Abstract

The mechanism of propofol action on mouse placenta time is not clear. The aim of this study was to describe the mechanism of propofol effect on ovary and uterus and to measure the level of sex hormones in peripheral blood of nonpregnant mice. On the 19^th and 20^th d after luteinizing hormone peak, 14 female mice were allocated to the study group (n=9) and the control group (n=5), respectively and propofol and saline solution were given. On the 26^th d after luteinizing hormone peak, hysterectomy was performed, to screen the concentrations of estradiol and progesterone in blood samples. Ovary, uterine horn and body were isolated for histological and morphometric diagnosis and immunohistochemical analysis of alpha estrogen and progesterone receptor expression. In the study group, progesterone decreased (p<0.01) and there was no difference in the total estrogen level. There was no significant difference in histomorphology or expression of alpha estrogen and progesterone receptor in ovary. The expression of progesterone receptor was increased (p<0.05) and the expression of estrogen receptor was increased (p<0.01) (p<0.05). The increase of estrogen receptor may increase the sensitivity of tissue to estrogen in the blood and lead to the infiltration of monocyte in endometrium, causing obvious inflammation, hemorrhage and hyperplasia. The cornea and endometrium of female mice were significantly thicker than those of the control group (p<0.05 and p<0.01). In addition, the myometrium of the uterus was thicker than that of the angle (p<0.001), while the expression of progesterone receptor in the uterus was higher (p<0.01). There was no difference between cornea and body. There is no difference between propofol and other anesthetics. The types of anesthetics did not seem to affect the levels of sex hormones in the peripheral blood of mice.