Ciliated epithelial-specific and regional-specific expression and regulation of the estrogen receptor-beta2 in the fallopian tubes of immature rats: a possible mechanism for estrogen-mediated transport process in vivo
Journal article, 2007

Several ERbeta isoforms have been identified in human and rodent tissues, but it is unclear whether each isoform has distinctly different cellular targeting characteristics and physiological functions. We have investigated the intracellular localization and regulatory patterns for ERbeta isoforms in rat fallopian tubes. Western blot analysis reveals that two ERbeta isoforms corresponding to ERbeta1 and ERbeta2 are expressed in rat fallopian tubes. However, ERbeta2 is the predominant form of ERbeta in this tissue. High-resolution confocal imaging and immunohistochemical analysis provide ample evidence that ERbeta expression is limited almost exclusively to the ciliated epithelial cells, in contrast to ERalpha, which is widely distributed. Furthermore, within the ciliated epithelial cells, ERbeta is colocalized with beta-tubulin IV at stem portion of the cilia. We show that ERbeta2 protein expression is tightly regulated by E(2) or DPN in a time-dependent manner without changes in ERbeta1 expression. These estrogenic effects are inhibited by an ER antagonist, ICI 182,780. In addition, significant alteration of ERbeta immunoreactivity is detected only histologically in the ampullary region. Since the cilia are considered an essential determinant of tubal transport, we further demonstrate that E(2)- or DPN-induced ERbeta2 activation is associated with alterations in tubal protein expression crucial for the regulation of calcium-dependent ciliary beating. Given the coordinated regulation and interaction of ER and progesterone receptor in the cilia, we hypothesize that tubal ERbeta2 may facilitate the estrogen-mediated transport process by processing protein-protein interaction under physiological and/or pathological conditions. We show for the first time that a previously unrecognized localization of ERbeta isoform in rat fallopian tubes can combine with estrogen to individually control the expression of ER beta-isoforms in normal target tissues.

genetics

metabolism

genetics

pharmacology

metabolism

pharmacology

Organ Specificity

Animals

metabolism

Protein Isoforms

Female

Rats

Rats

Estrogen Receptor beta

Progesterone

drug effects

Sprague-Dawley

drug effects

metabolism

Gene Expression Regulation

Estradiol

Protein Transport

Epithelium

Sexual Maturation

Developmental

drug effects

Cilia

genetics

Tissue Distribution

Fallopian Tubes

metabolism

Signal Transduction

Author

Ruijin Shao

University of Gothenburg

Birgitta Weijdegård

University of Gothenburg

Julia Fernandez-Rodriguez

University of Gothenburg

Emil Egecioglu

University of Gothenburg

Changlian Zhu

University of Gothenburg

Niklas Andersson

University of Gothenburg

Ann Thurin-Kjellberg

University of Gothenburg

Christina Bergh

University of Gothenburg

Håkan Billig

University of Gothenburg

American Journal of Physiology - Endocrinology and Metabolism

0193-1849 (ISSN) 1522-1555 (eISSN)

Vol. 293 1 E147-58

Subject Categories

Physiology

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES

DOI

10.1152/ajpendo.00101.2007

More information

Created

10/10/2017