title: 17Beta-estradiol up-regulates vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 expression in human myometrial microvascular endothelial cells: role of estrogen receptor-alpha and -beta.
abstract: Estrogen has a cardiovascular protective role in women due in part to its effect on the vasculature. The roles of the two estrogen receptors (ERs), ERalpha and ERbeta, in the vascular actions of estrogen are unclear, as are effects of estrogen on microvascular endothelial cells (MEC) derived from sex steroid-responsive tissues. The present study demonstrates that 17beta-estradiol, but not progesterone, increases vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor (VEGFR) expression on human myometrial MEC measured using biotin-recombinant human (rh) VEGF(165) and flow cytometry. This response occurred in a time- and dose-dependent manner, with significantly increased rhVEGF(165) binding at 3 h and maximal responses between 0.1 and 10 nmol/liter 17beta-estradiol, which was blocked by the antiestrogen ICI 182,780. Approximately 60% of samples demonstrated this response to 17beta-estradiol. All samples of myometrial MEC expressed both ERbeta mRNA and protein demonstrated by semiquantitative RT-PCR and Western blotting. However, ERalpha mRNA and protein were expressed in only 13 of 21 MEC samples. There was a significant association between ERalpha expression in myometrial MEC and their ability to respond to 17beta-estradiol by increasing rhVEGF(165) binding. 17beta-estradiol increased VEGFR-2 expression in ERalpha-expressing MEC isolates, which also demonstrated increased rhVEGF(165) binding, but failed to have these effects on ERalpha negative samples. Similarly, 17beta-estradiol augmented VEGF-induced MEC proliferation in ERalpha-expressing MEC samples, which was blocked by ICI 182,780. These observations suggest that 17beta-estradiol increases VEGFR-2 expression on human myometrial MEC promoting endothelial cell proliferation, an effect that varies between subjects and appears to be mediated primarily by ERalpha.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Women's Health Research, Monash University Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash Medical Centre, Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia. caroline.gargett@med.monash.edu.au
authors.forename: Caroline E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Gargett
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zaitseva
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bucak
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Fuller
authors.forename: Peter A W
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Rogers
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D009215:Myometrium / Q000098:blood supply*; D010060:Ovulation; D011374:Progesterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics*; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000502:physiology*; D017978:Receptors, Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics*; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
chemical_list: D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta; D008222:Lymphokines; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D017978:Receptors, Growth Factor; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor