTR; in the luteal phase, all were sharply down-regulated. At estrus the mucosal layer had about 30-fold higher concentrations than the muscle layer. OTR mRNA was readily detected by RAP in the mucosa from estrous cows, while much weaker signals were found in the muscle. On Days 7-17, the OTR mRNA signals in both mucosa and muscle were very faint or nondetectable. Thus, there was a good correlation between ligand binding and mRNA expression, which suggests that OTR concentrations are mainly regulated at the transcriptional level. The epithelial cells at the luminal surface of the mucosa were the principal site of immunoreactive OTR; muscle cells showed significantly weaker signals. Previously, OT was found to stimulate prostaglandin (PG) E2 output in vitro in bovine cervical tissues. Since PGE2 is capable of softening the cervix, our findings suggest that OT may have a novel physiological function to cause softening of the bovine cervix mediated by the release of PGE2.