BACKGROUND: Estrogen plays a significant role in protecting premenopausal @entity1 from @entity65 . We have found that estradiol augments endothelial cell activities related to vascular healing and that @entity1 coronary artery and umbilical vein endothelial cells express estrogen receptors (ERs). Classically, the ER functions as a transcription factor, but the cytoplasmic targets of this genomic effect have not been defined for endothelial cells. In the present study, we examined the potential role of the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases @entity12206 and @entity3963 as mediators of estrogen action. METHODS AND RESULTS: @entity1 umbilical vein endothelial cells were estrogen depleted by culturing in hormone-free medium for 48 hours before experiments. 17Beta-estradiol (E2) stimulated a delayed (3 hours) 5- to 7-fold induction of @entity1366 activity requiring activation of ER and new transcription/translation. Conditioned media from cells stimulated for 3 hours with E2 induced immediate @entity1366 activation and phosphorylation of the @entity540 ( @entity540 ) receptor. Moreover, @entity1366 activation by E2 or by conditioned media was abrogated by treatment with neutralizing anti- @entity540 antibody. CONCLUSIONS: These data describe an autocrine mechanism for E2 induction of @entity1366 in HUVEC. Because our previous studies suggested that certain cardioprotective effects of estrogen are genomic in nature, the results are consistent with the hypothesis that autocrine stimulation of endothelial @entity1366 activity by @entity540 may play a role in the beneficial effects of estrogen on cardiovascular biology.

Estrogen stimulates delayed mitogen-activated protein kinase activity in XXXX endothelial cells via an autocrine loop that involves @entity540 .

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['women', 'human', 'Human'] @entity3963 :: ('5594', 'Gene') :: ['ERK2'] @entity540 :: ('2247', 'Gene') :: ['bFGF', 'basic fibroblast growth factor'] @entity12206 :: ('5595', 'Gene') :: ['ERK1'] @entity65 :: ('MESH:D002318', 'Disease') :: ['cardiovascular disease'] @entity1366 :: ('5595;5594', 'Gene') :: ['ERK1/2']
@entity1 :: (9606,Species) :: ['human']
