Rapid extranuclear signaling by the estrogen receptor (ER): MNAR couples ER and Src to the MAP kinase signaling pathway

In addition to their well-studied ability to transactivate the expression of many genes, estrogen receptors (ERs) also effect cytoplasmic changes occurring too quickly to be accounted for by gene expression. Indeed, these immediate, "nongenomic" effects have been intensely studied, but the identification of important protein partners in quick ER-mediated signaling has lagged behind. Now, Wong et al. have identified MNAR (modulator of nongenomic activity of estrogen receptor) as an adaptor protein that allows the ER to bridge the signaling pathways of tyrosine kinases (i.e., Src) and the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade. The MNAR-ER complex also appears to positively influence ER-mediated gene expression.