Study on interactions of endocrine disruptors with estrogen receptor-beta using fluorescence polarization

In this study, we developed a rapid, simple and homogeneous human recombinant estrogen receptor-beta (hrER-beta) binding assay method using fluorescence polarization (FP) by applying a fluorescent ligand, fluorescein-labeled estradiol (F-E2). A Scatchard plot and a Hill plot analysis of the saturation binding assay using F-E2 and hrER-beta were studied. F-E2 showed a high affinity for hrER-beta, the dissociation constant was 5.53 nM, indicating that F-E2 is applicable to the hrER-beta binding assay. Competitive binding assays using F-E2, in which the FP values decreased upon the addition of compounds (competitors) were carried out to evaluate the binding characteristics of compounds with and without biological activities to hrER-beta. Twenty-one compounds, such as hormones, pharmaceuticals, industrial chemicals and phytoestrogens, were examined. The obtained sigmoidal inhibition curves were transformed into pseudo-Hill plots and the concentrations at 50% inhibition (IC50) and Hill coefficients, the degree of cooperativity in ER-ligand binding, were obtained from the regression equations. Antagonists exhibited larger Hill coefficients than agonists, showing the correlation between the Hill coefficients and the estrogenic/antiestrogenic activities.