Morphine-induced Regulation Of μ-opioid Receptors In Human Endometrium

Objective: To investigate the charge of human endometrium μ-opioid receptors by morphine in vitro cell culture. Materials and Methods: We collected 10 cases of normal human endometrium to culture in vitro, then identified them by means of immunohistochemical method with cytokeratin 19 and vimentin. All cells were randomly divided into 3 groups, one group was added morphine(including 10-4,10-5,10-6 mol/L), other group was added morphine and naloxone (both final concentration were 10-5 mol/L), the other group was control group that nothing was added. We drawed the growth cures and after cultured 24 hours, we collected all cells and analyzed the expression of μ-opioid receptors' mRNA by RT-PCR method. Results: Stromal and glandular cells of human endometrium were isolated by using enzymolysis, two series of filters and sedimentation. The purities of stromal cells and glandular epithelial cells were 95% and 90% repectively. Isolated endometrial gland and stromal cells were able to proliferate in vitro. From the growth cures, we could see the morphine group was significantly slower than control group and expression of μ-opioid receptors' mRNA in morphine group was obviously lower than that in control group. There was not difference in control group with morphine+naloxone group not only in growth cures but also in RT-PCR. Conclusion: 1.There to be exist μ-opioid receptor in human endometrium. 2. Morphine seem to down-regulate the expression of μ-opioid receptor in human endometrium and the naloxone may rivalry this effect.