Effect of ovarian steroids and oxytocin on the production of prostaglandin E2, prostaglandin F2α and endothelin-1 from cow oviductal epithelial cell monolayers in vitro

Cyclic physio-anatomical variation in the oviducts is mediated by the local countercurrent transfer of ovarian products. Thus, in this study cow oviductal epithelial cells (COEC) culture were utilized to investigate the effects of ovarian products such as progesterone (P4), estradiol 17β (E2) and oxytocin (OT) on local oviductal prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), F2α (PGF2α) and endothelin-1 (ET-1) production. COEC were collected from non-pregnant Holstein cows (n=8) during the follicular phase and cultured in M199 under standard culture conditions until monolayer formation. Cells in first passage were incubated for 24 or 48 h with P4 (500 ng/ml), E2 (1 ng/ml), OT (10−9 M) or combination of E2+P4. Administration of E2 significantly increased the production of PGE2, PGF2α and ET-1. However, simultaneous administration of P4 blocked the effect of E2. OT did not show any effect on oviductal productions of either PGs or ET-1. The results of this study show that E2 stimulates PG and ET-1 production by COEC in vitro. Thus, it can be suggested that locally transferred E2 from the ovarian follicles may be important for oviductal contraction and gamete/zygote transport during the peri-ovulatory period.