estrogen tagged posts

Researchers Discover Mechanism by which Estrogen can Trigger Fast Neuronal Responses

Estrogen, the major female ovarian hormone, can trigger nerve impulses within milliseconds to regulate a variety of physiological processes. At Baylor College of Medicine, Louisiana State University and collaborating institutions, researchers discovered that estrogen’s fast actions are mediated by the coupling of the estrogen receptor-alpha (ER-alpha) with an ion channel protein called Clic1.

Clic1 controls the fast flux of electrically charged chloride ions through the cell membrane, which neurons use for receiving, conducting and transmitting signals. The researchers propose that interacting with the ER-alpha-Clic1 complex enables estrogen to trigger fast neuronal responses through Clic1 ion currents. The study appears in Science Advances.

“Estrogen can act in the brain to reg...

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How does Estrogen Protect Bones? Unraveling a pathway to menopausal bone loss

Estrogen induces osteocyte expression of Sema3A, which acts on its receptor on osteocytes to promote survival, resulting in reduced osteoclastic bone resorption and enhanced osteoblastic bone formation. Sema3A-activated sGC-cGMP signaling through Nrp1 protected osteocytes from apoptosis.
Credit: Department of Cell Signaling,TMDU

Women who have reached menopause are at a greater risk of developing osteoporosis, which can lead to bone fractures and long-term impairment of mobility. Studies have suggested a link between reduced bone density and low estrogen levels due to menopause, but the basis for this link is unclear. Researchers found that the protein Sema3A plays a key role in maintaining healthy bones, suggesting a new therapeutic avenue to treat osteoporosis.

Bone is a complex...

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Role of Estrogen in controlling Type 2 Diabetes

Image result for Texas A&M-led study explores the role of estrogen in controlling Type 2 diabetes
Dr. Guo (standing) with Wanbao Yang, a Ph.D. student in Guo’s lab at Texas A&M University. Yang was the second author of the study investigating the role of estrogen in control of glucose homeostasis. (Texas A&M AgriLife Research photo) Credit: Texas A&M AgriLife Research

The results of a recent study provide insights into the mechanism by which estrogen can decrease insulin resistance and the production of glucose, reducing incidences of Type 2 diabetes mellitus. The results of a recent Texas A&M University-led study provide insights into the mechanism by which estrogen can decrease insulin resistance and the production of glucose, reducing incidence of Type 2 diabetes mellitus.

The study, “Estrogen Improves Insulin Sensitivity and Suppresses Gluconeogenesis via the Transcription...

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Exposure to BPA substitute, BPS, Multiplies Breast Cancer Cells

breast cancer

Micrograph showing a lymph node invaded by ductal breast carcinoma, with extension of the tumour beyond the lymph node. Credit: Nephron/Wikipedia

Bisphenol S, a substitute for bisphenol A (BPA) in the plastic industry, shows the potential for increasing the aggressiveness of breast cancer through its behavior as an endocrine-disrupting chemical, a new study finds. The results, which tested BPS in human breast cancer cells, will be presented Saturday at ENDO 2017, the Endocrine Society’s 99th annual meeting in Orlando, Fla.

BPS is found in polycarbonate hard plastics, currency bills and thermal paper receipts as well as many products touted to be free of BPA, a known endocrine-disrupting chemical suspected of having multiple possible health risks...

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