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Evidence for estrogen receptor α and β expression in skeletal muscle of pigs

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Abstract

Recent research suggests that estrogen receptors (ERs) are of significance in skeletal muscle function. The aim of the present study was to investigate, whether ERα and ERβ are expressed in different porcine skeletal muscles and in satellite cells derived from semimembranosus muscle (SM) at the protein and mRNA level. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated positive staining for ERα in the nuclei of skeletal muscle cells, while the ERβ stain showed positive signals in nuclei and cytoplasm of skeletal myofibers and myoblasts derived from satellite cells. Additionally, a weak expression of both ER subtypes was seen in skeletal muscle tissue and SM satellite cells with Western blot analysis. A clear expression of the ERα mRNA and a weak expression of the ERβ mRNA was seen in skeletal muscle tissue and SM satellite cell cultures, as determined by reverse transcription (RT)-PCR. The present study shows for the first time that both ERα and ERβ are expressed in porcine skeletal muscle, which, consequently, could be considered as a target tissue for estrogens or estrogen-like compounds. However, more detailed studies on the functional impact of both receptor subtypes in skeletal muscle are necessary. The porcine SM satellite cell culture provides a suitable in vitro model to investigate estrogenic effects on pig skeletal muscle.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Hilke Brandt, Marie Jugert-Lund, Angela Steinborn and Maren Anders for excellent technical assistance. We are grateful to the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft for financial support (Re 978/11-1).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Institute for the Biology of Farm Animals (FBN), Muscle Biology and Growth Research Unit, Wilhelm-Stahl-Allee 2, 18196, Dummerstorf, Germany

    Claudia Kalbe, Marcus Mau & Charlotte Rehfeldt

  2. Research Institute for the Biology of Farm Animals (FBN), Reproductive Biology Research Unit, Wilhelm-Stahl-Allee 2, 18196, Dummerstorf, Germany

    Karin Wollenhaupt

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  1. Claudia Kalbe
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  2. Marcus Mau
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Correspondence to Charlotte Rehfeldt.

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Kalbe, C., Mau, M., Wollenhaupt, K. et al. Evidence for estrogen receptor α and β expression in skeletal muscle of pigs. Histochem Cell Biol 127, 95–107 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00418-006-0224-z

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