Dynamics of oxytocin, estrogen and progestin receptors in the bovine endometrium during the estrous cycle

The levels of oxytocin receptor (ORT), cytosolic progestin receptor (cPR), cytosolic and nuclear estrogen receptor (cER, nER) were measured in the endometrium of 28 heifers that had been slaughtered on a defined day of the estrous cycle. In an additional, trial endometrial tissue obtained from 78 heifers or cows at the abattoir was analysed for OTR. OTR was absent during the luteal phase (after day 6), but a minor elevation was observed after day 15. OTR increased rapidly after luteolysis on days 17-18 reaching a maximum during estrous on day 21, and decreased again during days 1-6. cER and cPR were different to OTR but followed a similar pattern with maximal levels during days 1-8 of the estrous cycle. At day 12 both receptors were minimal and increased again towards day 21. nER was maximal at day 19-21 coinciding with maximal estradiol levels and estrous. Our data indicate that owing to an increasing sensitivity of the endometrium to progesterone and estradiol after day 12, these steroids may be mainly responsible for the initiation of first PGF₂(α) surges and luteolysis. Oxytocin seems to be of minor importance at this stage owing to low sensitivity of the endometrium for oxytocin.