E2-treated Mice Research Articles

Steroid hormone imbalance drives macrophage infiltration and Spp1/osteopontin+ foam cell differentiation in the prostate.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) occurs progressively with aging in men and drives deteriorating symptoms collectively known as lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). Age-associated changes in circulating steroid hormones, and prostate inflammation have been postulated in the etiology of BPH/LUTS. The link between hormones and inflammation in the development of BPH/LUTS is conflicting because they may occur independently or as sequential steps in disease pathogenesis. This study aimed to decipher the prostatic immune landscape in a mouse model of lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD). Steroid hormone imbalance was generated by the surgical implantation of testosterone (T) and estradiol (E2) pellets into male C57BL/6J mice and gene expression analysis was performed on ventral prostates (VPs). These experiments identified an increase in the expression of macrophage markers and Spp1/osteopontin (OPN). Localization studies of OPN pinpointed that OPN+ macrophages travel to the prostate lumen and transition into lipid-accumulating foam cells. We also observed a significant increase in the number of tissue macrophages in the VP which was prevented in OPN-knockout (OPN-KO) mice. In contrast, mast cells, but not macrophages, were significantly elevated in the dorsal prostate of T + E2-treated mice which was diminished in OPN-KO mice. Steroid hormone implantation progressively increased urinary frequency, which was ameliorated in OPN-KO mice. Our study underscores the role of age-associated steroid hormone imbalances as a mechanism of expanding the prostatic macrophage population, their luminal translocation, and foam cell differentiation. © 2023 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.

Abstract GS5-07: Estradiol represses anti-tumoral immune response to promote progression of triple-negative breast cancer brain metastases

Abstract Background: Younger women with breast cancer have increased risk of development of brain metastases irrespective of the tumor subtype. We have shown that pre-menopausal levels of 17-β-Estradiol (E2) contributes to the promotion of brain metastases by influencing the tumor microenvironment. E2 promotes brain metastasis (BM) of estrogen receptor negative (ER¯) BC cells by inducing neuroinflammatory ER+ astrocytes in the brain niche to secrete pro-metastatic factors critical for early brain colonization. Ovarieoctomy (OVX) in combination with the aromatase inhibitor (Letrozole) prevented brain colonization of triple negative (TNBC) (ER-PR-HER2-) human xenografts (MDA231BR/NSG) and murine models (E0711/C57Bl6, 4T1/BALBc) through paracrine activation of EGFR and TRKB, pathways involved in increased invasion and early tumor initiation. Yet, the extent to which E2-depletion therapies can decrease progression of established BM in combination with current standard of care for brain metastasis remains unknown. Goal: Current standard of care (SOC) for patients with TNBC brain metastasis includes irradiation (SRS, whole brain) and immunotherapy (PD-1/PDL-1 inhibitors). The goal of this study was to assess how E2-depletion therapies affects brain immune function in the context of SOC for brain metastatic progression of TNBC. Results: To assess whether E2-depletion could decrease BM progression in a model that mimics standard of care for BM, TNBC E0771-GFP-luc cells were injected intracardially in syngeneic ovariectomized (OVX)-female C57Bl6 mice supplemented with pre-menopausal levels of E2. Seven days after injection (when cancer cells have colonized), mice received a single 15Gy dose brain irradiation and were randomized to continue receiving E2, E2 withdrawal (E2WD) or E2WD plus the aromatase-inhibitor letrozole (E2WD+LET). Brain metastatic burden significantly decreased in E2WD and E2WD+Letrozole treated mice as compared to E2-treated mice. Injection of E0711 cells in immunocompromised NSG mice or in the absence of brain irradiation abolished this effect, suggesting that E2-depletion therapies decrease BM progression through boosting radiation-induced anti-tumor immunity. Accordingly, there were no differences in BM progression in E2, E2WD or E2WD+let treated mice in a xenograft model (F2-7 TNBC cells) in NSG mice, even in the presence of brain irradiation. Immune-profiling of brains from OVX+E2, OVX and OVX+Let C57BL6 mice carrying BMs showed dynamic changes in immune populations at early and late stages of brain metastatic colonization. At early stages post brain colonization (3 days post ic injection) E2-treated mice showed a decreased fraction of CD11b+CD45Int CD206+ microglia/CNS macrophages as compared to OVX+LET-treated mice, without significant changes in the fraction of infiltrated lymphocytes, suggesting E2 represses early immunosurveillance through repression of microglia/CNS macrophage activation. At later stages of brain colonization (7 days post ic injection), E2-treated mice showed an increased fraction of proinflammatory microglia and decreased fraction of T and B cells as compared to OVX or OVX+let treated mice. While E2-depletion increased the recruitment of T cells to the brain niche, the fraction of CD279 (PD1+) brain T cells was similar among groups. Ongoing studies assess the efficacy of E2-depletion therapies in combination with brain radiation and PD-1 inhibitors to decrease metastatic burden and improve survival in preclinical models. Conclusion: Our results support the hypothesis that estradiol promotes brain metastatic progression by stimulating an immunosuppressive brain microenvironment. As such, FDA-approved E2-depletion therapies (aromatase inhibitors and selective-estrogen modulators) could be used in combination with brain irradiation and PD-1 inhibitors to promote a more effective anti-tumoral immune response. Citation Format: Diana Cittelly, Maria J. Contreras-Zarate, Karen ALvarez-Eraso, Vesna Tesic, Nicole Tsuji, Leanna Chafee, Sana Karam, D. Ryan Ormond, Peter Kabos. Estradiol represses anti-tumoral immune response to promote progression of triple-negative breast cancer brain metastases [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2022 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2022 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(5 Suppl):Abstract nr GS5-07.

Age-dependent effects of estradiol on temporal memory: A role for the type 1 cannabinoid receptor?

This study investigated in male mice how age modulates the effects of acute 17β-estradiol (E2) on dorsal CA1 (dCA1)-dependent retention of temporal associations, which are critical for declarative memory. E2 was systemically injected to young (3–4 months old) and aged (22–24 months old) adult mice either (i) 1 h before the acquisition of an auditory trace fear conditioning (TFC) procedure allowing the assessment of temporal memory retention 24 h later or (ii) during in vivo electrophysiological recordings of CA3 to dCA1 synaptic efficacy under anesthesia. In young mice, E2 induced parallel dose-dependent reductions in memory and synaptic efficacy, i.e. an impairment in TFC retention and a long-term (NMDA receptor-dependent) depression of dCA1 synaptic efficacy as assessed by field excitatory postsynaptic potentials. In contrast, E2 tended to improved TFC retention whilst failing to change synaptic efficacy in aged mice. Age-dependent effects of E2 treatment were confirmed by immunohistochemical analyses of TFC acquisition-elicited dCA1 Fos activation. Thus, such an activation was respectively reduced and enhanced in young and aged E2-treated mice, compared to vehicle treatments. Hippocampal mRNA expression of estrogen receptors by RT-PCR analyses revealed an age-related increase in each receptor mRNA expression. In keeping with the key role of the endocannabinoid system in memory processes and CA3 to dCA1 synaptic plasticity, we next examined the role of cannabinoid type 1 receptors (CB1-R) in the aforementioned age-dependent effects of E2. Having confirmed that mRNA expression of CB1-R diminishes with age, we then observed that the deleterious effects of E2 on both memory and synaptic efficacy were both prevented by the CB1-R antagonist Rimonabant whilst being absent in CB1-R knock out mice. This study (i) reveals age-dependent effects of acute E2 on temporal memory and CA3 to dCA1 synaptic efficacy and (ii) suggests a key role of CB1-R in mediating E2 deleterious effects in young adulthood. Aging-related reductions in CB1-R might thus underlie E2 paradoxical effects across age.

Differential effects of Akkermansia-enriched fecal microbiota transplant on energy balance in female mice on high-fat diet.

Estrogens protect against weight gain and metabolic disruption in women and female rodents. Aberrations in the gut microbiota composition are linked to obesity and metabolic disorders. Furthermore, estrogen-mediated protection against diet-induced metabolic disruption is associated with modifications in gut microbiota. In this study, we tested if estradiol (E2)-mediated protection against obesity and metabolic disorders in female mice is dependent on gut microbiota. Specifically, we tested if fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) from E2-treated lean female mice, supplemented with or without Akkermansia muciniphila, prevented high fat diet (HFD)-induced body weight gain, fat mass gain, and hyperglycemia in female recipients. FMT from, and cohousing with, E2-treated lean donors was not sufficient to transfer the metabolic benefits to the E2-deficient female recipients. Moreover, FMT from lean donors supplemented with A. muciniphila exacerbated HFD-induced hyperglycemia in E2-deficient recipients, suggesting its detrimental effect on the metabolic health of E2-deficient female rodents fed a HFD. Given that A. muciniphila attenuates HFD-induced metabolic insults in males, the present findings suggest a sex difference in the impact of this microbe on metabolic health.

BSCI-18 ESTROGEN-DEPLETION DECREASES PROGRESSION OF ER¯ BRAIN METASTASES BY PROMOTING AN ANTI-TUMORAL LOCAL IMMUNE RESPONSE

We have shown that 17-β-Estradiol (E2) promotes brain metastasis (BM) of estrogen receptor negative (ER¯) BC cells by inducing neuroinflammatory ER+ astrocytes in the brain niche to secrete pro-metastatic factors critical for early brain colonization. E2-depletion prevented brain colonization of human xenografts (MDA231BR/NSG) and syngeneic (E0711/C57Bl6, 4T1/Balb-c) ER¯ models. Yet, whether E2-depletion can be used to decrease progression of established BM and how E2-dependent modulation of brain immune response contributes to the pro-metastatic effects of E2 remains unclear. To assess whether E2-depletion could decrease BM progression in a model that mimics standard of care for BM, E0771-GFP-luc cells were injected intracardially in syngeneic ovariectomized (OVX)-female C57Bl6 mice supplemented with E2. Seven days after injection (when micrometastases are established), mice received a single 15Gy dose brain irradiation and were randomized to continue receiving E2, E2 withdrawal (E2WD) or E2WD plus the aromatase-inhibitor letrozole (EWD+LET). Endpoint BM (but not systemic metastases) were significantly decreased in E2WD+Letrozole treated mice as compared to E2-treated mice. This effect was abolished when E0711 cells were injected in severely immunocompromised NSG mice or in the absence of brain irradiation, suggesting EWD+LET decreases BM progression through boosting radiation-induced anti-tumor immunity. Accordingly, there were no differences in BM progression in E2, EWD or E2WD+let treated mice in a xenograft model (F2-7 TNBC cells) in NSG mice, even in the presence of brain irradiation. Brain immune-profiling of brain irradiated E2, EWD and EWD+Let C57BL6 mice carrying E0771 BMs shows that brains of EWD+LET-treated mice had a significantly lower fraction of CD4 T cells and an increase in CD8 T cells, suggesting that EWD+letrozole decrease brain metastatic burden in part through modulation of T cells. These results suggest E2-depletion therapies could be used in combination with brain irradiation to decrease progression of BMs and promote an anti-tumoral immune response.

Influence of estradiol deficiency on the acute inflammatory response following a traumatic skeletal muscle injury

Abstract Estradiol (E2) influences the inflammatory response. Research has shown that skeletal muscle chemokine mRNA expression and neutrophil infiltration after a traumatic freeze injury are blunted in ovariectomized mice treated with placebo compared to E2-treated mice. How E2 deficiency alters the acute muscle inflammatory response is unclear with potential mechanisms including alterations in the number of circulating leukocytes, leukocyte chemotaxis, and/or muscle chemokine expression. To investigate these possibilities, female C57BL/6J mice underwent a sham or ovariectomy (OVX) surgery, 21–28 d later tibialis anterior (TA) muscles were freeze injured. TA muscles and blood were collected 24 h post injury. Total white blood cell (149%) and monocytes (427%) were elevated in OVX compared to Sham mice but there was no difference in the neutrophil counts (p≥0.64). To determine if E2 deficiency impacts leukocyte chemotaxis, isolated leukocytes from bone marrow of non-injured Sham or OVX mice were placed in a transwell migration assay. OVX leukocytes had greater chemotaxis towards CXCL1 (37%), CXCL2 (43%), and CXCL5 (27%) than Sham. To examine if E2 deficiency alters muscle CXCL1 and CXCL5 protein content contributing to chemotaxis, ELISA assays were performed. Surprisingly, muscle CXCL1 and CXCL5 contents were similar between OVX and Sham. Collectively, mice lacking E2 have relatively high blood leukocytes and chemotaxis suggesting a greater acute inflammatory response which appears not to be driven by changes in muscle chemokine expression. Additional studies need to consider possible negative regulators of the acute inflammatory response in OVX muscle. Supported by DAL and GW (R01AG031743 & R01AG062899), and SLM (T32AR007612)

Disrupting cannabinoid receptor interacting protein 1 rescues cognitive flexibility in long-term estrogen-deprived female mice

Hormone therapy (HT) has failed to improve learning and memory in postmenopausal women according to recent clinical studies; however, the reason for failure of HT in improving cognitive performance is unknown. In our research, we found cognitive flexibility was improved by 17β-Estradiol (E2) in mice 1 week after ovariectomy (OVXST), but not in mice 3 months after ovariectomy (OVXLT). Isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) revealed increased cannabinoid receptor interacting protein 1 (CNRIP1) in E2-treated OVXLT mice compared with E2-treated OVXST mice. Adeno-associated virus 2/9 (AAV2/9) delivery of Cnrip1 short-hairpin small interfering RNA (Cnrip1-shRNA) rescued the impaired cognitive flexibility in E2 treated OVXLT mice. This effect is dependent on CB1 function, which could be blocked by AM251—a CB1 antagonist. Our results indicated a new method to increasing cognitive flexibility in women receiving HT by disrupting CNRIP1.

ADAMTS-1: a novel target gene of an estrogen-induced transcription factor, EGR1, critical for embryo implantation in the mouse uterus

BackgroundRecently, we demonstrated that estrogen (E2) induces early growth response 1 (Egr1) to mediate its actions on the uterine epithelium by controlling progesterone receptor signaling for successful embryo implantation. EGR1 is a transcription factor that regulates the spectrum of target genes in many different tissues, including the uterus. E2-induced EGR1 regulates a set of genes involved in epithelial cell remodeling during embryo implantation in the uterus. However, only few target genes of EGR1 in the uterus have been identified.ResultThe expression of ADAM metallopeptidase with thrombospondin type 1 motif 1 (Adamts-1) was significantly downregulated in the uteri of E2-treated ovariectomized (OVX) Egr1(−/−) mice. Immunostaining of ADAMTS-1 revealed its exclusive expression in the uterine epithelium of OVX wild-type but not Egr1(−/−) mice treated with E2. The expression profiles of Adamts-1 and Egr1 were similar in the uteri of E2-treated OVX mice at various time points tested. Pre-treatment with ICI 182, 780, a nuclear estrogen receptor (ER) antagonist, effectively inhibited the E2-dependent induction of Egr1 and Adamts-1. Pharmacologic inhibition of E2-induced ERK1/2 or p38 phosphorylation interfered with the induction of EGR1 and ADAMTS-1. Furthermore, ADAMTS-1, as well as EGR1, was induced in stroma cells surrounding the implanting blastocyst during embryo implantation. Transient transfection with EGR1 expression vectors significantly induced the expression of ADAMTS-1. Luciferase activity of the Adamts-1 promoter containing EGR1 binding sites (EBSs) was increased by EGR1 in a dose-dependent manner, suggesting functional regulation of Adamts-1 transcription by EGR1. Site-directed mutagenesis of EBS on the Adamts-1 promoter demonstrated that EGR1 directly binds to the EBS at -1151/-1134 among four putative EBSs.ConclusionsCollectively, we have demonstrated that Adamts-1 is a novel target gene of E2-ER-MAPK-EGR1, which is critical for embryo implantation in the mouse uterus during early pregnancy.

The Enhanced Inhibitory Effect of Estrogen on PD-L1 Expression Following Nrf2 Deficiency in the AOM/DSS Model of Colitis-Associated Cancer.

Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) plays a dual role in carcinogenesis. We previously reported that Nrf2 deficiency enhances the anti-tumorigenic effect of 17β-estradiol (E2) in an azoxymethane (AOM)/dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) model of colitis-associated cancer (CAC). Herein, we aimed to determine a possible explanation for our recent work and investigated the immune microenvironment represented by programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression. One week after the AOM injection, mice were administered with DSS in drinking water for seven days; daily E2 injections were intraperitoneally administered during this period. The mice were sacrificed 16 weeks after AOM injection and analyzed for PD-L1 expression in the distal colon tissues using Western blotting and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Based on Western blotting results, PD-L1 expression was reduced in Nrf2 knockout (KO) female and E2-treated male mice when compared with their wild-type counterparts, following AOM/DSS treatment; this supports the association of PD-L1 expression with tumor progression. Additionally, this finding was in good agreement with the IHC results for PD-L1. Furthermore, we observed that PD-L1 is predominantly expressed in stromal cells rather than on epithelial cells in the colon. Western blotting revealed that PD-L1 expression in the colon positively correlates with expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) (male, P = 0.002; female, P <0.001) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) (male, P <0.001; female, P <0.001). Collectively, our findings indicate that estrogen ameliorates the immune microenvironment represented by PD-L1 expression and enhances its effect in the absence of Nrf2.

In Aged Females, the Enhanced Pressor Response to Angiotensin II Is Attenuated By Estrogen Replacement via an Angiotensin Type 2 Receptor-Mediated Mechanism.

[Figure: see text].

Estradiol Enhances Antiviral CD4+Tissue-Resident Memory T Cell Responses following Mucosal Herpes Simplex Virus 2 Vaccination through an IL-17-Mediated Pathway

Estradiol (E2) is a sex hormone which has been shown to be protective against sexually transmitted infections such as herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2). However, few studies have examined the underlying mechanisms by which this occurs. Here, we investigated the effect of E2 on the establishment of memory T cells post-intranasal immunization with HSV-2. CD4+ T cell responses first appeared in the upper respiratory tract (URT) within 3 days postimmunization before being detected in the female reproductive tract (FRT) at 7 days. E2 treatment resulted in greater and earlier Th17 responses, which preceded augmented Th1 responses at these sites. The CD4+ T cells persisted in the URT for up to 28 days, and E2 treatment resulted in higher frequencies of memory T cells. Intranasal immunization also led to the establishment of CD4+ tissue-resident memory T cells (TRM cells) in the FRT, and E2 treatment resulted in increased Th1 and Th17 TRM cells. When the migration of circulating T cells into the FRT was blocked by FTY720, immunized E2-treated mice remained completely protected against subsequent genital HSV-2 challenge compared to non-E2 controls, confirming that TRM cells alone are adequate for protection in these mice. Finally, the enhanced vaginal Th1 TRM cells present in E2-treated mice were found to be modulated through an interleukin 17 (IL-17)-mediated pathway, as E2-treated IL-17A-deficient mice had impaired establishment of Th1 TRM cells. This study describes a novel role for E2 in enhancing CD4+ memory T cells and provides insight on potential strategies for generating optimal immunity during vaccination.IMPORTANCE Herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2) is a highly prevalent sexually transmitted infection for which there is currently no vaccine available. Interestingly, the female sex hormone estradiol has been shown to be protective against HSV-2. However, the underlying mechanisms by which this occurs remains relatively unknown. Our study demonstrates that under the influence of estradiol treatment, intranasal immunization with an attenuated strain of HSV-2 leads to enhanced establishment of antiviral memory T cell responses in the upper respiratory tract and female reproductive tract. In these sites, estradiol treatment leads to greater Th17 memory cells, which precede enhanced Th1 memory responses. Consequently, the T cell responses mounted by tissue-resident memory cells in the female reproductive tract of estradiol-treated mice are sufficient to protect mice against vaginal HSV-2 challenge. This study offers important insights regarding the regulation of mucosal immunity by hormones and on potential strategies for generating optimal immunity during vaccination.

Contribution of estrogen to the pregnancy-induced increase in cardiac automaticity

BackgroundThe heart rate progressively increases throughout pregnancy, reaching a maximum in the third trimester. This elevated heart rate is also present in pregnant mice and is associated with accelerated automaticity, higher density of the pacemaker current If and changes in Ca2+ homeostasis in sinoatrial node (SAN) cells. Strong evidence has also been provided showing that 17β-estradiol (E2) and estrogen receptor α (ERα) regulate heart rate. Accordingly, we sought to determine whether E2 levels found in late pregnancy cause the increased cardiac automaticity associated with pregnancy. Methods and resultsVoltage- and current-clamp experiments were carried out on SAN cells isolated from female mice lacking estrogen receptor alpha (ERKOα) or beta (ERKOβ) receiving chronic E2 treatment mimicking late pregnancy concentrations. E2 treatment significantly increased the action potential rate (284 ± 24 bpm, +E2 354 ± 23 bpm, p = 0.040) and the density of If (+52%) in SAN cells from ERKOβ mice. However, If density remains unchanged in SAN cells from E2-treated ERKOα mice. Additionally, E2 also increased If density (+67%) in nodal-like human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (N-hiPSC-CM), recapitulating in a human SAN cell model the effect produced in mice. However, the L-type calcium current (ICaL) and Ca2+ transients, examined using N-hiPSC-CM and SAN cells respectively, were not affected by E2, indicating that other mechanisms contribute to changes observed in these parameters during pregnancy. ConclusionThe accelerated SAN automaticity observed in E2-treated ERKOβ mice is explained by an increased If density mediated by ERα, demonstrating that E2 plays a major role in regulating SAN function during pregnancy.

Abstract A44: Pharmacologic targeting of estrogen receptor in melanoma to enhance antitumor immunity

Abstract Metastatic melanoma is one of the most aggressive, morbid cancers with a median survival of 6-9 months. The development of MAPK-pathway inhibitors and immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) agents (α-PD1 and α-CTLA4) has significantly improved outcome in patients with melanoma. However, de novo and acquired resistance to these therapies remains a major impediment to achieving durable clinical responses in most patients. Epidemiologic studies have implicated sex steroids in melanoma etiology; however, the mechanisms by which these hormones impact the development and progression of melanoma are unclear. The aim of this study is to evaluate the extent to which estrogens, such as 17β-estradiol (E2), working through its cognate nuclear receptor(s), impact the pathobiology of melanoma. Using estrogen receptor alpha negative (ERα-) syngeneic (GEMM6, B16F10 and YuMM5.2 cells) and a transgenic B-RafCA/WT; Ptenf/f; mTyr-Cre/ERT2 (iBP) mouse model of melanoma, we have determined that manipulating circulating E2 levels in these mice models has a dramatic effect on tumor growth. This E2-mediated increase in tumor growth was not observed in NOD-scid/IL2null mice, suggesting that this hormone exerts its actions by modulating intratumoral immune cell repertoire and function. Indeed, multiparametric flow cytometry analysis of tumor-infiltrating immune cells indicates that E2 increases M2 polarization of macrophages in GEMM6 and iBP mouse models and decreases proinflammatory M1 macrophages in the B16F10 and YuMM 5.2 tumor models. Characterization of (a) tumor associated-macrophages (TAMs) from E2-treated mice and (b) bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM) from non-tumor bearing WT C57BL/6J mice differentiated in the presence of tumor conditioned media and E2, revealed increased expression of immune-suppressive cytokines (Tnf, Retnla, Il10 and Ptgs2). The E2 treated cells also demonstrated an enhanced ability to suppress CD8+ T-cell proliferation, an activity that could be reversed by addition of the ER antagonist ICI182780. Either pharmacologic depletion of TAMs by clodronate liposomes in GEMM6 tumor model or myeloid cell selective ablation of ERα expression negated the effects of E2 on tumor growth (B16F10, YuMM5.2). Further, CD8+T cell depletion (YuMM 5.2) increased tumor growth in ovariectomized animals to a level observed in E2-treated animals, suggesting that TAMs in E2-treated mice suppress CD8+ T-cell function and enhance tumor growth. Finally, treatment with ICI182780 inhibited the effects of E2 on tumor growth and immune cell repertoire (GEMM6, B16F10, and YuMM 5.2), confirming the role of ER in melanoma biology. Taken together, these results suggest that E2, working through ERα, promotes an immune-suppressive microenvironment during melanoma progression. These findings have informed the design of a clinical study that will assess the benefit of using antiestrogens, together with ICBs or standard of care, to treat melanoma. Citation Format: Binita Chakraborty, Jovita Bymerwa, Robert Baldi, Wen Liu, Ching-Yi Chang, Donald McDonnell. Pharmacologic targeting of estrogen receptor in melanoma to enhance antitumor immunity [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy; 2019 Nov 17-20; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2020;8(3 Suppl):Abstract nr A44.

Abstract P2-20-03: Estrogen-depletion therapies prevent and delay progression of brain metastasis

Abstract Introduction: Triple negative breast cancers (TNBC, which lack estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor and HER2), occur three times more frequently in premenopausal women and metastasize expeditiously to brain and lungs. Clinical and experimental evidence shows that estrogen, the main premenopausal ovarian hormone, promotes metastases of TNBC, through their action on the tumor microenvironment. We have shown that 17-β-Estradiol (E2) promotes experimental brain metastases (BM) of TNBC cells by inducing estrogen-receptor positive (ER+) astrocytes in the brain niche to secrete growth factors that promote cancer cell migration, invasion and growth. Given that 53% of pre-menopausal women with TNBC develops BM and 80% die within a year, it is now critical to define whether blocking estrogen signaling could have therapeutic value to prevent or delay progression of BM. Results: To assess whether E2-depletion could prevent brain metastatic colonization, brain trophic sublines of human TNBC (231BR), murine TNBC (4T1BR5), a non-selected TN cell line syngeneic to C57BL mice (E0771-GFP-luc) were intracardially (ic) injected two-days post-endocrine initiation, in ovariectomized (OVX) female mice treated with a) E2 (levels equivalent to those found in pre-menopausal women), b) placebo (OVX), or c) the aromatase-inhibitor (AI) letrozole (OVX + Letrozole) to block brain and peripheral E2-synthesis. BM were quantified histologically, via MRI or ex-vivo imaging of brains at euthanasia. E2-treated mice injected with E0771-GFP-luc cells showed an average of 6.6± 3.5 metastatic clusters per mice, compared to 3.6 ± 3.2 and 1.8 ± 1.8 in OVX mice alone or OVX + letrozole treated mice (a 3.6 fold increase, P=0.0013, E2 vs OVX + Let). Imaging of excised brains showed comparable results, with a mean total photon flux of 5.1 × 106 ± 5.3 × 106 in E2 vs 1.1 × 106 ± 1.5 × 106 in OVX + letrozole (P=0.0056). Similar preventive effects of E2-depletion were found in 4T1BR5 and 231BR-cell injected mice, using histological quantification and MRI as endpoints. To assess whether E2-depletion therapies could decrease brain metastatic progression in a therapeutic model mimicking the clinical setting, E0771-GFP-luc cells were injected in OVX-mice that had been supplemented with E2 and metastasis allowed to develop for 6 days. Mice were then randomized to a) E2, b) E2-withdrawal (E2WD) or c) E2WD+ letrozole, and then all mice were irradiated (whole brain irradiation, single-dose, 15 Gy) to mimic current standard of care for BMs. All mice were euthanized 10 days later, when E2-treated mice showed signs of CNS impairment. Mice that received E2WD+letrozole showed the lowest BM burden compared to mice that remained in E2-treatments, as assessed by histological quantification (0.7 ± 1.2 vs 6.5 ± 5.3 metastatic clusters, respectively, P=0.0132) and ex-vivo brain imaging (mean total-photon flux 3.4 × 105 ± 4.1 × 105 in E2WD + let vs 3.1 × 106 ± 1.4 × 106 in E2, P=0.037). Brain metastasis in TNBC often occur in women who also present with systemic metastatic disease, and E0771-GFP-luc cells can colonize multiple organs following ic injection. Thus, non-brain metastatic burden (systemic metastasis) was measured by in vivo imaging before euthanasia in this cohort. Unlike brain metastasis, E2WD or E2WD+letrozole showed no statistically significant effect on systemic metastatic burden (mean total flux 1.41 × 106 ± 0.9 × 106 in E2, vs 0.54 × 106 ± 2.6 × 106 in E2WD vs 0.79 × 106 ± 1.0 × 106 in E2WD+let, P=0.416), supporting the notion that brain-specific rather than systemic mechanisms drive progression of brain metastasis in response to E2. Conclusions: These studies have important clinical implications as they provide pre-clinical evidence that ovarian suppression in combination with AIs can prevent and delay progression of established brain metastasis in younger women with TNBC. Citation Format: Diana M. Cittelly, Maria J. Contreras-Zarate, Ricaurte A. Marquez-Ortiz, Nicole Day, Bebhinn Nagle, Ryan Ormond, Virginia F. Borges, Peter Kabos. Estrogen-depletion therapies prevent and delay progression of brain metastasis [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2019 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2019 Dec 10-14; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-20-03.

Estradiol and high fat diet associate with changes in gut microbiota in female ob/ob mice

Estrogens protect against diet-induced obesity in women and female rodents. For example, a lack of estrogens in postmenopausal women is associated with an increased risk of weight gain, cardiovascular diseases, low-grade inflammation, and cancer. Estrogens act with leptin to regulate energy homeostasis in females. Leptin-deficient mice (ob/ob) exhibit morbid obesity and insulin resistance. The gut microbiome is also critical in regulating metabolism. The present study investigates whether estrogens and leptin modulate gut microbiota in ovariectomized ob/ob (obese) or heterozygote (lean) mice fed high-fat diet (HFD) that received either 17β-Estradiol (E2) or vehicle implants. E2 attenuated weight gain in both genotypes. Moreover, both obesity (ob/ob mice) and E2 were associated with reduced gut microbial diversity. ob/ob mice exhibited lower species richness than control mice, while E2-treated mice had reduced evenness compared with vehicle mice. Regarding taxa, E2 was associated with an increased abundance of the S24-7 family, while leptin was associated with increases in Coriobacteriaceae, Clostridium and Lactobacillus. Some taxa were affected by both E2 and leptin, suggesting these hormones alter gut microbiota of HFD-fed female mice. Understanding the role of E2 and leptin in regulating gut microbiota will provide important insights into hormone-dependent metabolic disorders in women.

Estrogen-induced compensatory mechanisms protect IL-10-deficient mice from developing EAE

BackgroundIL-10 knockout (KO) mice are protected from experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) with low-dose estrogen (E2) treatment similar to wild-type (WT) mice. Previous studies have demonstrated a decrease in tumor necrosis factor in all E2-treated groups, which led to the protection of the mice.MethodsThis study used IL-10 KO mice and WT mice treated either with E2 or sham pellets 7 days prior to induction of EAE. Mice were observed for 21 days post-immunization. The spleen, inguinal lymph nodes, and brain were evaluated by flow cytometry. Spinal cords were evaluated using a cytokine/chemokine array, RT-PCR, and histology.ResultsThis study demonstrates that E2 treatment induced three heightened regulatory mechanisms that potentially protect IL-10 KO mice from EAE: (1) an increase in programmed death-ligands 1 and 2 on monocytes and macrophages in the periphery and within the CNS; (2) an increase in CD73 in the inflamed CNS, which can increase the production of the anti-inflammatory molecule adenosine; and (3) a decrease in CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ regulatory T cells in the spleen. Together, these factors comprise an alternative compensatory mechanism that significantly downregulates key pro-inflammatory cytokine, chemokine, and chemokine receptor genes which are enhanced in the spinal cord of IL-10 KO mice. This group of E2-treated mice remained asymptomatic after EAE challenge similar to E2-treated WT mice, despite their having more T and B lymphocytes in the brain, and modestly increased demyelination in the spinal cord.ConclusionThese results indicate that previously unrecognized compensatory mechanisms of EAE protection are stimulated by E2 in the absence of IL-10, which can provide disease protection comparable to the IL-10-dependent effects induced by E2 in WT mice.

CB1 agonism prolongs therapeutic window for hormone replacement in ovariectomized mice.

Hormone therapy (HT) is reported to be deficient in improving learning and memory in older postmenopausal women according to recent clinical studies; however, the reason for failure is unknown. A "window of opportunity" for estrogen treatment is proposed to explain this deficiency. Here, we found that facilitation of memory extinction and long-term depression by 17β-estradiol (E2) was normal in mice 1 week after ovariectomy (OVXST), but it was impaired in mice 3 months after ovariectomy (OVXLT). High-throughput sequencing revealed a decrease of miR-221-5p, which promoted cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) ubiquitination by upregulation of Neurl1a/b in E2-treated OVXLT mice. Blood samples from postmenopausal women aged 56-65 indicated decreases of miR-221-5p and 2-arachidonoylglycerol compared with samples from perimenopausal women aged 46-55. Replenishing of miR-221-5p or treatment with a CB1 agonist rescued the impairment of fear extinction in E2-treated OVXLT mice. The present study demonstrates that an HT time window in mice can be prolonged by cotreatment with a CB1 agonist, implying a potential strategy for HT in long-term menopausal women.

SUN-092 Distinct Changes in Gut Microbiota Are Associated with Estradiol-Mediated Protection from Diet-Induced Obesity in Female Mice

Due to an aging-associated decrease in ovarian estrogens, postmenopausal women tend to gain weight, which predisposes them to developing cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, chronic inflammation, and cancer. Estradiol replacement has been shown to protect postmenopausal women and ovariectomized rodents from obesity and metabolic disorders, but the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. In addition to estrogens, gut microbiota are also known to regulate energy homeostasis. In this study, we investigated the effects of estrogens on gut microbiota and energy metabolism in female mice on standard diet (SD) or high-fat diet (HFD). Ovariectomized adult C57BL6/J mice received implants containing estradiol (E2) or vehicle (Veh) (n=6/group). Mice were fed SD for the first two weeks and then switched to HFD for the remaining four weeks of the study. To investigate the effects of E2 and diet on gut microbiota, fresh fecal samples were collected at various times during SD and HFD for 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Using metabolic cages, the effects of E2 and HFD on energy balance were assessed longitudinally by measuring food intake, energy expenditure, and physical activity. In addition, plasma glucose, insulin, leptin, resistin and cytokines were measured during SD and HFD. Insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism were assessed during a 2-hr hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp in awake mice at the end of HFD. Our results indicate that chronic E2 treatment protected the ovariectomized mice from HFD-induced obesity, mostly due to increases in energy expenditure and physical activity. These effects were associated with altered bacterial communities; E2 increased the relative abundance of the mucin-producing microbes Akkermansia spp. (phylum Verrucomicrobia) that are responsible for the integrity of the gut epithelial barrier. Veh mice had increased the relative abundances of Erysipleotrichaceae and Streptococcaceae (family) and their lower taxa. HFD profoundly altered microbial diversity by reducing species richness, increasing evenness and altering relative abundances of multiple taxa. HFD was associated with increased Bacteriodes (phylum Bacteriodetes) and Clostridia (phylum Firmicutes), which are responsible for HFD-induced weight gain in humans. The relative abundance of Erysipleotrichi was positively correlated with HFD, but negatively correlated with E2 treatment, suggesting a potential causal relationship between this taxon and obesity. E2-treated mice were more insulin-sensitive with marked increases in whole body glucose turnover and glycogen synthesis after HFD. Taken together, these results suggest that changes in gut microbiota contribute to E2-mediated protection against diet-induced obesity and metabolic dysregulation. These findings may provide important insights for potential microbial targets for the treatment of metabolic disorders in women.

Estradiol induces BDNF/TrkB signaling in triple-negative breast cancer to promote brain metastases

Breast cancer brain metastases (BM) affect younger women disproportionally, including those lacking estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor, and HER2 (known as triple-negative breast cancer; TNBC). Previous studies in preclinical models showed that pre-menopausal levels of estradiol (E2) promote TNBC-BM through incompletely understood mechanisms involving reactive astrocytes. Herein, a novel mechanism involving E2-dependent upregulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in astrocytes, and subsequent activation of tumor cell tropomyosin kinase receptor B (TrkB), is identified. E2 increased experimental BM of TNBC 4T1BR5 and E0771 cells by 21 and 3.6 fold, respectively, compared to E2-depleted mice. ERα+ reactive astrocytes were found at early and late stages of BM, and E2 upregulated BDNF in ER+ reactive astrocytes in vitro and in vivo. TrkB was expressed in TNBC brain-trophic cell lines, BM-patient-derived xenografts, and breast cancer BM. Conditioned media from E2-treated astrocytes (CM-E2) activated TrkB and downstream AKT, ERK, and PLC-γ signaling in TNBC cells, increasing their invasiveness and tumor-initiating capability in vitro. The promotion of BM by E2-activated astrocytes was found to be more complex, involving feedback loops and other receptor tyrosine kinases. In 4T1BR5 cells, there was a positive feedback loop whereby astrocytic BDNF induced cancer cell BDNF translation. Upregulation of cancer cell BDNF was required to promote full invasiveness of 4T1BR5 in response to CM-E2, and was observed in brain metastatic cells in E2-treated mice in vivo. Moreover, the non-competitive BDNF/TrkB inhibitor ANA-12 reduced E2-induced 4T1BR5 BM to levels similar to OVX mice. BDNF also activated EGFR in TrkB+EGFR+ TNBC cells, suggesting that E2 action through astrocytes activates redundant pathways promoting BM. These findings have important therapeutic implications, as they provide a rationale to use E2-depletion therapies or TrkB inhibitors to prevent or delay development of BM in younger women.

Impact of central and peripheral estrogen treatment on anxiety and depression phenotypes in a mouse model of postmenopausal obesity.

Obesity and diabetes increase the risk of depression, and the incidence of these conditions increases rapidly after menopause, but few animal models of postmenopausal obesity have been available. We developed a mouse model of postmenopausal obesity that exhibited anxiety and depressive phenotypes in behavioral tests. To examine the effect of estradiol (E2) in the model, we prepared 4 experimental groups: 1) control, sham-operated female C57BL/6 mice fed a regular diet; 2) OVX-HF, ovariectomized (OVX) mice fed a high-fat diet (HF); 3) E2-SC, OVX-HF mice administered subcutaneous (SC) E2 (50 μg/kg/day); and 4) E2-ICV, OVX-HF mice administered intracerebroventricular (ICV) E2 (1 μg/kg/day). OVX-HF mice exhibited anxiety phenotypes in the open field test, but not in the light-dark box test, and E2 treatment via both routes effectively ameliorated it. OVX-HF mice demonstrated depressive phenotypes in the tail suspension test and forced swim test. Both E2 treatments achieved significant improvement in the tail suspension test, but not in the forced swim test. Serum corticosterone levels did not differ among the groups. Hippocampal expression of glucocorticoid receptor mRNA and serotonin 1A receptor mRNA was significantly increased in OVX-HF mice and was decreased in E2-treated mice. The hypothalamic level of pro-brain-derived neurotrophic factor (proBDNF) protein was tended to decrease in OVX-HF mice, but neither E2 treatment increased it. Since this mouse model exhibited anxiety and depressive phenotypes in relatively short experimental periods without genetic manipulations, it would be useful for further exploring psychiatric phenotypes or screening of therapeutic candidates in postmenopausal obesity.