Oral estrogen treatment induces a decrease in expression of sialyl Lewis x on α1 glycoprotein in females and male-to-female transsexuals

• Published in: Glycobiology (Oxford) 1996-06, Vol.6 (4), p.407-412
• Main Authors: Brinkman-Van der Linden, Els C.M., Havenaar, Ellen C., Van Ommen, Esther C.R., Van Kamp, Gerard J., Gooren, Louis J.G., Van Dijk, Willem
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: contraceptives oral; estrogens; fucosylation; orosomucoid; sialyl Lewis x
• ISSN: 0959-6658; 1460-2423
• DOI: 10.1093/glycob/6.4.407

The effect of estrogen on the glycosylation of α1-acid glycoprotein was studied in women using oral contraceptives and in male-to-female transsexuals receiving oral or transdermal estrogen treatment. Oral estrogen treatment induced an increase in degree of branching and a decrease in fucosylation and sialyl Lewis x expression on α1-acid glycoprotein compared to individuals receiving no estrogens or transdermal estrogen treatment. The effect on the glycosylation of α1-acid glycoprotein was less in the male-to-female transsexuals receiving oral estrogens in combination with cyproterone acetate, a blocker of the androgen receptor with progestagen-like effects. This was of comparable magnitude as in women using oral contraceptives containing both estrogen and progestagen. We conclude that oral estrogens have an identical effect on the hepatic glycosylation of α1-acid glycoprotein in both males and females and that progestagen reduces this effect. These results show that oral estrogens induce an effect on the glycosylation of α1-acid glycoprotein opposite to that induced by inflammation. Oral estrogens can therefore modulate the glycosylation dependent inflammatory actions of α1-acid glycoprotein, while this is not the case with transdermal estrogens. In all likelihood, estrogen receptors on the hepatocyte must play a significant role in the observed effect.