Expression of p53 in luminal and glandular epithelium during the growth and regression of rat uterus during the estrous cycle

It has been well recognized that epithelial cells of the rat endometrium cyclically proliferate and die during the estrous cycle. The aim of the present study was to determine p53 expression pattern and correlate it with the the apoptotic pattern of epithelial cells of the rat uterus during the estrous cycle. The p53 mRNA and protein expression pattern was assessed by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. The apoptotic index was determined by using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) and electron microscopy. The highest p53 mRNA content, detected by in situ hybridization, was observed on the metestrus day both in the luminal and the glandular epithelia. During this period both epithelia presented high proliferation. The content of p53 mRNA markedly decreased in the following days, presenting its minimal values on the estrus day. The highest number of p53 immunopositive nuclei, in both the luminal and the glandular epithelia, was also detected on the metestrus day, while the lowest one was found on estrus day. On the proestrus day, p53 protein was predominantly detected in the glandular epithelium. However, on the estrus day, p53 protein was detected both in the nuclei and in the cytoplasm of luminal epithelial cells, predominantly in the cytoplasm. The highest apoptotic index in both the luminal and the glandular epithelia was observed on the estrus day whereas the lowest one was observed on the proestrus day. The apoptotic index values were higher in the luminal than in the glandular epithelia. The overall results indicate that p53 expression at both mRNA and protein levels is higher on the metestrus day when the apoptotic index is low. This suggests that p53 should play an important physiological role during proliferative phases of the estrous cycle in the rat uterus. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 61:445–452, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.