Effects of cortisol on uterine eosinophilia and other oestrogenic responses.

The effects of cortisol on several oestrogenic responses of the rat uterus were measured. Whether injected i.v., simultaneously with oestradiol-17 beta, or i.p,, 12 h before the oestradiol, cortisol had no effects on the oestrogen-induced increases in uterine glycogen, protein and DNA contents. In contrast, cortisol inhibited both uterine eosinophilia and the increase of wet weight. Both responses show the same higher sensitivity to i.v. injection than to i.p. injection of cortisol. Inhibition of both responses by cortisol follows identical dose-response curves. These data support our hypothesis that the water-imbibition effect of oestrogen i- mediated by uterine eosinophilia and is thus related to the eosinophil receptor system.