Estradiol Reduces Nonclassical Transcription at Cyclic Adenosine 3′,5′-Monophosphate Response Elements in Glioma Cells Expressing Estrogen Receptor Alpha

Estradiol can protect the brain from a variety of insults by activating membrane-initiated signaling pathways, and thereby modulate gene expression and lead to functional changes in neurons. These direct neuronal effects of the hormone have been well documented; however, it is less understood what effects estradiol may have on nonneuronal cells of the central nervous system. There is evidence that estradiol levels can induce the release of glial-derived growth factors and other cytokines, suggesting that estradiol may both directly and indirectly protect neurons. To determine whether 17β-estradiol (E2) can activate rapid signaling and modulate nonclassical transcription in astrocytes, we stably transfected the C6 rat glioblastoma cell line with human estrogen receptor (ER) α (C6ERα) or rat ERβ (C6ERβ). Introduction of a cAMP response element-luciferase reporter gene into C6, C6ERα, and C6ERβ cells leads to the observation that E2 treatment reduced isoproterenol-stimulated luciferase activity by 35% in C6ERα but had no effect on reporter gene expression in C6ERβ or untransfected C6 cells. A similar effect was seen with a membrane-impermeable estrogen (E2-BSA), suggesting the modulation of nonclassical transcription by estradiol treatment is mediated by the activation of a membrane-initiated signaling pathway. Furthermore, pretreatment with wortmannin (phosphatidylinsositol 3-kinase) or U73122 (phospholipase C) attenuated the E2-induced reduction in nonclassical transcription. We conclude that E2 treatment reduces cAMP response element-mediated transcription in glioma cells expressing ERα and that this reduction is dependent on the activation of membrane-initiated signaling. These findings suggest a novel model of estrogen rapid signaling in astrocytes that leads to modulation of nonclassical transcription.