A cyp19a1b‐gfp (aromatase B) transgenic zebrafish line that expresses GFP in radial glial cells

Aromatase is an enzyme that catalyzes the synthesis of estrogen in gonads and brain. Teleost fish express aromatase (AroB) strongly in the brain facilitating its detailed examination. To understand the function of AroB in the brain, we generated transgenic zebrafish that expresses green fluorescent protein (GFP) driven by the brain aromatase cyp19a1b promoter. GFP was found in the radial glial cells of transgenic larvae and adult fish that overlap with AroB immunoreactivity in the correct temporal and spatial pattern. GFP was also coexpressed with radial cell marker BLBP, but was not in neurons. In addition, GFP expression in the radial glial cells was stimulated by estrogen, same as endogenous AroB expression. Thus, this transgenic line faithfully mimics the regulation of AroB expression in radial glial cells. It provides a powerful tool to further characterize progenitor radial cells in adult and developing fish and to evaluate estrogenic activities of xenoestrogens and phytoestrogens. genesis 47:67–73, 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Activation of brain steroidogenesis and neurogenesis during the gonadal differentiation in protandrous black porgy,Acanthopagrus schlegelii

The early brain development, at the time of gonadal differentiation was investigated using a protandrous teleost, black porgy. This natural model of monosex juvenile fish avoids the potential complexity of sexual dimorphism. Brain neurogenesis was evaluated by histological analyses of the diencephalon, at the time of testicular differentiation (in fish between 90 and 150 days after hatching). Increases in the number of both Nissl‐stained total brain cells, and Pcna‐immunostained proliferative brain cells were observed in specific area of the diencephalon, such as ventromedialis thalami and posterior preoptic area, revealing brain cell proliferation. qPCR analyses showed significantly higher expression of the radial glial cell marker blbp and neuron marker bdnf. Strong immunohistochemical staining of Blbp and extended cellular projections were observed. A peak expression of aromatase (cyp19a1b), as well as an increase in estradiol (E₂) content were also detected in the early brain. These data demonstrate that during gonadal differentiation, the early brain exhibits increased E₂ synthesis, cell proliferation, and neurogenesis. To investigate the role of E₂ in early brain, undifferentiated fish were treated with E₂ or aromatase inhibitor (AI). E₂ treatment upregulated brain cyp19a1b and blbp expression, and enhanced brain cell proliferation. Conversely, AI reduced brain cell proliferation. Castration experiment did not influence the brain gene expression patterns and the brain cell number. Our data clearly support E₂ biosynthesis in the early brain, and that brain E₂ induces neurogenesis. These peak activity patterns in the early brain occur at the time of gonad differentiation but are independent of the gonads. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 76: 121–136, 2016     

Suppression of endogenous estrogen during development affects porcine epididymal sperm maturation

Estrogen plays an important role in male reproduction, critical for sustained fertility in some species. Reducing estrogen's interaction with its receptor(s) in monkey and mouse models is associated with reduced sperm motility and, in some cases, documented elimination of sperm fertilizing ability, suggesting that normal epididymal function may be estrogen dependent. The objective of these experiments was to evaluate the effects of reduced endogenous estrogen on development of epididymal function in the pig, a species in which males have very high levels of endogenous estrogen. Letrozole, a potent inhibitor of estrogen synthesis, was administered to neonatal boars from 1 week of age and markedly suppressed estrogen production. Epididymal function assessed as acquisition of sperm fertilizing ability (in vitro fertilization of zona-free oocytes) was reduced in Letrozole-treated animals at 24 and 28 weeks of age (23% and 30% fertilization, respectively compared with 37% and 54% in vehicle controls) but had recovered by 32 weeks of age. Cauda epididymal sperm numbers were reduced in treated animals (35% of control values at 20 weeks of age) but appeared to be recovering at 32 weeks of age. Reduction of endogenous estrogen had no effect on other aspects of epididymal function (percentage of motile sperm, sperm motion parameters, sperm head morphometrics, or ability of sperm to undergo an acrosome reaction). Reducing endogenous estrogen during postnatal development appears to have transient effects on porcine epididymal function. These transient effects suggest that the pig, with its high endogenous estrogen, may respond differently than other species to reduced estrogen synthesis.     

Managing Bone Health in Breast Cancer

ObjectiveOsteoporosis is a common condition that can be caused or exacerbated by estrogen deficiency.MethodsThis narrative review will discuss optimizing bone health in the setting of adjuvant endocrine treatments for hormone receptor–positive breast cancer and the current use of antiresorptive agents as adjuvant therapy and as bone modifying agents.ResultsAdjuvant endocrine treatments for hormone receptor–positive breast cancer (tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors) affect bone health. The exact effect depends on the agent used and the menopausal state of the woman. Antiresorptive medications for osteoporosis, bisphosphonates and denosumab, lower the risk of bone loss from aromatase inhibitors. Use of bisphosphonates as adjuvant treatment in breast cancer, regardless of hormone receptor status, is increasing because of benefits seen to cancer relapse and survival.ConclusionOptimizing bone health in women with breast cancer during and after cancer treatment is informed by an understanding of breast cancer treatment and its skeletal effect.     

绝经后女性CYP19基因Val80及OPG基因A163G多态性与骨密度的相关性研究

探讨细胞色素P450 19 (CYP19) 基因Val80多态性及护骨素(OPG) 基因A163G多态性与绝经后女性骨密度 (BMD) 的关系。随机选择居住在重庆的绝经后女性200例, 采用多聚酶链反应-限制性片段长度多态性法检测Val80及A163G多态性, 采用Norland公司XR-46系列双能X线骨密度仪测量股骨近端及腰椎BMD。 200名绝经后女性中Val80基因型GG、GA及AA的频率分别为19.5％、44.5％及36.0％; A163G基因型GG、GC 及CC的频率分别为: 13.0％, 42.0％及45.0％; 基因型频率分布均符合Hardy-Weinberg平衡 (P＞0.05)。协方差分析及多元逐步回归分析显示CYP19基因第3外显子Val80多态性与绝经后女性BMD无相关性 (P＞0.05)。除大转子外, A163G位点AG/GG/AG+GG基因型者股骨颈、Ward’s三角及腰椎BMD均较AA基因型者低, A163G基因型与股骨颈、Ward’s三角及腰椎BMD有相关性 (P＜0.05)。OPG基因启动子区A163G多态性分布存在明显的种族差异, 且与绝经后女性BMD有一定关联, AA型对BMD具有一定的保护作用, G等位基因是BMD降低的危险因素。     

The ferrous-oxy complex of human aromatase

In this communication, we document the self-assembly of heterologously expressed truncated human aromatase (CYP19) into nanometer scale phospholipids bilayers (Nanodiscs). The resulting P450 CYP19 preparation is stable and can tightly associate with the substrate androstenedione to form a nearly complete high-spin ferric protein. Ferrous CYP19 in Nanodiscs was mixed anaerobically in a rapid-scan stopped-flow with atmospheric dioxygen and the formation of the ferrous-oxy complex observed. First order decay of the oxy-complex to release superoxide and regenerate the ferric enzyme was monitored kinetically. Surprisingly, the ferrous-oxy complex of aromatase is more stable than that of hepatic CYP3A4, opening the path to precisely determine the biochemical and biophysical properties of the reaction cycle intermediates in this important human drug target.     

Expression level of enzymes related to in situ estrogen synthesis and clinicopathological parameters in breast cancer patients

In order to evaluate the importance of estrogen production in tumor and surrounding tissues, we measured mRNA expression levels of 5 enzymes participating to estrogen synthesis in situ and 4 breast cancer-related proteins in 27 pairs of tumor and non-malignant tissues. Steroid sulfatase (STS) mRNA was more frequently detected in tumor tissues rather than in their non-malignant counterparts. Estrogen sulfotransferase (EST) was constantly expressed with high level not only in tumor tissues but also in their surrounding non-malignant counterparts. In contrast, mRNA expression levels of aromatase, and 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type I and II were relatively low and detected only in small proportion of the patients. We also measured the mRNA expression levels of the same nine genes in tumor tissues of 197 breast cancer patients, and analyzed relationship between the mRNA expression level and the clinicopathological parameters. The mRNA expression levels of STS, aromatase and erbB2 in tumor tissues increased as breast cancer progressed. The tumoral mRNA expression levels of STS, estrogen receptor β, and erbB2 in patients with recurrence were higher than those in patients without recurrence. Upregulation of STS expression plays an important role in tumor progression of human breast cancer and is considered to be responsible for estrogen production in tumor and surrounding tissues.     

Aromatase inhibition abolishes courtship behaviours in the ring dove (Streptopelia risoria) and reduces androgen and progesterone receptors in the hypothalamus and anterior pituitary gland

The aim of this study was to determine in the ring dove, the effects of aromatase inhibition on the expression of aggressive courtship and nest-soliciting behaviours in relation to the distribution of cells containing immunoreactive androgen (AR) and progesterone (PR) receptor in the hypothalamus and pituitary gland. Isolated sexually experienced ring doves were transferred in opposite sex pairs to individual breeding cages, and then injected with the aromatase inhibitor, fadrozole (four males and four females), or saline vehicle (four males and four females) for 3 days at 12 hourly intervals. Saline-injected control males displayed aggressive courtship behaviours (bow-cooing and hop-charging) and nest-soliciting throughout the study, and control females displayed nest-soliciting. By day 3, fadrozole treatment resulted in the disappearance of all these behaviours and in a decrease or disappearance of AR and PR in the anterior pituitary gland, and in the nucleus preopticus paraventricularis magnocellularis (PPM), nucleus preopticus medialis (POM), nucleus hypothalami lateralis posterioris (PLH), and ventral, lateral and dorsal nucleus tuberalis in the hypothalamus (VTu, LTu, DTu). In the nucleus preopticus anterior (POA), fadrozole treatment decreased AR in both sexes and decreased PR in females but not in males. Cells containing co-localized nuclear AR and PR were found in all hypothalamic areas examined, and in the anterior pituitary gland. Fadrozole is suggested to reduce the local availability of estrogen required indirectly for the induction of AR, and except in cells containing PR in the male POA, for the direct induction of PR. It is suggested that aggressive courtship behaviour is terminated by “cross talk” between aromatase-independent PR and aromatase-dependent AR co-localized in neurons in the POA. Aromatase-independent PR may increase in the male POA in response to visual cues provided by a partner. Aromatase-dependent PR in the POM, and basal hypothalamus may play a role in the facilitatory effect of progesterone on estrogen-induced nest-orientated behaviours. (Mol Cell Biochem 276: 193–204, 2005)     

Phytosterol feeding induces alteration in testosterone metabolism in rat tissues

The objective of the present study was to examine the metabolism of testosterone in rat tissues as influenced by dietary phytosterols. Testosterone metabolism includes reductions to more active metabolites or aromatization to estrogen. Both higher levels of androgens and estrogens are implicated as risk factors in the development of prostate cancer. Tissues studied included liver, testis, and prostate. Feeding 2% phytosterols with 0.2% cholic acid to rats for 22 days resulted in a 33% reduction in serum testosterone compared with controls, which received only 0.2% cholic acid in the diet. 5-α-Reductase was reduced by 41 to 44% and 33% in the liver and prostate, respectively. No effect of phytosterols was observed in the testis. Only aromatase activity of the prostate was reduced by 55% upon feeding phytosterols. It was concluded that dietary phytosterols may reduce the risk of prostate cancer by lowering the activities of the enzymes of testosterone metabolism.