Histological changes induced by medroxyprogesterone acetate on the uterus of ovariectomized rabbits

Abstract

THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO EVALUATE THE EFFECT OF MEDROXYPROGESTERONE ACETATE (MPA) ON THE NUMBER AND TISSULAR DISTRIBUTION OF CD14 MACROPHAGES AND BB-2 LYMPHOCYTES. A TOTAL OF 15 WHITE NEW ZEALAND RABBITS WERE OVARIECTOMIZED AND, 3 WEEKS AFTER SURGERY, 5 GROUPS WERE FORMED AND ALL ANIMALS, EXCEPT THE CONTROL GROUP, RECEIVED 5 MG I M OF MEDROXYPROGESTERONE ACETATE (MPA). ANIMALS WERE EUTHANIZED AT DAYS 1 (EARLY PHASE), 3 (MEDIUM PHASE) 6 AND 7 (DELAY PHASE) POST-TREATMENT. THE CONTROL GROUP WAS EUTHANIZED AT DAY 1 POST-TREATMENT. FRAGMENTS OF UTERINE TISSUE WERE OBTAINED AND PROCESSED FOR INCLUSION IN PARAFFIN. THROUGH IMMUNOCYTOCHEMISTRY CD14 MACROPHAGES AND BB-2 LYMPHOCYTES WERE DETECTED. THE HEIGHT OF THE SECRETING EPITHELIUM AND THE THICKNESS OF LAMINA PROPRIA WERE MEASURED. RESULTS INDICATE THAT MPA INDUCES A DECREASE IN THE NUMBER OF BB-2 POSITIVE CELLS AT DAYS 1, 3, 6 AND 7 POST-TREATMENT. A BIPHASIC EFFECT WAS OBSERVED AT DAYS 1, 3, AND 6 IN WHICH, THE NUMBER OF CD 14 MACROPHAGES INCREASED AND FINALLY AT 7 DAYS POST-TREATMENT THE NUMBER OF CD14 POSITIVE CELLS WAS SIMILAR TO THE CONTROL GROUP. THE HEIGHT OF GLANDULAR EPITHELIUM, AT DAYS 3, 6 AND 7 POST-TREATMENT, SHOWED AN INCREMENT IN CONTRAST WITH THE CONTROL GROUP. MOREOVER, THE LAMINA PROPRIA PRESENTED DIFFERENCES ON ITS THICKNESS ONLY IN DAYS 1 AND 7 VS CONTROL GROUP. THE RESULTS OBTAINED SUGGEST THAT MPA NEGATIVELY AFFECTS THE SPECIFIC LOCAL IMMUNE RESPONSE IN THE UTERUS OF OVARIECTOMIZED RABBITS.