雌激素受体和雌性生殖研究进展

Progress on Estrogen Receptor and Female Reproduction

雌激素通过雌激素受体(ER)在雌性生殖活动中起着重要作用,雌激素受体是配体依赖的转录调节因子,属核受体超家族成员。目前认为存在2种亚型:即经典的ERα和新发现的ERβ。利用基因敲除技术研究表明,ERα和ERβ对于卵巢的发育不是必需的,但ERα可通过负反馈回路调节排卵,而ERβ通过卵巢内和卵巢外2条途径调节卵泡的发育和排卵,两者共同作用以维持雌性性征、卵泡发育和排卵等生理活动;在子宫中,ERα占主导作用,在子宫成熟和胚胎附植过程中起着重要作用,ERβ则能以反应特异性和剂量依赖性的方式调节ERα的作用。

The estrogen plays critical roles in reproductive physiology through estrogen receptor （ER） . The ERs are considered Class Ⅰ members of the superfamily of nuclear receptors, characterized as ligand-inducible transcription factors. ER exists in two known forms, the classical estrog receptor-alpha （ERα） and the more recently discovered estrogen receptor-beta （ERβ）. Gene targeting techniques were used to generate mice lacking either functional ERα（ERαKO）, ERβ（ERβKO）, or both ERs （ER αβ KO） to provide a model for evaluating estrogen receptor action. It suggests that ERα and ERβ is not necessary for the development of ovary,but ERα regulates ovulation through the negative feedback action of estradiol on the hypothalamic pituitary axis,and ERβ regulates follicular development and ovulation through intraovarian and extraovarian ways. Both ERs maintain dominant roles during uterus maturation and embryo implantation in the uterus. ER α activity is modulated by ER β in response-specific and ligand dose-dependent ways.