The use of steroid hormones in postmenopausal replacement therapy has been associated
with prevention of cardiovascular disease. Although the contribution of estradiol to
endothelial cell function has been addressed, little information is available on the effect of
progestins on this cell type. Here, we provide direct evidence for the presence of functional
nuclear progesterone receptor in endothelial cells and demonstrate that physiological levels
of progesterone inhibit proliferation through a nuclear receptor-mediated mechanism. The …