癌基因MDM2对雌激素受体转录活性的调节作用

目的:检测MDM2基因对雌激素受体α和β(ERα和ERβ)是否具有转录活性调节作用。方法:用PCR方法从乳腺文库中扩增MDM2序列,并将其以正确相位与pcDNA3-FLAG载体中的FLAG序列融合,构建成重组质粒pcDNA3-FLAG-MDM2;以含雌激素反应元件的荧光素酶(ERE-LUC)为报告基因,通过检测荧光素酶活性来确定MDM2是否对ER有转录调节因子的作用。结果:克隆和表达了MDM2基因;MDM2只对ERα具有转录活性调节作用。结论:MDM2对ER转录活性的调节具有亚型特异性。     

雌激素受体β转录激活系统的构建

目的：构建雌激素受体β（ERβ）的转录激活系统。方法：以pcDNA3-ERβ质粒为模板,利用PCR技术扩增ERβ全长及转录激活结构域1（AF1）、DNA结合结构域（DBD）、转录激活结构域2（AF2）等不同长度的基因片段,分别插入pGAL载体中,构建重组质粒,转染293T细胞,利用免疫杂交方法鉴定其表达情况,用萤光素酶报告基因（Gal4-LUC）检测转录活性。结果：构建了ERβ全长及不同功能区片段编码基因的重组质粒,转染293T细胞后检测到相应蛋白的表达;在活性实验中,雌激素（E2）诱导下pGAL-ERβ使Gal4-LUC活性升高约17倍,pGAL-ERβAF1在有无E2诱导下均能使Gal4-LUC活性升高2倍,pGAL-ERβAF2在E2诱导下使Gal4-LUC活性升高约7倍,pGAL-ERβDBD对Gal4-LUC活性没有明显作用。结论：ERβ的转录激活系统构建成功。     

PESl蛋白与雄激素受体的相互作用及定位

目的：研究PES1蛋白与雄激素受体（An）之间的相互作用。方法：利用免疫共沉淀实验检测PES1蛋白与AR之间的相互作用,并进行相互作用定位;利用Western印迹研究PESl对乳腺癌细胞内AR表达水平的影响。结果：免疫共沉淀实验显示PES1蛋白与AR存在相互作用;PES1蛋白的1—110、111-220、221-320和311-588氨基酸残基（aa）区域均能与AR结合,415～588aa不能结合AR;AR的651-918aa区域与PESl结合。PESl不能调节乳腺癌细胞AR的表达水平。结论：PES1多个区域均能与AR相互作用,并且主要结合在AR的转录激活结构域2,为进一步探讨PES1对AR功能的调节奠定了基础。     

PES1蛋白与雄激素受体的相互作用及定位

目的:研究PES1蛋白与雄激素受体(AR)之间的相互作用。方法:利用免疫共沉淀实验检测PES1蛋白与AR之间的相互作用,并进行相互作用定位;利用Western印迹研究PES1对乳腺癌细胞内AR表达水平的影响。结果:免疫共沉淀实验显示PES1蛋白与AR存在相互作用;PES1蛋白的1~110、111~220、221~320和311~588氨基酸残基(aa)区域均能与AR结合,415~588 aa不能结合AR;AR的651~918 aa区域与PES1结合。PES1不能调节乳腺癌细胞AR的表达水平。结论:PES1多个区域均能与AR相互作用,并且主要结合在AR的转录激活结构域2,为进一步探讨PES1对AR功能的调节奠定了基础。     

雌激素受体α真核表达载体的构建及其转录活性

目的：构建雌激素受体α（ERα）高效真核表达载体,并检测其转录活性。方法：用常规PCR方法特异扩增带有Flag标签的人ERα全长编码序列,经双酶切后将其克隆到真核表达载体pIRESpuro2中,构建重组质粒pIRESpuro2-Flag-ERα;用Westernblot鉴定该重组质粒介导的Flag-ERα在人胚肾细胞株293T中的表达情况;用含雌激素应答元件的报告基因系统检测ERα的转录活性。结果：构建了pIRESpuro2-Flag-ERα重组质粒,该质粒介导的融合蛋白在293T细胞中得到表达,并可以激活含雌激素应答元件的报告基因的活性。结论：ERα高效真核表达载体的构建为进一步研究ERα在乳腺癌中的作用奠定了基础。     

雌激素受体β共调节因子的研究进展

雌激素受体(ER)包括α和β等2种,均为核受体。ERβ在乳腺癌预后和激素治疗耐受中有重要意义,其活性受与之相互作用的共调节因子的影响。这些共调节因子有的能与2种ER发生作用,有的只能特异地作用于其中一种。本文简要综述了与ERβ相互作用的共调节因子的相关研究进展。     

CUEDC2与雌激素受体β相互作用并抑制其转录活性

目的：探索未知功能蛋白CUEDC2对雌激素受体（ER）β转录活性的调控,为进一步阐明CUEDC2在乳腺癌发生发展中的作用提供线索。方法：运用双荧光报告系统检测雌激素受体的转录激活活性,运用GST pull-down技术检测CUEDC2与ERβ的相互作用,同时外源过表达CUEDC2及ERβ,通过Western印迹检测CUEDC2对ERβ表达水平的影响。结果与结论：CUEDC2能够与ERβ相互作用并抑制ERβ的转录活性,但其对ERβ的表达水平没有影响。     

雌激素受体信号通路新进展

雌激素通过直接与两类核内雌激素受体ERα和ERβ结合,活化靶基因的转录,这是经典的雌激素受体信号转导途径。近来发现,雌激素受体还能够通过依赖或不依赖雌激素的方式与胞内一些信号通路对话,使自身被磷酸化而活化;雌激素受体还能与其它转录因子相互作用,调节自身或者其它转录因子的活化功能,参与ER阳性细胞的增殖调节。此外,雌激素能通过细胞膜上的雌激素受体进行信号转导,引起靶细胞的快速反应及活化靶基因转录,参与骨和心血管保护。     

雌激素受体与Ⅰ型胶原蛋白存在相互作用

目的:利用酵母双杂交技术筛选与雌激素受体(ER)αAF1转录激活结构域相互作用的蛋白,为乳腺癌发生、发展机制的研究奠定基础。方法:将编码ERαAF1的cDNA片段克隆到诱饵蛋白载体pGBKT7中,以构建的pGBKT7-ERα-AF1为表达靶蛋白的质粒,筛选人乳腺文库。将筛选到的含Ⅰ型胶原基因的质粒与表达ERα和ERβ不同结构域的质粒共转化酵母细胞,验证Ⅰ型胶原与ERαAF1作用的特异性。结果:经酶切鉴定,证实重组质粒pGBKT7-ERα-AF1含有目的基因片段;Western印迹证实ERαAF1在酵母中获得表达;酵母双杂交筛选得到与ERαAF1相互作用的Ⅰ型胶原蛋白。酵母细胞共转化实验证实,Ⅰ型胶原蛋白与ERα和ERβ的AF1结合,但与ERβ的DBD、AF2不结合。结论:Ⅰ型胶原与ERα和ERβ的AF1及ERβ的DBD存在相互作用。     

雌激素受体β与乳腺癌

雌激素受体β(ERβ)与雌激素受体α(ERα)的结构相似,是一类配体调节的转录因子,属于核受体超家族,分布于乳腺等多种组织中,具有重要的生理病理学意义。本文简要综述雌激素受体β的基因结构、剪接变体、转录调节机制及其在乳腺癌发生发展、治疗预后和抗雌激素耐受中的意义。     

Fatty acids derived from royal jelly are modulators of estrogen receptor functions

Royal jelly (RJ) excreted by honeybees and used as a nutritional and medicinal agent has estrogen-like effects, yet the compounds mediating these effects remain unidentified. The possible effects of three RJ fatty acids (FAs) (10-hydroxy-2-decenoic-10H2DA, 3,10-dihydroxydecanoic-3,10DDA, sebacic acid-SA) on estrogen signaling was investigated in various cellular systems. In MCF-7 cells, FAs, in absence of estradiol (E(2)), modulated the estrogen receptor (ER) recruitment to the pS2 promoter and pS2 mRNA levels via only ERβ but not ERα, while in presence of E(2) FAs modulated both ERβ and ERα. Moreover, in presence of FAs, the E(2)-induced recruitment of the EAB1 co-activator peptide to ERα is masked and the E(2)-induced estrogen response element (ERE)-mediated transactivation is inhibited. In HeLa cells, in absence of E(2), FAs inhibited the ERE-mediated transactivation by ERβ but not ERα, while in presence of E(2), FAs inhibited ERE-activity by both ERβ and ERα. Molecular modeling revealed favorable binding of FAs to ERα at the co-activator-binding site, while binding assays showed that FAs did not bind to the ligand-binding pocket of ERα or ERβ. In KS483 osteoblasts, FAs, like E(2), induced mineralization via an ER-dependent way. Our data propose a possible molecular mechanism for the estrogenic activities of RJ's components which, although structurally entirely different from E(2), mediate estrogen signaling, at least in part, by modulating the recruitment of ERα, ERβ and co-activators to target genes.     

Leptin regulates estrogen receptor gene expression in ATDC5 cells through the extracellular signal regulated kinase signaling pathway

Both estrogen and leptin play an important role in the regulation of physiological processes of endochondral bone formation in linear growth. Estrogen receptors (ERα and ERβ) are known as members of the superfamily of nuclear steroid hormone receptors and are detected in all zones of growth plate chondrocytes. They can be regulated in a ligand-independent manner. Whether leptin regulates ERs in the growth plate is still not clear. To explore this issue, chondrogenic ATDC5 cells were used in the present study. Messenger RNA and protein analyses were performed by quantitative PCR and Western blotting. We found that both ERα and ERβ were dynamically expressed during the ATDC5 cell differentiation for 21 days. Leptin (50 ng/ml) significantly upregulated ERα and ERβ mRNA and protein levels 48 h after leptin stimulation (P<0.05) at day 14. The up-regulation of ERα and ERβ mRNA by leptin was shown in a dose-dependent manner, but the most effective dose of leptin was different (100 and 1,000 ng/ml, respectively). Furthermore, we confirmed that leptin augmented the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 in a time-dependent manner. A maximum eightfold change was observed at 15 min. Finally, a specific ERK1/2 inhibitor, UO126, blocked leptin-induced ERs regulation in ATDC5 cells, indicating that ERK1/2 mediates, partly, the effects of leptin on ERs. These data demonstrate, for the first time, that leptin regulates the expression of ERs in growth plate chondrocytes via ERK signaling pathway, thereby suggesting a crosstalk between leptin and estrogen receptors in the regulation of bone formation.     

Human sperm physiology: estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) and estrogen receptor beta (ERβ) influence sperm metabolism and may be involved in the pathophysiology of varicocele-associated male infertility

The mechanisms by which varicocele affects fertility remain undetermined. Estrogens play a key role in the human male reproduction and human sperm expresses the estrogen receptors (ERs) and aromatase. In this study, by Western blotting we evidenced the ERs content concomitantly in healthy sperm and in oligoastenoteratozoospermic (OAT) samples without and with varicocele. In varicocele a strong reduction of the ERβ was observed, while the ERα was almost absent. Besides, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) confirmed the reduction of ERs expression in "varicocele" sperm, indicating that varicocele has a detrimental effect on sperm structure at molecular level. To further define the estrogen significance in male gamete and the pathophysiology of varicocele we investigated both the expression of ERα and ERβ in normal and pathologic sperm samples as well as we evaluated estradiol (E2) action on lipid and glucose sperm metabolism. Responses to E2 treatments on cholesterol efflux, protein tyrosine phosphorylations, motility, and acrosin activity in varicocele sperm were reduced or absent. The evaluation of the triglycerides content, lipase and acyl-CoA dehydrogenase activities, suggest that E2 exerts a lipolytic effect on human sperm metabolism. Concerning glucose metabolism, it appears that E2 induces G6PDH activity concomitantly to the insulin secretion. In "varicocele" sperm, the E2 did not induce energy expenditure. OAT sperm had E2-responsiveness but in a lesser extent with respect healthy sperm. This study discovered a novel role for E2/ERs in human sperm physiology, since they modulate sperm metabolism and new detrimental effects related to the pathophysiology of the varicocele condition.     

雌激素受体β潜在磷酸化位点突变体的构建及其活性测定

目的：构建雌激素受体（ER）β潜在磷酸化位点突变体,并在人胚肾细胞293T中检测其对ERβ下游基因转录的影响。方法：通过ERα和ERβ序列同源性比对,寻找ERβ的潜在磷酸化位点;以pcDNA3-ERβ-FLAG为模板,通过重组PCR,将ERβ264位、469位Ser编码基因突变为Ala编码基因,将突变片段连接到同样双酶切的pcDNA3-FLAG载体中,Western blot检测其表达;将重组质粒转入293T细胞中,检测突变体对含雌激素应答元件（ERE）的报告基因转录活性的影响。结果：ERα和ERβ序列同源性比对发现ERβ的264位Ser和469位Ser可能是其潜在的磷酸化位点;构建了ERβ264位和469位2个点突变体载体pcDNA3-FLAG-ERβ（S264A）和pcDNA3-FLAG-ERβ（S469A）,Western blot可检测到ERβ突变体融合蛋白在293T细胞中表达。萤光素酶活性检测表明,在没有雌激素刺激的情况下,2个突变体的活性较野生型没有变化;加入雌激素后,突变体的活性较野生型略有升高。结论：ERβ的264位和469位Ser位点的磷酸化可能不是ERβ调节下游基因转录所必需的,活性升高可能是由于ERβ构象变化造成的。