Factors associated with estrogen receptors-alpha (ER-alpha) and -beta (ER-beta) and progesterone receptor abundance in obese and non obese pre- and post-menopausal women.
There is scarce information about the factors associated with estrogen receptors (ER) at menopause. In 113 volunteers pre- and post-menopausal healthy women, grouped as with and without obesity, estrogen receptors-alpha and -beta, and progesterone receptor (PR) were measured by immunohistochemistry in skin punch biopsies obtained from the external gluteal area. In pre-menopausal women, biopsies and a blood sample were performed between days 7 and 14 of the cycle. Serum hormone levels were measured by immunoradiometric assay or radioimmunoassay. After menopause, ER and PR amounts decreased significantly. At pre-menopause, obese women had lower PR levels than non obese (P<.006). In the post-menopausal group, obese women showed higher ER-alpha (P<.03) and ER-beta (P<.02) levels than the non obese group. In the analysis of factors associated with the amount of steroid receptors for the total group, log[ER-alpha], log[ER-beta], and log[PR] were associated with age (P<.002, <.005, and <.004, respectively). The log[ER-alpha] was also associated with log[FSH] (P<.0008); meanwhile, the log[PR] showed a marginal correlation with log[FSH]. In pre-menopausal women no factor associated with any of the three receptors was found. In post-menopausal women log[ER-alpha] was associated with log[estrone] and log[DHEAS] (P<.003 and <.02, respectively). log[PR] was associated with BMI (P<.002), years since menopause (P<.05), and log[DHEAS] (P<.003). We concluded that ER and PR diminish sharply at post-menopause. At this stage the amount of receptors depends on several factors such as BMI, years since menopause, and androgen precursors.
Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas, Universidad de Guanajuato, 20 de Enero 929, León Gto., Mexico.
Dalia Edith
DE
Meza-Muñoz
Martha E
ME
Fajardo
Elva Leticia
EL
Pérez-Luque
Juan Manuel
JM
Malacara
D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D017697:Premenopause / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism
D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone