title: Antiestrogens: mechanisms and actions in target cells.
abstract: Antiestrogens, acting via the estrogen receptor (ER) evoke conformational changes in the ER and inhibit the effects of estrogens as well as exerting anti-growth factor activities. Although the binding of estrogens and antiestrogens is mutually competitive, studies with ER mutants indicate that some of the contact sites of estrogens and antiestrogens are likely different. Some mutations in the hormone-binding domain of the ER and deletions of C-terminal regions result in ligand discrimination mutants, i.e. receptors that are differentially altered in their ability to bind and/or mediate the actions of estrogens vs antiestrogens. Studies in a variety of cell lines and with different promoters indicate marked cell context- and promoter-dependence in the actions of antiestrogens and variant ERs. In several cell systems, estrogens and protein kinase activators such as cAMP synergize to enhance the transcriptional activity of the ER in a promoter-specific manner. In addition, cAMP changes the agonist/antagonist balance of tamoxifen-like antiestrogens, increasing their agonistic activity and reducing their efficacy in reversing estrogen actions. Estrogens, and antiestrogens to a lesser extent, as well as protein kinase activators and growth factors increase phosphorylation of the ER and/or proteins involved in the ER-specific response pathway. These changes in phosphorylation alter the biological effectiveness of the ER. Multiple interactions among different cellular signal transduction systems are involved in the regulation of cell proliferation and gene expression by estrogens and antiestrogens.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Illinois, Urbana 61801, USA.
authors.forename: B S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Katzenellenbogen
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Montano
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Le Goff
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Schodin
authors.forename: W L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Kraus
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bhardwaj
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fujimoto
mesh_terms: D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000502:physiology; D004958:Estradiol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D004965:Estrogen Antagonists / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008024:Ligands; D010766:Phosphorylation; D053284:Polyunsaturated Alkamides; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000494:pharmacology; D015533:Transcriptional Activation
chemical_list: D004965:Estrogen Antagonists; D008024:Ligands; D053284:Polyunsaturated Alkamides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D013629:Tamoxifen; D004958:Estradiol; C051781:ICI 164384; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D011494:Protein Kinases