Adequate development of uterine receptivity is crucial for establishment of pregnancy. Expression of uterine receptivity
molecules i.e. αvβ3 integrin, E-cadherin and mucin-1 could be affected by testosterone. The objective of this study was
to investigate effect of testosterone on expression of these molecules during early pregnancy. 30 ovariectomised female
Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 5 groups that consisted of vehicle control, rats received eight days sex-steroid
replacement regime (intended to mimic the hormonal changes in early pregnancy) and three groups of rats given
testosterone (1 mg/kg/day) subcutaneously with or without flutamide or finasteride between day 6 and 8 representing the
period of uterine receptivity. At the end of the treatment, rats were sacrificed and uteri were removed. Expression and
distribution of αvβ3 integrin, E-cadherin and mucin-1 were examined by immunoflourescence and levels of messenger
RNA (mRNAs) were evaluated by real-time PCR. Expression of αvβ3 integrin, E-cadherin and mucin-1 in the uteri of
rats receiving sex-steroid replacement regime increased significantly as compared to control (p<0.05). In these rats,
concomitant administration of testosterone between day 6 and 8 resulted in expression of αvβ3 integrin, E-cadherin
and mucin-1 to decrease significantly (p<0.05) as compared to rats receiving sex-steroid replacement regime without
testosterone treatment. Moreover, the testosterone effects were not antagonized by either flutamide or finasteride. As
a result, reduced expression of uterine receptivity molecules by testosterone might interfere with early pregnancy
establishment, therefore could adversely affect the female fertility.