The Estrogen Receptor Hormonal Mechanisms

Estrogen receptor refers to a group of receptors which are activated by the hormone 17β-estradiol (estrogen). Two types of estrogen receptor exist: ER which is a member of the nuclear hormone family of intracellular receptors and the estrogen G protein coupled receptor GPR30 (GPER), which is a G-protein coupled receptor. This article refers to the nuclear hormone receptor ER.

The main function of the estrogen receptor is as a DNA binding transcription factor which regulates gene expression. However the estrogen receptor also has additional functions independent of DNA binding.

Estrogen receptor Molecular and cellular mechanism,Steroid hormones are chemical substances secreted by glands in the abdomen with involved in the regulation of variety of the functions including sodium balace,metabolism and reproductive functions.For example

Estrogen Receptor Molecular & Cellular Mechanisms

Estrogen receptors (ERs) act by regulating transcriptional processes. The classical mechanism of ER action involves estrogen binding to receptors in the nucleus, after which the receptors dimerize and bind to specific response elements known as estrogen response elements (EREs) located in the promoters of target genes. However, ERs can also regulate gene expression without directly binding to DNA. This occurs through protein-protein interactions with other DNA-binding transcription factors in the nucleus. In addition, membrane-associated ERs mediate nongenomic actions of estrogens, which can lead both to altered functions of proteins in the cytoplasm and to regulation of gene expression.

The latter two mechanisms of ER action enable a broader range of genes to be regulated than the range that can be regulated by the classical mechanism of ER action alone. This review surveys our knowledge about the molecular mechanism by which ERs regulate the expression of genes that do not contain EREs, and it gives examples of the ways in which the genomic and nongenomic actions of ERs on target genes converge. Genomic and nongenomic actions of ERs that do not depend on EREs influence the physiology of many target tissues, and thus, increasing our understanding of the molecular mechanisms behind these actions is highly relevant for the development of novel drugs that target specific receptor actions