Estrogen modulation of osteoblastic cell-to-cell communication

• Published in: Journal of cellular biochemistry 1998-06, Vol.69 (3), p.282-290
• Main Authors: Massas, R., Korenstein, R., Benayahu, D.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Animals, Newborn; Calcium - metabolism; Cell Communication - drug effects; Cells, Cultured; Estrogen Antagonists - pharmacology; estrogen modulation; Estrogens - pharmacology; gap junction communication; nuclear receptors; osteoblastic cells; Osteoblasts - cytology; Osteoblasts - drug effects; Osteoblasts - metabolism; plasma membrane receptors; Rats; Space life sciences; Tamoxifen - pharmacology
• ISSN: 0730-2312; 1097-4644
• DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1097-4644(19980601)69:3<282::AID-JCB6>3.0.CO;2-N

Two osteoblastic cell populations, calvarial and marrow stromal cells, were exposed to estrogen derivatives in vitro. The hormonal effect was monitored by following intracellular Ca+2 levels [Ca+2]i and gap‐junction communication. We measured fast changes in intracellular Ca+2 levels in response, of these cells, to the steroid hormones. The changes were dose dependent revealing maximal activity at 100 pM by 17‐β‐Estradiol and 1 nM by estradiol‐CMO. Additionally, the effect of estrogen, on functional coupling of the cells, was measured using fluorescence dye migration and counting the number of neighboring cells coupled by gap junctions. An uncoupling effect was demonstrated in response of these cells to estrogen treatment. The quick stereospecific effect was achieved in the presence of 17‐β‐estradiol but not in the presence of 17‐α‐estradiol. These results suggest the involvement of plasma membrane receptors in addition to the already known nuclear receptors in transducing the hormone effects in the osteoblastic cells. J. Cell. Biochem. 69:282–290, 1998. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.