Effect of estrogen on gene expression of fatty acid synthase in periosteum.
BACKGROUND
Estrogen deficiency contributes to postmenopausal osteoporosis. Periosteum might be a potential target of estrogen, but the underlying mechanism at gene level is far from being elucidated. The objective of this study was to investigate the correlation between estrogen and fatty acid synthase (FAS) expression in periosteum.


METHODS
Human periosteum cells were cultured in vitro. Expressed genes in the substrated cDNA library were verified using semi-quantitative PCR and real-time PCR. The expression of FAS in periosteum of ovarectomized (OVX) SD rats was investigated.


RESULTS
FAS gene was most significantly expressed in the subtracted cDNA library of periosteal cells screened by semi-quantitative PCR. Low FAS expression was verified by real-time PCR in the estrogen exposed human periosteum rather than in the control. The estradiol levels were (20.81 +/- 12.62) pg/ml, (19.64 +/- 4.35) pg/ml and (13.47 +/- 1.84) pg/ml in the sham group, the control, and the OVX group, respectively. The estradiol levels in the OVX group was significantly lower (P = 0.0386). The FAS gene expression in periosteum in the OVX group, sham group, and control group was 3.09 +/- 1.97, 1.33 +/- 0.47 and 1.51 +/- 1.32, respectively. The gene expression in the OVX group was significantly higher (P = 0.0372).


CONCLUSIONS
Estrogen modulates FAS gene expression in in vitro human perisoteum as well as in in vivo rat periosteum.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China.
Rui-min
RM
Zheng
Shou-qing
SQ
Lin
Yong
Y
Liu
Man-ting
MT
Huang
Wei-yan
WY
Gong
Zhi-hong
ZH
Wu
D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000502:physiology; D064429:Fatty Acid Synthases / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D010052:Ovariectomy; D010521:Periosteum / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D004958:Estradiol; D064429:Fatty Acid Synthases