Novel ligands balance estrogen receptor ß and α agonism for safe and effective suppression of the vasomotor response in the ovariectomized female rat model of menopause.

Vasomotor thermo-dysregulation (hot flashes) are an often debilitating symptom of menopause. Effective treatment is achieved primarily through activation of the estrogen receptor (ER)α with estrogens but is also associated with increased risk for breast and uterine cancer. In this study, we have tested novel compounds lacking the B ring of 17-hydroxy-ß-estradiol (E2) (A-CD compounds) with differing ratios of ERα:ERß binding affinities for the ability to reduce diurnal/nocturnal tail-skin temperatures (TSTs) in the ovariectomized female rat menopausal hot flash model. Normal mammary tissue expresses the predominantly antiproliferative ERß. Therefore, we hypothesized that a preferential ERß agonist with fractional ERα activity would safely reduce TSTs. The A-CD compound, L17, is a preferential ERß agonist that has a ratio of ERß:ERα binding affinity relative to E2 of 9.3 (where ERß:ERα for E2, 1.0). In the ovariectomized rat, daily administration of low doses (1 mg/kg) of the A-CD compound TD81 (ERα:ERß relative affinity, 15.2) was ineffective in temperature regulation, whereas L17 showed a trend toward TST reduction. Both E2 and the A-CD compound, TD3 (ERß:ERα relative affinity, 5.0), also reduced TSTs but had marked proliferative effects on mammary and uterine tissues. At 2 mg/kg, L17 strongly reduced TSTs even more effectively than E2 but, importantly, had only minimal effect on uterine weight and mammary tissues. Both E2- and L17-treated rats showed similar weight reduction over the treatment period. E2 is rapidly metabolized to highly reactive quinones, and we show that L17 has 2-fold greater metabolic stability than E2. Finally, L17 and E2 similarly mediated induction of c-fos expression in neurons within the rat thermoregulatory hypothalamic median preoptic nucleus. Thus, the A-CD compound, L17, may represent a safe and effective approach to the treatment of menopausal hot flashes.

Preferential estrogen receptor ß ligands reduce Bcl-2 expression in hormone-resistant breast cancer cells to increase autophagy.

Acquired resistance to selective estrogen receptor (ER) modulators (SERM) and downregulators (SERD) is a significant clinical problem in the treatment of estrogen (E2) receptor-positive (ER(+)) breast cancers. There are two ER subtypes, ERα and ERß, which promote and inhibit breast cancer cell proliferation, respectively. Although ER(+) breast cancers typically express a high ratio of ERα to ERß, the acquisition of SERM resistance in vitro and in vivo is associated with increased relative expression of the ERß. On some gene enhancers, ERß has been shown to function in opposition to the ERα in the presence of E2. Here, we demonstrate that two different ERß agonists, WAY-20070 and a novel "A-CD" estrogen called L17, produce a marked reduction in G(2)-M phase correlated with effects on cyclin D1 and cyclin E expression in a SERM/SERD-resistant breast cancer cell line. ERß agonists recruited both the ERα and ERß to the Bcl-2 E2-response element strongly reducing Bcl-2 mRNA and protein in an ERß-dependent manner. L17 recruited RIP140 to the Bcl-2 promoter in cells overexpressing ERß. Exposure to the ERß ligands also resulted in increased processing of LC3-I to LC3-II, indicative of enhanced autophagic flux. The coaddition of ERß agonist and the autophagy inhibitor chloroquine resulted in a significant accumulation of sub-G1 DNA which was completely prevented by the addition of the caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK. We propose that combined therapies with an ERß agonist and an inhibitor of autophagy may provide the basis for a novel approach to the treatment of SERM/SERD-resistant breast cancers.

A-CD estrogens. I. Substituent effects, hormone potency, and receptor subtype selectivity in a new family of flexible estrogenic compounds.

Long-term use of estrogen supplements by women leads to an increased risk of breast and uterine cancers. Possible mechanisms include metabolism of estradiol and compounds related to tumor-initiating quinones, and ligand-induced activation of the estrogen receptors ERα and ERß which can cause cancer cell proliferation, depending on the ratio of receptors present. One therapeutic goal would be to create a spectrum of compounds of variable potency for ERα and ERß, which are resistant to quinone formation, and to determine an optimum point in this spectrum. We describe the synthesis, modeling, binding affinities, hormone potency, and a measure of quinone formation for a new family of A-CD estrogens, where the A-C bond is formed by ring coupling. Some substituents on the A-ring increase hormone potency, and one compound is much less quinone-forming than estradiol. These compounds span a wide range of receptor subtype selectivities and may be useful in hormone replacement therapy.