piperidines and moxestrol

The estrogenic character of tamoxifen and raloxifene was studied on three different genes, an ERE-reporter construct and two endogenous genes, sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and pS2, in two variants of the human liver carcinoma cell line HepG2. On the ERE-reporter construct and the pS2 gene both tamoxifen and raloxifene acted as pure estrogen antagonists, whereas on the SHBG gene they functioned as partial estrogens/antiestrogens at concentrations below 1 microM and as full "agonists" at concentrations higher than 1 microM. The fold stimulatory effect of tamoxifen and raloxifene on SHBG protein expression was similar in the estrogen receptor (ER) expressing HepG2 cells (HepER3) and the parental non-ER expressing HepG2 cells at concentrations above 1 microM. In contrast, the 17beta-estradiol analogue moxestrol stimulated SHBG expression only in the HepER3 cells. Both tamoxifen and raloxifene had an additive effect to estrogen receptor-dependent SHBG gene expression in the HepER3 cells in the presence of saturating concentrations of moxestrol. However, a significant difference was observed in that a much higher concentration of moxestrol was required to see an additive effect of raloxifene compared to tamoxifen. The cytokine IL1-beta completely blocked the tamoxifen-dependent induction of SHBG gene expression in HepER3 cells, but only partly blocked the effect of moxestrol mediated by the ER. In conclusion, our results suggest that the mechanism for the liver-selective "estrogenic" character of tamoxifen and raloxifene is mediated by a non-ER dependent pathway.

Topics: Alkaline Phosphatase; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; Clone Cells; Estradiol; Estradiol Congeners; Estrogen Antagonists; Ethinyl Estradiol; Female; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Genes, Reporter; Humans; Kinetics; Liver Neoplasms; Piperidines; Placenta; Pregnancy; Protein Biosynthesis; Proteins; Raloxifene Hydrochloride; Receptors, Estrogen; Recombinant Fusion Proteins; Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; Tamoxifen; Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate; Trefoil Factor-1; Tumor Cells, Cultured; Tumor Suppressor Proteins

Estrogen exerts biphasic effects on progesterone biosynthesis by swine granulosa cells, such that initial transient inhibition is followed by delayed but sustained stimulation. We have tested the functional role of the estradiol receptor in these biphasic responses by utilizing the highly selective estrogen-receptor antagonist, LY156758, and the synthetic estrogen agonist, moxestrol. The acute inhibitory action of estradiol was mimicked in a dose-dependent action by moxestrol (half-maximally inhibitory dose: 54.3 +/- 25 ng/ml), but was not antagonized by LY156758. Rather, the antiestrogen alone significantly suppressed basal progesterone synthesis, and accentuated the suppressive effect of submaximally inhibitory doses of estradiol. Inhibition was accompanied by increased pregnenolone accumulation, with a consequently augmented ratio of pregnenolone to progesterone. Moreover, in cell-free sonicates of granulosa cells, LY156758 directly inhibited 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity in a dose-dependent fashion, with half-maximal inhibition expressed at a drug concentration of 2.44 +/- 0.31 micrograms/ml compared with 85 +/- 19 ng/ml for estradiol. In addition, the combination of LY156758 and submaximally inhibitory doses of estradiol resulted in further suppression of 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity. The sustained stimulatory phase of estrogen action was also mimicked by moxestrol in a dose-dependent fashion. However, in contrast to its acute inhibitory effects, longer-term treatment with LY156758 slightly enhanced basal progesterone accumulation, and effectively antagonized estradiol's stimulatory actions. In summary, our results with moxestrol demonstrate that both the inhibitory and the stimulatory actions of estradiol are effectively mimicked by this synthetic estrogen agonist. Results with the selective anti-estrogen LY156758 indicate a small degree of intrinsic estrogen agonist activity (approx 4% that of estradiol), which is reflected by its acute and direct inhibition of 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity. However, under longer-term conditions in which estradiol's stimulation of progesterone production is expressed, LY156758 significantly antagonizes estradiol's trophic actions. Accordingly, we suggest that the acute suppressive effects of estradiol on progesterone production are mediated predominantly by direct inhibition of 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity, while delayed stimulatory effects are transduce

Topics: 3-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases; Animals; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Estradiol; Ethinyl Estradiol; Female; Ovary; Piperidines; Pregnenolone; Progesterone; Raloxifene Hydrochloride; Receptors, Estradiol; Swine