title: Levormeloxifene inhibits vaginal tropoelastin and transforming growth factor beta 1 production.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To measure the effects of levormeloxifene on vaginal smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation, tropoelastin and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 production.
  
  
  METHODS
  Primary SMC cultures were performed from vaginal wall biopsies. SMC were incubated with levormeloxifene (0.1 µM, 1 µM), in 96-well plates and cell proliferation was assessed by 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl tetrazoliumbromide (MTT) assay at 24 hours. Tropoelastin production was measured by the Fastin Assay kit and TGF-β1 levels were assessed by ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SMC proliferation was significantly increased by levormeloxifene [relative cell number, mean ± SE, levormeloxifene 0.1 µM 130 ± 13% of control (P=NS), 1 µM 151 ± 19% of control (P<0.05)]. Tropoelastin production was significantly decreased by levormeloxifene [mean ± SE, levormeloxifene 0.1 µM 75 ± 4% of control (P=NS), 1 µM 64 ± 2% of control (P<0.05)]. In addition, TGF-β1 production was significantly decreased [mean ± SE, levormeloxifene 0.1 µM 79 ± 11% of control (P=NS), 1 µM 72 ± 14% of control (P<0.05)].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Levormeloxifene increases vaginal SMC proliferation, inhibits tropoelastin and TGF- β1 production.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33010, USA. ptakacs@med.miami.edu
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Takacs
authors.forename: Sujata
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yavagal
authors.forename: Yanping
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Candiotti
authors.forename: Caros A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Medina
mesh_terms: D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D004549:Elastin / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000378:metabolism; D011759:Pyrrolidines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020845:Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators / Q000494:pharmacology*; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014333:Tropoelastin / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014621:Vagina / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D011759:Pyrrolidines; D020845:Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D014333:Tropoelastin; D004549:Elastin; C108255:levormeloxifene