title: Hepatic cytosolic oestrogen receptors in patients with liver disease.
abstract: Patients with liver disease present many of the features of 'feminized' hepatic metabolism. Oestrogens exert their effects through interaction with specific cellular high-affinity receptors (ER). We measured hepatic ER in 102 needle biopsies from patients with chronic alcoholic and non-alcoholic liver disease using an enzyme immunoassay. Fifteen patients with no or minimal changes in liver histology served as controls. The hepatic ER concentrations were significantly (P = 0.05) lower in the 44 men (median 13 fmol mg-1 protein, interquartile range 7-17 fmol mg-1 protein) compared to the 58 women (median 15 fmol mg-1 protein, interquartile range 10-21 fmol mg-1 protein). Patients with alcoholic liver disease (n = 63) had significantly (P < 0.05) lower ER concentrations than controls (n = 15) (median 13 fmol mg-1 protein, interquartile range 7-17 fmol mg-1 protein vs. median 16 fmol mg-1 protein, interquartile range 10-26 fmol mg-1 protein), and compared with patients with non-alcoholic liver disease (n = 24) (P < 0.05, median 20 fmol mg-1 protein, interquartile range 11-24 fmol mg-1 protein). ER concentrations were significantly lower (P < 0.05) in patients with alcoholic liver disease and alcoholic hepatitis (n = 21) compared to those without alcoholic hepatitis (n = 42) (medians 10 vs. 14 fmol mg-1 protein, interquartile ranges 6-15 fmol mg-1 protein vs. 9-18 fmol mg-1 protein), while ER concentrations did not differ significantly (P > 0.05) between actively drinking (median 13 fmol mg-1 protein, interquartile range 7-17 fmol mg-1 protein) and abstaining alcoholic patients (median 13 fmol mg-1 protein. interquartile range 7-18 fmol mg-1 protein). In summary, the small but significant variation in hepatic ER concentrations reflects variation in liver function rather than an effect of ethanol.
authors.affiliation: Medical Department, Hvidovre Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Poulsen
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Horn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003600:Cytosol / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000378:metabolism*; D008108:Liver Diseases, Alcoholic / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D012727:Sex Characteristics
chemical_list: D011960:Receptors, Estrogen