Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Aromatase in skeletal muscle.

A A Larionov1, D A Vasyliev, J I Mason

  • 1Breast Unit Research Group, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh University, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, Scotland, UK. larionovalexei@hotmail.com

The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
|May 7, 2003
PubMed
Summary

Human skeletal muscle expresses aromatase, an enzyme crucial for estrogen production. Muscle tissue may contribute significantly to circulating estrogen levels in men and post-menopausal women, comparable to adipose tissue.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

[Family diabetes and main noncommunicable diseases: The described and potential effect of metformin (remembering Vladimir Dilman).]

Advances in gerontology = Uspekhi gerontologii·2020
Same author

[The role of inflammatory and anti- inflammatory factors in endometrial cancer and its types: tumor and adipose tissue].

Voprosy onkologii·2019
Same author

[Pre-surgical hormonal-metabolic state in endometrial cancer patients who underwent laparoscopy or laparotomy].

Voprosy onkologii·2019
Same author

[The first results of assessment of clinical efficacy of melatonin and metformin in patients with disseminated skin melanoma receiving dacarbazine as first-line systemic therapy].

Voprosy onkologii·2018
Same author

[Oncoendocrinology: interim results and new challenges].

Voprosy onkologii·2018
Same author

[Hormone-associated properties and plasticity of omental fat: the relation with clinical-morphological features of endometrial cancer in patients with different obesity phenotypes].

Voprosy onkologii·2018

Area of Science:

  • Endocrinology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Human Physiology

Background:

  • Aromatase is a key enzyme in estrogen biosynthesis.
  • Its presence and activity in human skeletal muscle are not fully understood.
  • Understanding aromatase in muscle is important for comprehending estrogen metabolism in men and post-menopausal women.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate aromatase gene expression in human skeletal muscle.
  • To measure aromatase activity in human skeletal muscle.
  • To compare aromatase activity in muscle versus adipose tissue.

Main Methods:

  • Reverse transcription-nested polymerase chain reaction (RT-nested PCR) was used to detect aromatase mRNA transcripts.
  • Aromatase activity was quantified using definitive product isolation (DPI) and tritium-release assay (TRA).

Related Experiment Videos

  • Paired comparisons of aromatase activity in muscle and adjacent fat tissue were conducted.

    • Main Results:

    • Aromatase mRNA transcripts were detected in 32 of 34 skeletal muscle samples.
    • Detectable aromatase activity was found in 52% of samples using both DPI and TRA methods.
    • Aromatase activity in muscle tissue was positively correlated with donor age and, when expressed per milligram of protein, was higher in fat tissue but comparable when based on wet weight.

    Conclusions:

    • Human skeletal muscle expresses functional aromatase, indicating it can synthesize estrogens.
    • Muscle tissue represents a significant source of estrogens, potentially comparable to adipose tissue, in men and post-menopausal women.
    • Estrogen formation in muscle may be regulated by glucocorticoid- and cAMP-dependent promoters.