Estradiol-17 beta and cAMP: in vitro studies on the cervicovaginal epithelium of neonatal mice.

In organ culture of the cervicovaginal epithelium from neonatal mice, the epithelium synthesizes a material with specific antigenic properties (CVA). CVA was studied with immunofluorescence and the amount estimated semiquantitatively. In line with earlier studies, adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (dibutyryl derivative (dcAMP), increased the amount of CVA, but adenosine 2',3'-cyclic monophosphate did not. Addition of histamine to the culture medium moderately increased the amount of CVA, whereas the anti-histamine diphenhydramine (H1-antagonist) slightly reduced the strong increase induced by dcAMP and estradiol in combination. No effect was seen under similar conditions using the H2-antagonist metiamide. Taken together with earlier results it is considered possible that the action of histamine and diphenhydramine is related to effects on the cell membranes. Phentolamine had no effect. The dcAMP effect was inhibited by actinomycin D and cycloheximide.