Premium
Conditional expression of constitutively active estrogen receptor α in osteoblasts increases bone mineral density in mice
Author(s) -
Ikeda Kazuhiro,
Tsukui Tohru,
Horie-Inoue Kuniko,
Inoue Satoshi
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/j.febslet.2011.03.038
Subject(s) - osteoclast , osteoprotegerin , osteoblast , estrogen receptor , medicine , endocrinology , transgene , genetically modified mouse , chemistry , estrogen , bone mineral , microbiology and biotechnology , bone resorption , bone remodeling , estrogen receptor alpha , receptor , osteoporosis , biology , activator (genetics) , in vitro , biochemistry , gene , cancer , breast cancer
Estrogen plays an important role in maintaining bone density in women. Estrogen receptor (ER) is expressed in osteoblasts and osteoclasts; however, the precise mechanism of ER in bone is not fully understood. In the present study, we generated a conditional transgenic mouse caERα ColI that expresses the constitutively active ERα in osteoblasts using collagen type I promoter‐driven Cre transgenic mice. The caERα ColI mice showed increased bone mineral density (BMD). Osteoblasts prepared from caERα ColI mice expressed high levels of osteoprotegerin and decreased levels of IL‐6, both of which are known to regulate osteoclast differentiation. These results suggest that ERα regulates osteoprotegerin and IL‐6 production in osteoblasts and modulates BMD. The conditional transgenic mouse model is useful for understanding the in vivo function of ERα.