This study investigated the effect of sex hormones on mustard oil (MO)-induced visceral hypersensitivity in female rats and analyzed possible involved signaling pathways. Female rats, either intact or ovariectomized (OVX), were prepared for abdominal muscle electromyography in response to colorectal distension after intracolonic instillation of MO. The effect of MO intracolonic sensitization wa...

By means of reverse transcription-PCR we have identified an alternatively spliced mRNA coding for a variant estrogen receptor (ER) that lacks exon 4 (ERDelta4) and is coexpressed with the wild-type ER mRNA in ovarian carcinomas. Furthermore, Western blot analysis revealed the expression of the ERDelta4 protein in normal as well as neoplastic ovarian tissues along with the wild-type ER, although...

We have examined the regulation of a rat T-kininogen gene by glucocorticoid and estrogen. Expression of the endogenous gene in a rat hepatoma cell line is increased 5-fold and 2-fold in response to dexamethasone and 17 beta-estradiol-3-benzoate, respectively. Various deletion constructs of the 5' region of an isolated T-kininogen gene were fused to a chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene...

Methoxychlor (MXC) is a pesticide that has adverse effects on reproductive capability in mice. MXC and its metabolites bind the estrogen receptor and function as endocrine disruptors. MXC diminishes the uterine decidual cell response, necessary for the support of pregnancy. Hoxa10 is an estrogen-regulated gene that is an essential mediator of the decidual response and necessary for pregnancy. H...

Although the antiestrogen tamoxifen has been the mainstay of therapy for estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer, successful treatment of responsive tumors is often followed by the acquisition of tamoxifen resistance. Subsequently, only 30-40% of patients have a positive response to second hormonal therapies. This lack of response might be explained by mechanisms for tamoxifen resistance ...

Novel estrogenic therapies are needed that ameliorate menopausal symptoms and have the bone-sparing effects of endogenous estrogens but do not promote breast or uterine cancer. Recent evidence suggests that selective activation of the estrogen receptor (ER)-beta subtype inhibits breast cancer cell proliferation. To establish whether ERbeta-selective ligands represent a viable approach to improv...

Estrogen-responsive endometrial cancer (EC) is prevalent in uterine cancer. Its precise molecular mechanisms remain to be elucidated partly because of limited availability estrogen-sensitive EC models recapitulating clinical pathophysiology. We previously established patient-derived cell (EC-PDC) spheroid culture with high expression estrogen receptor α (ERα). Using this EC-PDC, we study the tr...

Aquaporin 5 (AQP5) participates in the migration of endometrial cells. Elucidation of the molecular mechanisms associated with AQP5-mediated, migration of endometrial cells may contribute to a better understanding of endometriosis. Our objectives included identifying the estrogen-response element (ERE) in the promoter region of the AQP5 gene, and, investigating the effects of AQP5 on ectopic im...

We have recently identified the hADA3 protein, the human homologue of yeast transcriptional coactivator yADA3, as a novel HPV16 E6 target. Using ectopic expression approaches, we further demonstrated that hADA3 directly binds to the 9-cis retinoic acid receptors alpha and beta, and functions as a coactivator for retinoid receptor-mediated transcriptional activation. Here, we examined the role o...

The effects of cadmium on estrogen receptor and other estrogen-regulated genes in the human breast cancer cell line MCF-7 were studied. Treatment of MCF-7 cells with 1 microM cadmium decreased the level of estrogen receptor 58%. Cadmium induced a parallel decrease in estrogen receptor mRNA (62%). Progesterone receptor levels increased 3.2-fold after cadmium treatment. This induction was blocked...