Rapid estrogen receptor signaling is essential for the protective effects of estrogen against vascular injury

Background: Clinical trial and epidemiological data support that the cardiovascular effects of estrogen are complex, including a mixture of both potentially beneficial and harmful effects. In animal models, estrogen protects females from vascular injury and inhibits atherosclerosis. These effects are mediated by estrogen receptors (ERs), which when bound to estrogen can bind to DNA to directly regulate transcription. ERs can also activate several cellular kinases by inducing a rapid non-nuclear signaling cascade. However, the biologic significance of this rapid signaling pathway has been unclear.

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Bernelot Moens SJ, Schnitzler GR, Nickerson M, Guo H, Ueda K, Lu Q, Aronovitz MJ, Nickerson H, Baur WE, Hansen U, Iyer LK, Karas RH