Significance of G Protein-Coupled Estrogen Receptor in the Pathophysiology of Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Inflammatory Bowel Diseases and Colorectal Cancer

• Published in: Frontiers in endocrinology (Lausanne) 2020-06, Vol.11, p.390-390
• Main Authors: Jacenik, Damian, Krajewska, Wanda M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; colorectal cancer; Colorectal Neoplasms - physiopathology; Crohn's disease; Endocrinology; G protein-coupled estrogen receptor; Humans; inflammatory bowel diseases; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases - physiopathology; irritable bowel syndrome; Irritable Bowel Syndrome - physiopathology; Receptors, Estrogen - physiology; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled - physiology; Signal Transduction; ulcerative colitis
• ISSN: 1664-2392; 1664-2392
• DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2020.00390

The regulatory role of estrogens and nuclear estrogen receptors, i. e., estrogen receptor α and β has been reported in gastrointestinal diseases. However, the contribution of G protein-coupled estrogen receptor, the membrane-bound estrogen receptor, is still poorly understood. Unlike nuclear estrogen receptors, which are responsible for the genomic activity of estrogens, the G protein-coupled estrogen receptor affects the "rapid" non-genomic activity of estrogens, leading to modulation of many signaling pathways and ultimately changing gene expression. Recently, the crucial role of G protein-coupled estrogen receptor in intestinal pathogenesis has been documented. It has been shown that the G protein-coupled estrogen receptor can modulate the progression of irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis as well as colorectal cancer. The G protein-coupled estrogen receptor appears to be a potent factor regulating abdominal sensitivity and pain, intestinal peristalsis, colitis development, proliferation and migration potential of colorectal cancer cells and seems to be a useful target in gastrointestinal diseases. In this review, we present the current state of knowledge about the contribution of the G protein-coupled estrogen receptor to irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel diseases and colorectal cancer.