ERβ Expression Research Articles

ErbB4 precludes the occurrence of PTSD-like fear responses by supporting the bimodal activity of the central amygdala

AbstractPost-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) often arises after exposure to traumatic events and is characterized by dysregulated fear responses. Although the associations of erb-b2 receptor tyrosine kinase 4 (ErbB4) with various neuropsychiatric diseases, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, have been widely examined, the physiological roles of ErbB4 in PTSD and fear responses remain unclear. Using Cre-dependent ErbB4 knockout (KO) mice, we observed that PTSD-like fear behaviors emerged in ErbB4-deficient mice, particularly in inhibitory neurons. Specifically, the loss of ErbB4 in somatostatin-expressing (SST+) neurons was sufficient to induce PTSD-like fear responses. We also adopted the CRISPR/Cas9 system for region-specific KO of ErbB4, which revealed that ErbB4 deletion in SST+ neurons of the lateral division of the amygdala (CeL) caused elevated anxiety and PTSD-like fear generalization. Consistent with its physiological role, ErbB4 expression was diminished in CeLSST neurons from mice that exhibited PTSD-like phenotypes. While fear On and Off cells identified in the CeL displayed distinct responses to conditioned and novel cues, as previously shown, the selectivity of those On and Off cells was compromised in SSTErbB4-/- and stressed mice, which displayed strong fear generalization. Therefore, the bimodal activity that CeL On/Off cells display is likely required for proper discrimination of fearful stimuli from ambient stimuli, which should be sustained by the presence of ErbB4. Taken together, our data substantiate the correlation between PTSD-like fear responses and ErbB4 expression in CeLSST neurons and further underscore the functional effects of ErbB4 in CeLSST neurons, supporting the bimodal responses of CeL neurons.

Effects of mifepristone, a model compound with anti-progestogenic activity, on the reproduction of African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis)

This is the first study on how a substance with anti-progestogenic activity affects amphibian reproduction. Mifepristone, a synthetic anti-progestin used in abortion pills, was chosen as model compound. African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis) females were exposed to four mifepristone concentrations (0.7, 9, 120, and 1380ng∙L−1) for 30 days. A control group was also included. Egg-laying during the experiment was significantly less at the highest concentration. At the experiment’s end, mifepristone-exposed and control females were randomly mated with sexually mature males. Breeding rate for females exposed to 1380ng∙L−1 mifepristone was only 50%. Histology revealed no significant changes in gonads, thyroid, or liver. Females exposed to 1380ng∙L−1 mifepristone had lower estradiol levels in plasma, lower mRNA expression of lh and fsh in brain–pituitary complex, and p450scc in ovaries. In liver, mRNA level of npr was significantly increased in females exposed to 120ng∙L−1 mifepristone. mRNA expression of mpr, erβ, dio2, and dio3 were upregulated in animals exposed to 9ng∙L−1 and 120ng∙L−1 mifepristone, whereas vtg expression was significantly downregulated in females exposed to 1380ng∙L−1 mifepristone. All these findings show that exposure to compounds with anti-progestogenic activity affects the hypothalamus–pituitary–gonad axis and decreases reproductive success.

Genomic Landscape of Malignant Phyllodes Tumors Identifies Subsets for Targeted Therapy.

Malignant phyllodes tumors (MPTs) are rare fibroepithelial tumors of the breast with aggressive biologic behavior and high recurrence rates. Surgery remains the primary treatment modality for these tumors; however, initial investigations suggest a potential for targeted therapies in managing this disease. Therefore, we aimed to assess the molecular landscape of MPTs to reveal possible treatment opportunities. MPTs (n = 57) from primary and metastatic sites underwent genomic sequencing (592-gene panel or whole exome), whole-transcriptome sequencing, and immunohistochemistry (PD-L1, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 [HER2]) at Caris Life Sciences (Phoenix, AZ). Immune cell fractions in the tumor microenvironment were estimated using quanTIseq. Mann-Whitney U, chi-square, and Fisher's exact tests were used to determine significance (P < .05). MPTs had low ERBB2 expression, comparable with the HER2-negative subset of a large cohort of breast adenocarcinoma samples (N = 9,926). Frequent alterations included TERT promoter; MED12, TP53, and NF1 mutations; and less frequently EGFR, PIK3CA, and BRAF. Differences in mutation prevalences were observed between primary sites, lung metastases, and nonlung metastases. One MPT specimen harbored a pathogenic TPM4:NTRK1 fusion, and treatment with larotrectinib for over 16 months suggested a clinical response to therapy. PD-L1+ status was observed in 15.2% of MPTs overall, with similar prevalence in primary sites and lung metastases. B cells, M2 macrophages, neutrophils, and natural killer cells had the highest median cell fractions in MPTs. Considering the occurrence of several actionable alterations including a TPM4:NTRK1 fusion reported herein, these results support the use of next-generation sequencing (NGS) including RNA analysis for fusion detection to identify such alterations in patients with MPTs. These findings highlight the importance of comprehensive NGS in MPT research to uncover potential targeted treatment options for these patients.

Effect of Bengkuang (Pachyrhizus erosus) Ethanol Extract on Estrogen Levels and ERβ Expression in Rattus norvegicus Hypoestrogen Model with DMPA

Depo-medroxy progesterone Acetate (DMPA) is one type of contraception that is widely used. The effect of DMPA suppresses estrogen production. To reduce the hypoestrogen effect, natural ingredients in the form of phytoestrogens can be used. Bengkuang (Pachyrhizus erosus) is known as a source of phytoestrogens. This study aims to determine the effect of giving ethanol extract of bengkuang on estrogen levels and ERβ expression in a hypoestrogenic rats model with DMPA. This experimental study used 25 rats divided into five groups, consisting of one negative control group without DMPA and bengkuang extract and four treatment groups given DMPA at a dose of 2.7 mg. Three treatment groups were given jicama extract at different doses for 14 days. The study's results using the one-way ANOVA test showed a significant difference (p &lt;0.05) that bengkuang extract showed changes in estrogen levels and ERβ expression in hypoestrogen model rats.

ERBB2 comprehensive profiling and prognostication in Stage III Colon Cancer: Findings from PETACC8 and IDEA-France cohorts

ERBB2-pathway activation, through amplification or activating mutations, represents a new target for colon cancer (CC) treatment. We compared molecular methods to the gold-standard for assessing ERBB2 status and determined the prognostic value of ERBB2 amplification, mutations, and expression using data from two phase III trials involving nearly 3,000 stage III CC patients. In the PETACC8 trial, IHC/FISH, DNA, and RNA analysis were performed on 1813, 1719, and 1733 samples, respectively. In the IDEA-France trial, DNA and RNAseq were performed on 1129 and 1263 samples. The breast cancer SCAN-B cohort (n=3409) served as an external reference. A new molecular ERBB2-amplified status was defined using ERBB2 NGS-score, RNAseq expression, and clustering based on ERBB2 neighboring gene expression. Concordance between diagnostic techniques and the association between time-to-recurrence (TTR) and ERBB2-status were evaluated. The prevalence of the molecular ERBB2-amplified group was 1.85% in PETACC8 and 1.5% in IDEA-France, with a concordance of 0.81 (95% CI [0.70-0.92]) with the gold-standard IHC/FISH method in PETACC8. A non-linear relationship was observed between TTR and ERBB2-expression, with extreme groups showing a less favorable prognosis (P<.0001) in both colon and breast cancers. Patients with molecular ERBB2-amplified status or mutations had the poorest prognosis, followed by low-expression and intermediate-expression groups (3-year TTR 67.0%, 71.2%, and 77.9%, respectively). In multivariate analysis, the low-expression group had a significantly shorter TTR (HR=1.28; 95%CI [1.07-1.52]). The molecular definition of ERBB2-status could represent a cost-effective alternative in stage III CC. ERBB2 alterations and low RNA expression significantly reduce TTR, highlighting the complex role of ERBB2.

Decoding the pathological and genomic profile of epithelial ovarian cancer.

Ovarian cancer (OC) is one of the most common cancers in women, with a high mortality rate. Most of published studies have been focused on Caucasian populations, with the need to explore biological features and clinical outcomes of patients from other ethnicities. We described clinical outcome (progression-free survival and overall survival) and biomarkers associated with survival in a cohort of patients with OC from Tunisia. Using immunohistochemistry, we assessed the expression of 14 proteins known to be altered in OC in a cohort of 198 patients. We explored the correlation between protein expression and copy number alteration (CNA) profiles. FIGO stage, menopausal status and mismatch repair deficiency were associated with survival. ERBB2 amplification was correlated with high ERBB2 expression (OR = 69.32, p = 4.03 E-09), and high PDL1 expression was associated to CD274 amplification (OR = 4.97, p = 5.79 E-2). We identified a correlation between survival and exposure to two CNA signatures (MAPK pathway and BRCA-related homologous recombination deficiency). Moreover, Gama-H2AX protein expression was correlated with exposure to a genomic signature associated with homologous recombination deficiency. We observed that OC clinical and pathological characteristics of these patients from Tunisia were similar to those of Caucasian patients. We identified frequent CNA in this population that need to be confirmed in other sets from Africa.

Effects of chronodisruption and alcohol consumption on gene expression in reward-related brain areas in female rats.

Circadian dysfunction caused by exposure to aberrant light-dark conditions is associated with abnormal alcohol consumption in humans and animal models. Changes in drinking behavior have been linked to alterations in clock gene expression in reward-related brain areas, which could be attributed to either the effect of chronodisruption or alcohol. To date, however, the combinatory effect of circadian disruption and alcohol on brain functions is less understood. Moreover, despite known sex differences in alcohol drinking behavior, most research has been carried out on male subjects only, and therefore implications for females remain unclear. To address this gap, adult female rats housed under an 11 h/11 h light-dark cycle (LD22) or standard light conditions (LD24, 12 h/12 h light-dark) were given access to an intermittent alcohol drinking protocol (IA20%) to assess the impact on gene expression in brain areas implicated in alcohol consumption and reward: the prefrontal cortex (PFC), nucleus accumbens (NAc), and dorsal striatum (DS). mRNA expression of core clock genes (Bmal1, Clock, Per2), sex hormone receptors (ERβ, PR), glutamate receptors (mGluR5, GluN2B), a calcium-activated channel (Kcnn2), and an inflammatory cytokine (TNF-α) were measured at two-time points relative to the locomotor activity cycle. Housing under LD22 did not affect alcohol intake but significantly disrupted circadian activity rhythms and reduced locomotion. Significant changes in the expression of Bmal1, ERβ, and TNF-α were primarily related to the aberrant light conditions, whereas changes in Per2 and PR expression were associated with the effect of alcohol. Collectively, these results indicate that disruption of circadian rhythms and/or intermittent alcohol exposure have distinct effects on gene expression in the female brain, which may have implications for the regulation of alcohol drinking, addiction, and, ultimately, brain health.

Scleromitrion diffusum (Willd.) R. J. Wang Inhibits Gastric Cancer via ERBB2/ERBB3/PI3K/AKT Pathway.

This study aimed to evaluate the anticarcinogenic potential of Scleromitrion diffusum (Willd.) R. J. Wang (SD) extracts in vitro, along with exploring the underlying compatibility mechanisms. Scleromitrion diffusum (Willd.) R. J. Wang extract was prepared and gastric cancer (GC) cells were treated to detect the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50)/proliferation and migration/invasion by MTS method and transwell assay. The compatibility mechanisms of SD were analyzed by systems pharmacology strategy, combined with cellular experimental validation. Scleromitrion diffusum (Willd.) R. J. Wang extract showed inhibitory ability on the proliferation of the GC cell lines dose- and time-dependently. A total of 3 active ingredients are involved in anti-gastric cancer effects of SD, based on the top 50 pathways. The "herb-composition-target-pathway" network showed the multi-target and multi-pathway characteristics of SD. There were 52 related targets shared by SD and GC. The cellular experiments supported that SD significantly reduced ERBB2 and ERBB3 expression levels in GC cells. The overexpression of ERBB2 or ERBB3 partially offset the anti-tumor effects of SD. Scleromitrion diffusum (Willd.) R. J. Wang inhibited gastric cancer growth and metastasis in vitro, which may be related to the inhibition of the ERBB2/ERBB3/PI3K/AKT pathway.

Menopausal status-dependent alterations in the transcript levels of genes encoding ERα, ERβ, PR and HER2 in breast tumors with different receptor status.

Breast cancer has distinct causes and prognoses in patients with premenopausal and postmenopausal status. The expression status of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) are analyzed by immunohistochemistry (IHC) to classify molecular subtypes of breast cancer among which large differences in prognosis exist. The mRNA expression of ESR1 (encoding ERα), ESR2 (encoding ERβ), PGR (encoding PR), and ERBB2 (encoding HER2) was analyzed based on menopausal status (pre- vs post-menopausal) in tumors from breast cancer patients with different receptor status, in R programming environment, using transcriptomics data from TCGA-BRCA project. In ER-positive or PR-positive or HER2-negative breast tumors, ESR1 transcript levels were found to be higher in tumors from postmenopausal women than those from premenopausal women; in contrast, ESR2 transcript levels were lower in tumors from postmenopausal women than those from premenopausal women. Furthermore, PGR mRNA expression was lower in breast tumors from postmenopausal women than those from premenopausal women, only in those with ER + or PR + status. The expression of these genes between tumors from pre- and post-menopausal patients with breast cancer was also analyzed based on the combination of status of three receptors. Together, the results suggest that mRNA expression of ESR1, ESR2, and PGR might differ depending on menopausal status in breast tumors with certain receptor status. More importantly, the change in the expression of ESR1 and ESR2 following menopause is in the opposite directions in breast cancer patients showing the need to identify particular molecular mechanisms regulating the expression of ER isoforms post-menopause in different directions in breast cancer patients, considering the high clinical importance of these receptors in terms of the prognosis of patients with breast cancer.

Sex differences in contextual fear conditioning and extinction after acute and chronic nicotine treatment

BackgroundChronic cigarette smokers report withdrawal symptomology, including affective dysfunction and cognitive deficits. While there are studies demonstrating sex specific withdrawal symptomology in nicotine-dependent individuals, literature examining the underlying biological mediators of this is scant and not in complete agreement. Therefore, in this study, we evaluated the sex specific effects of nicotine and withdrawal on contextual fear memory, a hippocampally dependent aspect of cognition that is disrupted in nicotine withdrawal.MethodsMale and female B6/129F1 mice (8–13 weeks old) were used in all experiments. For the acute nicotine experiment, mice received intraperitoneal saline or nicotine (0.5 mg/kg) prior to contextual fear conditioning and test. For the chronic nicotine experiment, mice received nicotine (18 mg/kg/day) or saline for 11 days, then underwent contextual fear conditioning and test. Following the test, mice underwent minipump removal to elicit withdrawal or sham surgery, followed by the fear extinction assay. Bulk cortical tissue was used to determine nicotinic acetylcholine receptor levels via single point [3H]Epibatidine binding assay. Gene expression levels in the dorsal and ventral hippocampus were quantified via RT-PCR.ResultsWe found that female mice had a stronger expression of contextual fear memory than their male counterparts. Further, following acute nicotine treatment, male, but not female, subjects demonstrated augmented contextual fear memory expression. In contrast, no significant effects of chronic nicotine treatment on fear conditioning were observed in either sex. When examining extinction of fear learning, we observed that female mice withdrawn from nicotine displayed impaired extinction learning, but no effect was observed in males. Nicotine withdrawal caused similar suppression of fosb, cfos, and bdnf, our proxy for neuronal activation and plasticity changes, in the dorsal and ventral hippocampus of both sexes. Additionally, we found that ventral hippocampus erbb4 expression, a gene implicated in smoking cessation outcomes, was elevated in both sexes following nicotine withdrawal.ConclusionsDespite the similar impacts of nicotine withdrawal on gene expression levels, fosb, cfos, bdnf and erbb4 levels in the ventral hippocampus were predictive of delays in female extinction learning alone. This suggests sex specific dysfunction in hippocampal circuitry may contribute to female specific nicotine withdrawal induced deficits in extinction learning.

Synergistic inhibitory effects of tetramethylpyrazine and evodiamine on endometriosis development

Endometriosis (EMS) belongs to a gynecological disorder with inflammation and the existence of endometrial-like tissues beyond the uterus, often leading to infertility and pelvic pain. Estrogen receptor β (ERβ) is significantly expressed in endometriosis (EMS) and recognized as a promising therapeutic target for EMS treatment by inhibiting ERβ activity. In this study, we investigated the potential mechanisms for tetramethylpyrazine (TMP)-mediated ERβ suppression, and the synergistic inhibitory effect of TMP and evodiamine (EVO) on ERβ expression and EMS development. We found that TMP suppresses ERβ expression by reducing the association of Oct3/4 with the ERβ promoter and decreasing Oct3/4 protein levels without affecting Oct3/4 transcript levels. A minimum dosage of 10 µM TMP is required to inhibit ERβ expression. Neither TMP (5 µM) nor EVO (2 µM) alone had any effect, but their combination synergistically inhibited ERβ expression and modulated related cellular processes, including redox balance, mitochondrial function, inflammation, and proliferation. Additionally, the combination of TMP (10 mg/kg body weight) and EVO (5 mg/kg) synergistically inhibited ERβ expression and EMS development in the mouse model. In conclusion, TMP suppresses ERβ expression by reducing the association of Oct3/4 with the ERβ promoter. Neither TMP nor EVO alone effectively suppresses ERβ in both laboratory and live organism models. However, their combination synergistically inhibits ERβ expression and EMS development, suggesting a potential therapeutic strategy for EMS using TMP and EVO.

Protective Effects of 17-βE2 on the Primary Hepatocytes of Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) Under Acute Heat Stress.

The rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) is a typical cold-water species. However, due to global warming, it has experienced prolonged high-temperature stress. Research indicates that thermotolerance in rainbow trout varies by sex at multiple physiological levels. Specifically, females exhibit higher thermotolerance, which may be attributed to estrogen-mediated signal transduction pathways. This study involved culturing primary hepatocytes from rainbow trout and exposing them to estradiol and estrogen receptor antagonists to assess estradiol's protective effects. The analysis focused on expression of ER, HSPs genes, hepatocyte viability, and antioxidant indices. Four experimental groups were treated with 17-βE2 at concentrations of 0, 0.1, 1, and 10 μM/mL for durations of 4, 8, 12, 24, and 48 h at 18 °C. 17-βE2 treatment led to increased hepatocyte viability and enhanced SOD, GSH-Px, and CAT levels but decreased MDA levels. hsp70a, hsp90β, era1, and erβ1 levels were notably higher, with the optimal 17-βE2 concentration being 1.0 μM/mL. Following heat stress (24 °C), the addition of 1.0 μM/mL 17-βE2 improved hepatocyte viability and increased SOD, GSH-Px, and CAT levels, while MDA content initially decreased before rising. The gene expression of hsp70a, hsp90β, era1, and erβ1 was significantly elevated compared to controls. Flow cytometry analysis showed increased apoptosis after heat exposure; however, 17-βE2 treatment significantly reduced the heat stress-induced effects (p < 0.05). In conclusion, 17-βE2 and mild heat stress collaboratively enhanced the expression of HSPs and estrogen receptors, thereby providing protection to hepatocytes from heat stress damage, indicating a beneficial protective role of estradiol in rainbow trout hepatocytes.

Tumor Differentiation is Correlated with Estrogen Receptor Beta (ERβ) Expression but Not with Interleukin-6 (IL-6) Expression in Colorectal Carcinoma

BACKGROUND: Colorectal carcinoma (CRC), the third most common malignant disease worldwide, is associated with estrogen receptor β (ERβ) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). ERβ is known to down-regulate IL-6 in prostate cancer, lung carcinoma, and CRC cell lines; however, its effect on human with CRC remains unclear. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the association between ERβ and IL-6 expressions with the clinicopathological features of CRC.METHODS: This was an analytic observational study using 40 paraffin blocks of CRC patients. ERβ and IL-6 expression was measured by immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining. The percentage of immunoreactive tumor cell per 1000 cells was manually recorded and tumor differentiation as well as tumor infiltration were determined. Tumor differentiation was graded according to the World Health Organization (WHO) 2010 criteria, while tumor infiltration was defined based on the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) 8th edition.RESULTS: Fifty percent of samples were well-differentiated CRC, and 57.5% samples were T3 infiltration tumors. IHC staining showed 35.5% of samples were positive for ERβ expression, while 70.86% were positive for IL-6 expression. There were negative correlation of ERβ expression with tumor differentiation (p=0.018; r=-0.371), but no correlation with tumor infiltration (p=0.836) were found. There was no correlation between ERβ expression with IL-6 expression (p=0.154).CONCLUSION: There is statistically significant correlation between tumor differentiation and ERβ expression, wherein improved tumor differentiation is linked to higher levels of positive ERβ expression. However, there is no discernible relationship between IL-6 and tumor differentiation. These findings suggest that while IL-6 was involved in the growth of the tumor, ERβ expression might have an impact on tumor differentiation.KEYWORDS: colorectal carcinoma, estrogen receptor beta, interleukin-6, cell differentiation

GULP1 as a Downstream Effector of the Estrogen Receptor-β Modulates Cisplatin Sensitivity in Bladder Cancer.

Precise molecular mechanisms underlying resistance to cisplatin-based chemotherapy remain unclear, while the activity of estrogen receptor-β (ERβ) has been suggested to be associated with chemosensitivity in urothelial cancer. We aimed to determine if GULP1, an adapter protein known to facilitate phagocytosis, could represent a downstream effector of ERβ and thereby modulate cisplatin sensitivity in bladder cancer. GULP1 expression and cisplatin cytotoxicity were compared in bladder cancer lines. Immunohistochemistry was used to determine the expression of GULP1 and ERβ in two sets of tissue microarray (TMA) consisting of transurethral resection specimens. The levels of GULP1 expression were considerably higher in ERβ-knockdown sublines than in the respective control ERβ-positive sublines. Estradiol treatment reduced GULP1 expression in ERα-negative/ERβ-positive lines, which was restored by the anti-estrogen tamoxifen. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assay revealed the binding of ERβ to the GULP1 promoter in bladder cancer cells. Moreover, GULP1 knockdown sublines were significantly more resistant to cisplatin treatment, but not to other chemotherapeutic agents, including gemcitabine, methotrexate, vinblastine, and doxorubicin. In the first set of TMA (n=129), the expression of ERβ and GULP1 was inversely correlated (p=0.023), and ERβ(-)/GULP1(+) in 51 muscle-invasive tumors was associated with significantly lower risk of disease progression and cancer-specific mortality. Similarly, in the second set (n=43), patients with ERβ(-)/GULP1(+) muscle-invasive disease were significantly (p=0.021) more likely to be responders to cisplatin-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy before radical cystectomy. ERβ activation was found to reduce the expression of GULP1 as a direct downstream target in bladder cancer cells, resulting in the induction of cisplatin resistance.

Individual and combined effects of commercial glyphosate, atrazine and 2,4-D herbicides on the gerbil ventral prostate

Exposure to pesticides, individually or in a mixture, in drinking water is one of the main sources of human contamination, which causes adverse effects on the reproductive system. Our study aimed to investigate, the effects of a 90-day exposure to low concentrations of glyphosate (GLY), atrazine (ATZ), and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), in commercial formulations, on morphological, molecular, and hormonal parameters of the ventral prostate of gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus). The animals were exposed via drinking water to individual concentrations of GLY: 700 μg/L, ATZ: 3 μg/L, and 2,4-D: 70 μg/L, as well as to their mixture (MIX). Our findings showed an increase in prostatic complex relative weight in ATZ-exposed animals. Stereological and morphometric techniques indicated an increase in the percentage and thickness of muscular stroma, following an increase in the amount of collagen and reticular fibers in the MIX group. Histopathological analysis showed a decrease in the incidence of epithelial atrophy, subepithelial inflammation, and microacini in the MIX. On the other hand, ATZ-exposed animals showed an increase in hyperplasia and total prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN). The expression of caspase-3 decreased and estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) increased in the 2,4-D and MIX. Western blotting showed an increase in estrogen receptor beta (ERβ) expression in MIX-exposed animals. Testosterone levels decreased in animals from the GLY, ATZ and 2,4-D groups. Our findings provide evidence that individual or combined exposure to herbicides causes hormonal imbalance and morphological alterations, besides favoring the incidence of proliferative lesions in the prostate, predisposing the gland to more severe injuries.

Endometrial Dysbiosis: A Possible Association with Estrobolome Alteration

Background/Objectives: Microbiota modification at the endometrial level can favor gynecological diseases and impair women’s fertility. The overgrowth of pathogen microorganisms is related to the contemporary alteration of estrogen-metabolizing bacteria, including β-glucuronidase, thereby enhancing estrogen-related inflammatory states and decreasing anti-inflammatory cells. The possible connection between estrobolome impairment and gynecological diseases has been suggested in animal models. Nevertheless, in humans, coherent evidence on the estrobolome alteration and functionality of the female reproductive tract is still lacking. The objective of this study was to explore alterations in estrogen-related signaling and the putative link with endometrial dysbiosis. Methods: Women with infertility and repeated implantation failure (RIF, N = 40) were enrolled in order to explore the putative link between estrogen metabolism and endometrial dysbiosis. Endometrial biopsies were used to measure inflammatory and growth factor molecules. β-glucuronidase enzyme activity and estrogen receptor (ER) expression were also assessed. Results: Herein, increased levels of inflammatory molecules (i.e., IL-1β and HIF-1α) and decreased levels of the growth factor IGF-1 were found in the endometrial biopsies of patients presenting dysbiosis compared to eubiotic ones. β-glucuronidase activity and the expression of ERβ were significantly enhanced in patients in the dysbiosis group. Interestingly, Lactobacilli abundance was inversely related to β-glucuronidase activity and to ERβ expression, thus suggesting that an alteration of the estrogen-activating enzyme may affect the expression of ERs as well. Conclusions. Overall, these preliminary data suggested a link between endometrial dysbiosis and estrobolome impairment as possible synergistic contributing factors to women infertility and RIF.

Hypoxia drives estrogen receptor β-mediated cell growth via transcription activation in non-small cell lung cancer.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a highly malignant tumor with a poor prognosis. Hypoxia conditions affect multiple cellular processes promoting the adaptation and progression of cancer cells via the activation of hypoxia-inducible factors (HIF) and subsequent transcription activation of their target genes. Preliminary studies have suggested that estrogen receptor β (ERβ) might play a promoting role in the progression of NSCLC. However, the precise mechanisms, particularly its connection to HIF-1α-mediated modulation under hypoxia, remain unclear. Our findings demonstrated that the overexpression of ERβ, not ERα, increased cell proliferation and inhibition of apoptosis in NSCLC cells and xenografts. Tissue microarray staining revealed a strong correlation between the protein expression of HIF-1α and ERβ. HIF-1α induced ERβ gene transcription and protein expression in CoCl2-induced hypoxia, 1% O2 incubation, or HIF-1α overexpressing cells. ChIP identified HIF-1α binding to a hypoxia response element in the ESR2 promoter. The suppression of HIF-1α and ERβ both in vitro and in vivo effectively reduced the tumor growth, thus emphasizing the promising prospects of targeting HIF-1α and ERβ as a therapeutic approach for the treatment of NSCLC. KEY MESSAGES: ERβ, not ERα, increases cell proliferation and inhibition of apoptosis in NSCLC cells and xenografts. A strong correlation exists between the protein expression of HIF-1α and ERβ. HIF-1α induced ERβ gene transcription and protein expression in hypoxic cells via binding to HRE in the ESR2 promoter. The suppression of HIF-1α and ERβ both in vitro and in vivo effectively reduced the NSCLC tumor growth.

The role and mechanism of NRG1/ErbB4 in inducing the differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells into cardiomyocytes

BackgroundWe aimed to investigate the effect and potential mechanism of enhancing Neuregulin1 (NRG1)/v-erb-b2 avian erythroblastic leukemia viral oncogene homolog 4 (ErbB4) expression on the differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) into cardiomyocytes.MethodsWe utilized CRISPR-CAS9 technology to knock in ErbB4 and obtained a single-cell clone IPSN-AAVS1-CMV-ErbB4 (iPSCs-ErbB4). Subsequently, we induced the differentiation of iPSCs into cardiomyocytes and quantified the number of beating embryoid bodies. Furthermore, quantitative real-time PCR assessed the expression of cardiomyocyte markers, including ANP (atrial natriuretic peptide), Nkx2.5 (NK2 transcription factor related locus 5), and GATA4 (GATA binding protein 4). On the 14th day of differentiation, we observed the α-MHC (α-myosin heavy chain)-positive area using immunofluorescent staining and conducted western blotting to detect the expression of cTnT (cardiac troponin) protein and PI3K/Akt signaling pathway-related proteins. Additionally, we intervened the iPSCs-ErbB4 + NRG1 group with the PI3K/Akt inhibitor LY294002 and observed alterations in the expression of cardiomyocyte differentiation-related genes.ResultsThe number of beating embryoid bodies increased after promoting the expression of NRG1/ErbB4 compared to the iPSCs control group. Cardiomyocyte markers ANP, Nkx2.5, and GATA4 significantly increased on day 14 of differentiation, and the positive area of α-MHC was three times that of the iPSCs control group. Moreover, there was a marked increase in cTnT protein expression. However, there was no significant difference in cardiomyocyte differentiation between the iPSCs-ErbB4 group and the iPSCs control group. Akt phosphorylation was significantly increased in the iPSCs-ErbB4 + NRG1 group. LY294002 significantly reversed the enhancing effect of NRG1/ErbB4 overexpression on Akt phosphorylation as well as the increase in α-MHC and cTnT expression.ConclusionsIn conclusion, promoting the expression of NRG1/ErbB4 induced the differentiation of iPSC into cardiomyocytes, possibly through modulation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Gene expression levels in cumulus cells are correlated with developmental competence of bovine oocytes

The generation of mammalian embryos by in vitro culture is hampered by the failure of many of the embryos to develop to the blastocyst stage. This problem occurs even when cumulus–oocyte complexes (COCs) with good morphology are visually selected and used for culture. Because cumulus cells are important for oocyte maturation and subsequent embryo development, here we compared gene expression patterns in cumulus cells of COCs that developed in vitro to the blastocyst stage with those of COCs that failed to develop. Cumulus cells were aspirated from bovine COCs selected for in vitro culture. Oocyte developmental competence was evaluated by screening for cleavage and development to the blastocyst stage. The collected cumulus cells were used to quantify mRNA levels of FSH receptor (FSHR), insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R), anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), AMH receptor II (AMHRII), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), estrogen receptor β (ERβ), B cell lymphoma/leukemia-2 associated X (Bax), and cysteine-aspartic acid protease-3 (Caspase-3). We found that the expression levels of FSHR, IGF-1R, AMH, and EGFR were higher in cumulus cells from COCs that developed to blastocysts as compared with those that failed to develop, whereas expression levels of Bax and Caspase-3 were lower in cumulus cells of COCs that matured to the blastocyst stage. Positive correlations were found between FSHR and IGF-1R expression (r = 0.59) and between ERβ and EGFR expression (r = 0.43) in cumulus cells from COCs that developed to the blastocyst stage. Our findings indicate that gene expression levels in cumulus cells are correlated with the developmental competence of bovine oocytes. Measurement of gene expression in cumulus cells therefore offers a non-invasive means of predicting oocyte developmental competence.

A modified model of PANoptosisto identify prognosis and immunotherapy response in bladder cancer

BackgroundCell death, including apoptosis and necrosis, collectively known as widespread apoptosis. The present study aims to investigate the mechanism of action in widespread apoptosis-related modification patterns in bladder cancer. MethodsUsing a clinical genomics database, we obtained transcriptomic data and related clinical information of bladder cancer patients. By employing the least absolute shrinkage analysis, we were able to construct a risk model and single-cell sequencing analysis of differential genes in bladder cancer. ResultsFive differentially expressed genes (TMPRSS4, TPST1, FOXD1, ELOVL4, EMP1) associated with widespread apoptosis were identified as features for predicting the prognosis of bladder cancer patients. Survival curve analysis revealed significant differences in prognosis (P<0.05). Additionally, multivariate Cox regression analysis determined the independent risk factor for bladder cancer prognosis as the risk score (P<0.001), with high confidence in the scoring model validated internally (P<0.001). Single-cell sequencing reveals high expression of CDKN2A, ERBB2, and TMPRSS4 in B cells, while HRAS is significantly expressed in fibroblasts. ConclusionPANscore, as a potential prognostic and immunotherapeutic biomarker, will provide more precise and rational basis for personalized treatment strategies