Estrogen modulates epithelial progenitor cells in rat vagina
Purpose: The expression of epithelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in rat vagina was recently reported. The aims were to investigate the effects of estrogen on vaginal EPCs in the oophorectomized female rat model. Materials and Methods: Female Sprague-Dawley rats (230–240 g, n=30) were divided into 3 gr...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Korean Urological Association
2021-05-01
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| Series: | Investigative and Clinical Urology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.icurology.org/pdf/10.4111/icu.20200513 |
| _version_ | 1818675731298779136 |
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| author | Ho Seok Chung Hyun-Suk Lee Kwangsung Park |
| author_facet | Ho Seok Chung Hyun-Suk Lee Kwangsung Park |
| author_sort | Ho Seok Chung |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Purpose: The expression of epithelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in rat vagina was recently reported. The aims were to investigate the effects of estrogen on vaginal EPCs in the oophorectomized female rat model.
Materials and Methods: Female Sprague-Dawley rats (230–240 g, n=30) were divided into 3 groups: control (n=10), bilateral oophorectomy (OVX, n=10), and bilateral OVX followed by subcutaneous injections of 17β-estradiol (50 µg/kg/day, n=10). After 4 weeks, the expression of EPC-specific markers (CD44, estrogen receptor alpha [ERα], and progesterone receptor) were evaluated by immunohistochemistry and Western blot.
Results: The CD44/ERα double-labeled cells were mainly expressed in basal cell layers and suprabasal layers as shown by confocal immunofluorescence. Confocal microscopy revealed that the number of CD44+/ERα+ cells decreased in the OVX group compared with the controls but was similar to control levels in rats receiving estrogen replacements. The protein expression of CD44 and ERα decreased after OVX and was restored to control levels after estrogen supplementation.
Conclusions: Markers of EPCs were expressed in the vagina, and the expression of resident EPCs was regulated by estrogen. These findings imply that resident EPCs may have an important role in the regeneration of vaginal mucosa by estrogen replacement. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T08:32:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-73f98556fa8f4e7087984a64d6307d6a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2466-0493 2466-054X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T08:32:14Z |
| publishDate | 2021-05-01 |
| publisher | Korean Urological Association |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Investigative and Clinical Urology |
| spelling | doaj.art-73f98556fa8f4e7087984a64d6307d6a2022-12-21T21:56:34ZengKorean Urological AssociationInvestigative and Clinical Urology2466-04932466-054X2021-05-0162334935310.4111/icu.20200513Estrogen modulates epithelial progenitor cells in rat vaginaHo Seok Chung0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9883-1539Hyun-Suk Lee1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3374-9435Kwangsung Park2https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8827-162XDepartment of Urology, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Korea.Department of Urology, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Korea.Department of Urology, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Korea.Purpose: The expression of epithelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in rat vagina was recently reported. The aims were to investigate the effects of estrogen on vaginal EPCs in the oophorectomized female rat model. Materials and Methods: Female Sprague-Dawley rats (230–240 g, n=30) were divided into 3 groups: control (n=10), bilateral oophorectomy (OVX, n=10), and bilateral OVX followed by subcutaneous injections of 17β-estradiol (50 µg/kg/day, n=10). After 4 weeks, the expression of EPC-specific markers (CD44, estrogen receptor alpha [ERα], and progesterone receptor) were evaluated by immunohistochemistry and Western blot. Results: The CD44/ERα double-labeled cells were mainly expressed in basal cell layers and suprabasal layers as shown by confocal immunofluorescence. Confocal microscopy revealed that the number of CD44+/ERα+ cells decreased in the OVX group compared with the controls but was similar to control levels in rats receiving estrogen replacements. The protein expression of CD44 and ERα decreased after OVX and was restored to control levels after estrogen supplementation. Conclusions: Markers of EPCs were expressed in the vagina, and the expression of resident EPCs was regulated by estrogen. These findings imply that resident EPCs may have an important role in the regeneration of vaginal mucosa by estrogen replacement.https://www.icurology.org/pdf/10.4111/icu.20200513cellsepitheliumestrogensratsvagina |
| spellingShingle | Ho Seok Chung Hyun-Suk Lee Kwangsung Park Estrogen modulates epithelial progenitor cells in rat vagina Investigative and Clinical Urology cells epithelium estrogens rats vagina |
| title | Estrogen modulates epithelial progenitor cells in rat vagina |
| title_full | Estrogen modulates epithelial progenitor cells in rat vagina |
| title_fullStr | Estrogen modulates epithelial progenitor cells in rat vagina |
| title_full_unstemmed | Estrogen modulates epithelial progenitor cells in rat vagina |
| title_short | Estrogen modulates epithelial progenitor cells in rat vagina |
| title_sort | estrogen modulates epithelial progenitor cells in rat vagina |
| topic | cells epithelium estrogens rats vagina |
| url | https://www.icurology.org/pdf/10.4111/icu.20200513 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT hoseokchung estrogenmodulatesepithelialprogenitorcellsinratvagina AT hyunsuklee estrogenmodulatesepithelialprogenitorcellsinratvagina AT kwangsungpark estrogenmodulatesepithelialprogenitorcellsinratvagina |