17beta-estradiol stimulates the translocation of endogenous estrogen receptor α at the plasma membrane of normal anterior pituitary cells

GUTIERREZ S; SOSA L; PETITI J; MUKDSI J; MASCANFRONI ID; PELLIZAS CG; DE PAUL AL; CAMBIASO M; TORRES AI

ELSEVIER IRELAND LTD

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2012

n the present work we aimed at identifying ERα in the plasma membrane of normal anterior pituitary cells and investigated if 17β-estradiol was able to induce their subcellular redistribution. Our results show that about 8% of anterior pituitary cells expressed ERα in the plasma membrane, with the geometrical mean fluorescence intensity being increased after steroid hormone treatment. 17β-estradiol and the selective ERα agonist PPT induced an increase of ERα expression in the plasma membrane and activated the PKCα/ERK 1/2 pathway in a time-course not compatible with genomic actions, thus supporting the notion of membrane-initiated effects. These findings suggest that 17β-estradiol stimulates the translocation of endogenous ERα to the plasma membrane, consequently modulating this ER pool and leading to cellular biological effects in normal anterior pituitary gland.