title: In vivo and in vitro estimations of the direct effect of estrogen on rat hepatocytes tested by the changes in the unusual estrogen-binding protein content.
abstract: The direct effect of estradiol (E2) on the hepatocytes of mature male rats has been examined by measuring the changes in the unusual estrogen-binding protein (UEBP) content and parallel measuring the level of liver estrogen receptors (ER). The content of UEBP (NUEBP) and ER (NER) in the liver were determined using the quantitative methods for differential specific determination of the E2-binding sites of these proteins. It has been shown that the administration of E2 in vivo induced a considerable decrease in hepatic NUEBP not only in intact males, but also in hypophysectomized males during the initial period after the operation (when the content of hepatic ER was still high) and produced no effect in hypophysectomized males during the later period (when liver ER were depleted). Repeated administration of human growth hormone (hGH) (twice a day) resulted in a considerable increase in NER in hypophysectomized males and restored the sensitivity to the subsequent inhibitory effect of E2 on UEBP. We also used rat hepatocytes after a 4-day primary culturing. These cells had a stable morpho-functional status, high ER level, and sex-differentiated UEBP content. Culturing of mature male rat hepatocytes in the medium containing E2 at concentrations close to physiological levels (10(-10)-10(-7) M) decreased NUEBP in a dose-dependent manner. Hexestrol (10(-7) M) but not cholesterol (10(-5) M) also exhibited a direct effect on NUEBP in cultured rat hepatocytes. The effect of E2 was reversible: statistically significant increase in NUEBP was observed 3 days after 10(-9) M E2 had been removed from the culturing medium. It was concluded that hepatocytes may be a primary target for E2 under physiological conditions and that GH may modulate the direct effect of E2 at the hepatic level by modifying the content of liver ER.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Endocrinology, School of Biology, Moscow State University, U.S.S.R.
authors.forename: O V
authors.initials: OV
authors.lastname: Smirnova
authors.forename: T G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Vishnyakova
authors.forename: V B
authors.initials: VB
authors.lastname: Rozen
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Shnyra
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Bocharov
authors.forename: V G
authors.initials: VG
authors.lastname: Spirov
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000502:physiology; D008099:Liver / Q000032:analysis / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; C010140:estrophilin; D004958:Estradiol; D013006:Growth Hormone