Endothelium and estrogen receptors.

SIMONCINI T; MANNELLA P; GARIBALDI S; FU X; GIRETTI MS; BALDACCI C; CARUSO A; PISANESCHI S; FLAMINI MI; SANCHEZ AM; GENAZZANI AR

Internal Medicine Clinical and Laboratory

Pacini Editore SRL

Año: 2005

1590-9271

In summary, ER signal through a yet largely unknown array of actions triggered by estrogen through distinct molecular mechanisms in different tissues. There is growing evidence to suggest that part of these actions can be ascribed to ERs localized to the plasma membrane. ER non-transcriptional signaling mechanisms are particularly important at the vascular wall level, where estrogen activates NO release via the interaction with the lipid kinase PI3K, thus controlling vascular tone and exerting potent anti-atherogenic effects. Understanding the molecular mechanisms through which these actions are exerted represents an important frontier, in order to have the key to engineer newer pharmacological tools for the prevention of cardiovascular disease in postmenopausal women.