Ligands differentially modulate the protein interactions of the human estrogen receptors alpha and beta

The interactions of human estrogen receptor subtypes ERalpha and ERbeta with DNA and a 210 amino acid residue fragment of the coactivator protein SRC-1 bearing three nuclear receptor interaction motifs were investigated quantitatively using fluorescence anisotropy in the presence of agonist and antagonist ligands. ERalpha and ERbeta were found to bind in a similar manner to DNA, and both salt and temperature affected the affinity and/or stoichiometry of these interactions. The agonist ligands estradiol, estrone and estriol did not modify the binding of ERalpha to the fluorescein-labeled target estrogen response element. However, in the case of ERbeta, these ligands led to the formation of some higher-order protein-DNA complexes and a small decrease in affinity. The partial agonist 4-hydroxytamoxifen had little effect on either ER subtype, whereas the pure antagonist ICI 182,780 led to the cooperative formation of protein-DNA complexes of higher order than dimer, as further demonstrated by competition experiments and gel mobility-shift assays. In addition to DNA binding, the interaction of both ER subtypes with the Alexa488-labeled SRC-1 coactivator fragment was investigated by fluorescence anisotropy. The agonist ligands estrone, estradiol, estriol, genistein and ethynyl estradiol exhibited distinct capacities for inducing the recruitment of SRC-1 that were not correlated with their affinity for the receptor. Moreover, estrone and genistein exhibited subtype specificity in that they induced SRC-1 recruitment to ERbeta with much higher efficiency than in the case of ERalpha. The differential coactivator recruitment capacities of the ER agonists and their receptor subtype coactivator recruitment specificity may be linked to the molecular structure of the agonists with respect to their interactions with a specific histidine residue located at the back of the ligand-binding pocket. Altogether, these quantitative in vitro studies of ER interactions reveal the complex energetic and stoichiometric consequences of changes in the chemical structures of these proteins and their ligands.     

Estradiol- and estriol-binding in human benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Binding of the natural estrogens, estradiol and estriol, was investigated, in 34 samples of human benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) tissue, using Scatchard analysis and agar gel electrophoresis. Saturation binding analysis using a wide range of concentrations of both ligands resulted in curvilinear Scatchard plots. This confirmed the presence of two binding forms for estradiol: a true estrogen receptor, and a protein with lower affinity and higher capacity. Both binding species were also demonstrated and quantified with estriol. The electrophoretic process, after incubation at low and high ligand concentrations also resulted in separation, for both estrogens, of two binding peaks. They are probably two distinct forms of the low affinity, high capacity binding measured by Scatchard. The procedure used in our laboratory was not able to provide accurate determination of the concentrations of these binding forms. Possible modifications to alleviate these drawbacks are discussed.     

试论用17荧光雌酮测定雌激素受体和生化法的关系

本文对采用细胞化学法测定乳腺癌内雌激素受体[ER]所用的荧光配体17-FE是否也是与ER上结合位点相结合的问题进行了探讨。在测定17-FE对[~3H]E_2与兔子宫上清液内ER结合的影响后,指出:17-FE对[~3H]E_2与ER的结合具有抑制作用,且其抑制作用随着17-FE浓度的提高而加大。在一系列不同浓度[~3H]E_2下测定其与ER的特异结合,同时测定加入不同浓度17-FE后的特异结合量,以Lineweaver-Burk和Scate-bard法分别作图。分析结果均显示为竞争性抑制曲线,可见17-FE和[~3H]E_2一样是与兔子宫上清液内ER上的结合位点相结合的。因此采用细胞化学法测定ER时,17-FE是一理想的配体。     

Comparative analysis of the interaction of various estrogens with the estrogen-receptor system of the uterus

Equilibrium binding of labeled estron, estradiol, estriol and DES was studied in uterine cytosol of immature Wistar rats. The dissociation kinetics of the ligand complexes with specific high affinity sites suggested the homogeneity of estrogen receptors in rat uterine cytosol. The feasibility of intracellular regulation of estrogen action in target cells both at the receptor and post-receptor levels is discussed.     

Estrogen receptor binding assay of chemicals with a surface plasmon resonance biosensor

We have developed a simple assay method for the evaluation of estrogen receptor (ER) binding capacity of chemicals without the use of radio- or fluorescence-labeled compounds. We used the solution competition assay by the BIACORE biosensor, a surface plasmon resonance biosensor, with estradiol as a ligand, human recombinant ER(alpha) (hrER(alpha)) as a high molecular weight (hmw) interactant and test chemicals as analytes. For the ligand, aminated estradiol with a spacer molecule (E2-17PeNH) was synthesized and immobilized on a carboxymethyl dextran-coated sensor chip by the amine coupling method. The injection of the hmw interactant hrER(alpha) to the biosensor raised the sensorgram, indicating its binding to the ligand E2-17PeNH. The binding of test chemicals to hrERalpha was determined as a reduction in the hrER(alpha) binding to E2-17PeNH. The dissociation constant for the binding to hrER(alpha) was calculated for estrone (4.29 x 10(-9)M), estradiol (4.04 x 10(-10)M), estriol (8.35 x 10(-10)M), tamoxifen (2.16 x 10(-8)M), diethylstilbestrol (1.46 x 10(-10)M), bisphenol A (1.35 x 10(-6)M) and 4-nonylphenol (7.49 x 10(-6)M), by plotting the data according to an equation based on mass action law. This method can also be used as a high throughput screening method.     

Tamoxifen does not prevent the mobilization of body lipids elicited by oleoyl-estrone

Oleoyl-estrone is a powerful, slimming adipose tissue-derived signal that has biological effects widely opposed to those of its estrone moiety. The present experiment was designed to determine whether oleoyl-estrone effects on body energy are mediated by the estrogen receptor, blocked with the antagonist tamoxifen. Male Wistar rats were given daily oral doses of 10 micromol/kg d of oleoyl-estrone in oil containing 0 or 0.40 mg/kg d of tamoxifen. The data were compared with controls receiving only oil or 50 nmol/kg d of free estrone. After 10 days, the rats were killed, and their body composition and plasma metabolites and hormones were analyzed. Rats receiving estrone increased their body energy and lipid content compared with controls. Both groups of oleoyl-estrone-treated rats lost body weight, energy, and lipid; the losses in the rats receiving tamoxifen alone were less marked than in those receiving oleoyl-estrone. No significant changes in plasma glucose or triacylglycerols were observed. The patterns of change of estrone sulphate, estradiol, and oleoyl-estrone were consistent with a noticeable hydrolysis of oleoyl-estrone. The lack of differences in the fat mass in oleoyl-estrone-treated rats irrespective of the presence of tamoxifen suggested that the estrogenic pathway was not responsible for the slimming effects observed. Thus, it can be concluded that oleoyl-estrone effects are not mediated through its conversion to estrone or estradiol acting through the estrogen receptor. Tamoxifen partly mimicked the slimming effects of oleoyl-estrone; this could be speculatively explained by tamoxifen acting through the oleoyl-estrone signalling pathway.     

Biochemical and immunological characterization of estrogen binding components in human neoplastic adrenocortical tissues

The estrogen binding components in human adrenocortical tissues were examined. Two adrenocortical cancer cytosols were found to contain the binder with a relative low affinity (Kd 5 X 10(-9) M) for estradiol. The association of [3H]estradiol to these cytosols was inhibited by a large dose of unlabeled estrone, estradiol or estriol, but neither by diethylstilbestrol nor by dihydrotestosterone. Incubation of cultured cells derived from these cancers with [3H]estradiol also showed the presence of this low-affinity estradiol binder. The addition of bovine serum albumin into these cytosols surprisingly resulted in a marked increase in estradiol binding capacity in a concentration-dependent manner. This component sedimented at 5 S in the low salt sucrose density gradient. This binding ability was found to be heat-labile in the absence of estradiol, but preformation of complexes with estradiol markedly stabilized its binding ability against thermal inactivation. In addition, experiments using monoclonal antibodies to human estrogen receptor revealed that the estrogen binder from one adrenocortical cancer cytosol shared antigenic determinants with human estrogen receptor. These results suggest that the unique estrogen binder in some adrenocortical cancer has the characteristics similar to estrogen receptors in terms of thermal stability and immunological cross-reactivity to antibodies.     

Implications of epidermal growth factor (EGF) induced egf receptor aggregation.

To investigate the role of receptor aggregation in EGF binding, we construct a mathematical model describing receptor dimerization (and higher levels of aggregation) that permits an analysis of the influence of receptor aggregation on ligand binding. We answer two questions: (a) Can Scatchard plots of EGF binding data be analyzed productively in terms of two noninteracting receptor populations with different affinities if EGF induced receptor aggregation occurs? No. If two affinities characterize aggregated and monomeric EGF receptors, we show that the Scatchard plot should have curvature characteristic of positively cooperative binding, the opposite of that observed. Thus, the interpretation that the high affinity population represents aggregated receptors and the low affinity population nonaggregated receptors is wrong. If the two populations are interpreted without reference to receptor aggregation, an important determinant of Scatchard plot shape is ignored. (b) Can a model for EGF receptor aggregation and EGF binding be consistent with the "negative curvature" (i.e., curvature characteristic of negatively cooperative binding) observed in most Scatchard plots of EGF binding data? Yes. In addition, the restrictions on the model parameters required to obtain negatively curved Scatchard plots provide new information about binding and aggregation. In particular, EGF binding to aggregated receptors must be negatively cooperative, i.e., binding to a receptor in a dimer (or higher oligomer) having one receptor already bound occurs with lower affinity than the initial binding event. A third question we consider is whether the model we present can be used to detect the presence of mechanisms other than receptor aggregation that are contributing to Scatchard plot curvature. For the membrane and cell binding data we analyzed, the best least squares fits of the model to each of the four data sets deviate systematically from the data, indicating that additional factors are also important in shaping the binding curves. Because we have controlled experimentally for many sources of receptor heterogeneity, we have limited the potential explanations for residual Scatchard plot curvature.     

A male specific hepatic estrogen binding protein: characteristics and binding properties

Mammalian liver is a sex-steroid responsive tissue in that androgen and estrogen receptors are present and mediate differential hepatic hormonal effects. Further, we and others have found a sexual dimorphism in the hepatic cytosolic content of estrogen binding proteins. In addition to the estrogen receptor, the male has a high-capacity (12.0-15.0 pmol/mg protein) estrogen binding protein (MEB) which demonstrates a moderate affinity for estradiol (Kd = 31.0-43.2 nM) if estradiol metabolizing enzymes are first precipitated with protamine sulfate. This protein exhibits a unique specificity for steroidal estrogens: 2-methoxyestriol greater than estradiol greater than estriol = 2-methoxyestradiol greater than 2-hydroxyestradiol greater than estrone greater than 2-methoxyestrone greater than estriol 3-glucuronide greater than 2-hydroxyestrone = 3-methoxyestriol greater than androstanediol greater than dihydrotestosterone greater than testosterone. Other androgens such as androstenedione and methyltrienolone, nonsteroidal estrogens such as diethylstilbestrol, and the antiestrogens tamoxifen and 4-hydroxytamoxifen do not compete for [3H]estradiol ([3H]E2) binding. MEB is a relatively small-molecular-weight protein with a Sr of 20.4 A as determined by gel filtration on Sephadex G-100. The kinetics of [3H]E2 association and dissociation at 4 degrees C are very rapid, with t1/2 values of less than 5 s. Sodium molybdate, generally used to stabilize steroid receptors, inhibits MEB-[3H]estradiol binding activity in cytosol in a time- and dose-dependent manner, an effect not observed with partially purified MEB. Magnesium chloride inhibits binding activity of the Sephadex G-100 MEB pool, an effect reversed by EDTA. Other divalent cations also inhibit binding: Mn2+ greater than Mg2+ greater than Ca2+. Furthermore, EDTA complexes of these cations slightly enhance binding relative to EDTA alone: Ca2+ EDTA greater than Mg2+ EDTA greater than Mn2+ EDTA. These results demonstrate that MEB is a unique sex-steroid binding protein, albeit of unknown function, which is distinct from hepatic steroid receptors.     

Estrogen receptors in cultured rabbit articular chondrocytes: influence of age

Primary cultures of pubertal and prepubertal rabbit articular cartilage cells were performed. Total homogenates or cell extracts were used to determine the specific binding of 17 beta-estradiol. A comparative study was undertaken with tissue minces homogenized without enzymatic treatment. Scatchard analysis of cell or tissue extracts revealed the presence of a high-affinity receptor with Kd values of 0.55 +/- 0.16 nM and 0.12 +/- 0.03 nM in prepubertal and pubertal rabbit chondrocytes respectively. A significant difference in the affinity of estrogen receptor for its ligand as a function of age was observed. In contrast there was no significant difference in the number of binding sites expressed as fmol per mg DNA between the two age groups. The ligand binding specificity was as expected for an estrogen receptor and the sedimentation coefficient was 3.2 S when analyzed by ultracentrifugation on sucrose density gradient in presence of 0.4 M KCl and 8.1 S in low salt conditions. The binding sites, labeled with [125I]estradiol, were specifically immunoprecipitated by a monoclonal antibody to the estrogen receptor (JS34/32).     

Quantification of cytosolic steroid receptors in secretory and non-secretory epithelial cells of the canine prostate

Radiolabelled methyltrienolone, dihydrotestosterone and estradiol were used as ligands to identify and quantify androgen and estrogen receptors in freshly dispersed cells from the canine prostate. Soluble extracts (cytosols) were obtained from secretory and non-secretory epithelial cells separated on the basis of their density in Percoll gradients. For both cell types, as well as for the whole prostate, Scatchard plot analyses were linear and showed a single class of high affinity binding sites: Kd values of 3.6 +/- 2.2 X 10(-9) M and 3.0 +/- 1.2 X 10(-10) M were measured for the androgen and estrogen receptors, respectively. The number of binding sites for the cytosolic androgen receptor, expressed per mg of protein or per mg of DNA, was 2.4- to 6.7-fold higher in the non-secretory cells compared to the secretory cells. However, these two cell types contained a similar number of specific sites for the estrogens. The specificities of the androgen and estrogen receptors were shown to be identical for the two cell types: the binding of [3H]R1881 was strongly inhibited by unlabelled R1881, 5 alpha-androstane-3 alpha, 17 beta-diol and dihydrotestosterone, while 5 alpha-androstane-3 beta, 17 beta-diol, estradiol and estrone did not displace bound R1881. The addition of triamcinolone acetonide did not alter the binding of R1881 in extracts of either cell type or in the whole prostate. The binding of [3H]estradiol to the estrogen receptor was highly specific since a strong displacement was only observed with estradiol (83%).     

Effect of neonatal treatment with mifepristone or tamoxifen on the binding capacity of the thymic glucocorticoid or uterine estrogen receptor of adult rats: data on the mechanism of hormonal imprinting

For studying the mechanism of perinatal hormonal imprinting newborn rats were treated with a single injection of the antihormones, mifepristone (RU486) or tamoxifen (100 microg each). Glucocorticoid receptors of thymi of 6 weeks old male and female, and uterine estrogen receptors of 2 months old female rats were studied for dexamethasone or estradiol binding, respectively. Tamoxifen caused faulty imprinting both in the thymic and uterine receptors, increasing affinity and density of males, and decreasing females' glucocorticoid receptors as well, as decreasing the density of uterine estradiol receptors. Neonatal mifepristone treatment was indifferent to the thymus, and decreasing to density of uterine estrogen receptors. Males' body weight significantly decreased 6 weeks after tamoxifen treatment. The results suggest that imprinting can not be provoked by a molecule (hormone antagonist) which can bind to the receptor without any postreceptorial events (mifepristone/glucocorticoid receptor), in the presence of some postreceptorial effects the reaction takes place, however the strongest reaction can be observed by the hormone analogue (tamoxifen) with postreceptorial (agonist) effect, not considering that the receptor is the direct target of the molecule or a cross-reaction is present.     

Comparative effects of raloxifene, tamoxifen and estradiol on human osteoblasts in vitro: Estrogen receptor dependent or independent pathways of raloxifene

SERMs bind to both estrogen receptor (ER)α and β, resulting in tissue dependent estrogen agonist or antagonist responses. Both raloxifene and tamoxifen are most frequently used SERMs and exert estrogen agonistic effects on human bone tissues, but the details of their possible direct effects on human bone cells have remained largely unknown. In our present study, we examined the comparative effects of raloxifene, tamoxifen, and native estrogen, estradiol on human osteoblast cell line, hFOB in vitro. Both the cell numbers and the ratio of the cells in S phase fraction were significantly increased by the treatment of raloxifene or tamoxifen as well as estradiol treatments in hFOB. Gene profile patterns following treatment with raloxifene, tamoxifen, and estradiol demonstrated similar patterns in a microarray/hierarchal clustering analysis. We also examined the expression levels of these genes detected by this analysis using quantitative RT-PCR. MAF gene was induced by raloxifene treatment alone. GAS6 gene was induced by raloxifene and tamoxifen as well as estradiol. An estrogen receptor blocker, ICI 18, 286, inhibited an increase of GAS6 gene expression but not the levels of MAF gene mRNA expression. Results of our present study demonstrated that raloxifene exerted direct protective effects on human osteoblasts in both estrogen receptor dependent and independent manners.     

Single-label time-resolved luminescence assay for estrogen receptor--ligand binding

Homogeneous luminescence-based microplate assays are desirable in high-throughput screening of new nuclear receptor regulators. Time-resolved fluorescence resonance energy transfer (TR–FRET) assays provide high sensitivity due to low background signal. The TR–FRET concept requires labeling of both ligand and receptor, making the assay format and its development relatively expensive and complex compared with single-label methods. To overcome the limitations of the multilabel methods, we have developed a single-label method for estrogen receptor (ER)–ligand binding based on quenching resonance energy transfer (QRET), where estradiol labeled with luminescent europium(III) chelate (Eu–E₂) is quenched using soluble quencher molecules. The luminescence signal of Eu–E₂ on binding to full-length ER is protected from quenching while increasing competitor concentrations displace Eu–E₂ from the receptor, reducing the signal. The QRET method was paralleled with a commercial fluorescence polarization (FP) assay. The measured signal-to-background (S/B) values for estradiol, estrone, fulvestrant, and tamoxifen obtained for the QRET assay (5.8–9.2) were clearly higher than the S/B values for the FP assay (1.3–1.5). A K_d value of 30 nM was calculated for binding of Eu–E₂ to ER from a saturation binding isotherm. The QRET method provides an attractive new single-label assay format for nuclear receptor ligand screening.     

Accelerated dissociation of estrogen receptor--ligand complexes by estradiol. Evidence for negative cooperativity of binding

The rate of dissociation of 17β-[³H]estradiol that had been previously equilibrated to a low degree of saturation of immature rat uterine cytoplasmic estrogen receptor was shown to increase over 40-fold in the presence of additional ligand. This effect was specific for either labeled or unlabeled estradiol, was observed under conditions in which the rebinding of dissociated ligand was shown not to occur, was distinguishable from the activation of cytoplasmic receptor, and was dependent upon the degree of saturation of the receptor by ligand. It occurred under conditions in which the receptor population was apparently uniform and stable and utilized an assay method that is particularly sensitive to low concentrations of cytosol protein. Once saturation of the receptor attained 15% of the available ligand binding sites, further increases of the dissociation rate of receptor-ligand complex could not be produced by the inclusion of additional estradiol. It was shown that exchange of ligand molecules in given binding sites was unlikely. Rather, support was given to the hypothesis that interactions were occurring between separate binding sites in the receptor population. The decrease of the apparent affinity of receptor for ligand when the fractional saturation of receptor increases has been defined as negative cooperativity. It is proposed that this phenomenon may be significant in the regulation of the response of target cells to estrogens.     

Ultraviolet photosensitivity of the estrogen binding protein from rat uterus. Wavelength and ligand dependence. Photocovalent attachment of estrogens to proteins.

Ultraviolet irradiation of the estrogen binding protein in rat uterine cytosol results in a progressive photoinactivation which is rapid at 254 nm and slower at greater than 315 nm. Both unfilled and estradiol-filled sites are inactivated at approimately the same rates at 254 nm (t 1/2 equals 8 min and 11 min, respectively), but at 315 nm, empty sites are consumed much more rapidly (t 1/2 equals 3.4 hr) than filled ones (t 1/2 equals 24 hr). The protective effect of the estrogen ligand at this wavelength appears to depend on its binding to the estrogen-specific binding site, as inactivation rate studies at different concentrations of estrone, estradiol, and estriol show a good correlation between the extent of protection and the fractional saturation of the high affinity estrogen binding sites. Scatchard analysis indicates that inactivation is the result of a loss of binding sites and not a decrease in their affinity, and sedimentation analysis shows that increased heterogeneity and aggregation of the estrogen binding species accompanies the photoinactivation process. Photoinactivation appears to be the result of direct irradiative damage of the animo acid residues, as the inactivation rate is the same under air and nitrogen atmospheres, and is unaffected by nucleophiles, reductants, and radical scavengers. When photoinactivation is measureed by irradiation of cytosol containing [3-H]estradiol, a concurrent photocovalent attachment process is noted; the steroid becomes linked to protein in a solvent-extractable manner (boiling ethanol inextractable). This attachment, however, does not appear to be related to the steroid binding at the estrogen binding site. Its rate is affected by reductants and scavengers. A similar photocovalent attachment reaction occurs when bovine serum albumin or ovalbumin is irradiated in the presence of [3-H]estradiol or [3-H]diethylstilbestrol. The detailed reactions involved in this photocovalent attachment process have not been defined at present.     

The effect of ligand heterogeneity on the Scatchard plot. Particular relevance to lipoprotein binding analysis

Computer simulations of equilibrium binding studies of a mixture of two labeled ligands binding competitively to a single class of identical and independent sites (receptors) were performed to investigate how ligand heterogeneity affects the observed data in such studies. The simulated data are presented in Scatchard plots. Ligand heterogeneity was generally found to be indistinguishable from the case of a homogeneous ligand when usual experimental conditions applied (that is, Scatchard plots of the data were straight lines). Some factors that increased the probability of recognizing heterogeneity in the system were identified, however. These are 1) a large difference between the dissociation constants of the two ligands, 2) a high concentration of receptors relative to the dissociation constant of the higher-affinity ligand, 3) a high concentration of the lower-affinity ligand relative to that of the higher-affinity ligand, 4) a high specific activity of the lower-affinity ligand relative to that of the higher-affinity ligand, and 5) lack of experimental error. When ligand heterogeneity (under certain conditions) did cause curvilinearity in the Scatchard plot, the curve formed was always concave-downwards. Thus, ligand heterogeneity may occasionally mimic positive cooperativity, but never mimics negative cooperativity or multiple classes of binding sites. Implications of these findings for equilibrium binding studies involving lipoproteins (which are generally isolated as heterogeneous mixtures of particles) are discussed in detail. These findings are also relevant to equilibrium binding studies using ligands which are mixtures of stereoisomers or which contain chemical or radiochemical impurities.