The Effects of Diethylstilbestrol on Embryonic Development

Estrogen plays a key role in the regulation [5] of gene transcription. This is accomplished by its ability to act as a ligand and to bind to specific estrogen receptor [6] (ER) molecules, such as ER? and ER?, which act as nuclear transcription factors. There are three major nuclear estrogen receptor [6] protein domains: the estrogen [7] binding domain, the protein interaction domain, and the DNA binding domain. The domain responsible for the regulation [5] of transcription is the DNA binding domain, which binds to DNA sequences called estrogen [7]responsive elements (EREs), found in enhancer regions of specific genes [8]. By the binding of estrogen [7] or an estrogen [7] mimic to these enhancers, the target genes [8] become activated and the proteins produced are involved in numerous cellular processes. With an estrogen [7] mimic or xenoestrogen [9], such as diethylstilbestrol (DES), the negative regulation [5] of certain genes [8] during embryonic development can be devastating to the developing anatomy, especially the reproductive system.