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Immunocytochemical demonstration of oestrogen receptor beta in blood vessels of the female rat

Andersson, C. ; Lydrup, M L LU ; Fernö, M LU ; Idvall, I LU ; Gustafsson, J-Å and Nilsson, B O LU orcid (2001) In Journal of Endocrinology 169(2). p.241-247
Abstract

The role of oestrogen receptor (ER) beta in vascular function remains unclear. With the use of a specific ERbeta antibody we have now, using immunocytochemistry, visualized ERbeta in different parts of the vascular tree. In about 70% of medial smooth muscle cells of female rat aorta, tail artery and uterine artery, nuclear immunoreactivity to ERbeta was observed. In these vessels endothelial cells also expressed ERbeta. Vascular expression of the ERalpha subtype was lower than that of ERbeta. In aorta and tail artery, no immunoreactivity towards ERalpha was observed, while in uterine vessels occasional medial smooth muscle and endothelial cells expressed this ER subtype. ERbeta and alpha expression in uterine vessels was independent of... (More)

The role of oestrogen receptor (ER) beta in vascular function remains unclear. With the use of a specific ERbeta antibody we have now, using immunocytochemistry, visualized ERbeta in different parts of the vascular tree. In about 70% of medial smooth muscle cells of female rat aorta, tail artery and uterine artery, nuclear immunoreactivity to ERbeta was observed. In these vessels endothelial cells also expressed ERbeta. Vascular expression of the ERalpha subtype was lower than that of ERbeta. In aorta and tail artery, no immunoreactivity towards ERalpha was observed, while in uterine vessels occasional medial smooth muscle and endothelial cells expressed this ER subtype. ERbeta and alpha expression in uterine vessels was independent of the stage of the oestrous cycle, suggesting that variations in uterine blood flow occurring during the cycle are independent of ER density. The regional distribution of ERalpha, as determined by immunocytochemistry, was supported by measurements of ERalpha levels by enzyme immunoassay. In the uterine artery, the level of ERalpha was several times higher (P<0.001) than that of aorta and tail artery (10.1+/-1.7 fmol/mg protein in the uterine artery vs 3.3+/-1.0 and 0.5+/-0.5 fmol/mg protein in aorta and tail artery respectively). Thus, a prominent nuclear expression of ERbeta was observed in the vascular wall of several parts of the vascular tree, while ERalpha predominantly was expressed in uterine vessels, suggesting that ERbeta and alpha may have different roles in vascular function.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Analysis of Variance, Animals, Aorta, Arteries, Cell Nucleus, Endothelium, Vascular, Estrogen Receptor alpha, Estrogen Receptor beta, Female, Immunohistochemistry, Muscle, Smooth, Vascular, Rats, Rats, Sprague-Dawley, Receptors, Estrogen, Tail, Uterus
in
Journal of Endocrinology
volume
169
issue
2
pages
7 pages
publisher
Society for Endocrinology
external identifiers
  • pmid:11312141
  • scopus:0035015497
ISSN
0022-0795
DOI
10.1677/joe.0.1690241
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
4e6b927f-8540-487e-9118-d2ad1b8e7c43
date added to LUP
2016-06-17 16:34:39
date last changed
2024-01-04 08:28:18
@article{4e6b927f-8540-487e-9118-d2ad1b8e7c43,
  abstract     = {{<p>The role of oestrogen receptor (ER) beta in vascular function remains unclear. With the use of a specific ERbeta antibody we have now, using immunocytochemistry, visualized ERbeta in different parts of the vascular tree. In about 70% of medial smooth muscle cells of female rat aorta, tail artery and uterine artery, nuclear immunoreactivity to ERbeta was observed. In these vessels endothelial cells also expressed ERbeta. Vascular expression of the ERalpha subtype was lower than that of ERbeta. In aorta and tail artery, no immunoreactivity towards ERalpha was observed, while in uterine vessels occasional medial smooth muscle and endothelial cells expressed this ER subtype. ERbeta and alpha expression in uterine vessels was independent of the stage of the oestrous cycle, suggesting that variations in uterine blood flow occurring during the cycle are independent of ER density. The regional distribution of ERalpha, as determined by immunocytochemistry, was supported by measurements of ERalpha levels by enzyme immunoassay. In the uterine artery, the level of ERalpha was several times higher (P&lt;0.001) than that of aorta and tail artery (10.1+/-1.7 fmol/mg protein in the uterine artery vs 3.3+/-1.0 and 0.5+/-0.5 fmol/mg protein in aorta and tail artery respectively). Thus, a prominent nuclear expression of ERbeta was observed in the vascular wall of several parts of the vascular tree, while ERalpha predominantly was expressed in uterine vessels, suggesting that ERbeta and alpha may have different roles in vascular function.</p>}},
  author       = {{Andersson, C. and Lydrup, M L and Fernö, M and Idvall, I and Gustafsson, J-Å and Nilsson, B O}},
  issn         = {{0022-0795}},
  keywords     = {{Analysis of Variance; Animals; Aorta; Arteries; Cell Nucleus; Endothelium, Vascular; Estrogen Receptor alpha; Estrogen Receptor beta; Female; Immunohistochemistry; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Receptors, Estrogen; Tail; Uterus}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{241--247}},
  publisher    = {{Society for Endocrinology}},
  series       = {{Journal of Endocrinology}},
  title        = {{Immunocytochemical demonstration of oestrogen receptor beta in blood vessels of the female rat}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1677/joe.0.1690241}},
  doi          = {{10.1677/joe.0.1690241}},
  volume       = {{169}},
  year         = {{2001}},
}