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Updated: Jul 17, 2026

Detecting the Ligand-binding Domain Dimerization Activity of Estrogen Receptor Alpha Using the Mammalian Two-Hybrid Assay
Published on: December 19, 2018
By modulating androgen receptor coactivators, daidzein may act as a phytoandrogen
Jen-Jih Chen1, Hong-Chiang Chang
1Department of Urology, En Chu Kong Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Background:
To identify the phytoandrogen from phytohormone, we established an assay to assess the androgenicity of phytoestrogens by using androgen receptor (AR) cofactors to modulate the AR transcriptional activity.
Methods:
A Dual-luciferase reporter assay was used to evaluate the transcriptional activity of AR stimulated by the phytoestrogen daidzein.
Results:
The Dual luciferase data showed that daidzein can enhance androgenic effects in AR negative PC-3 cells cotransfected with AR and AR cofactors. In AR and ARA70 positive LNCaP cells, daidzein can enhance ARA55-mediated induction of AR transcriptional activity. With increasing amounts of transfected ARA55, AR transcriptional activity was enhanced by daidzein in a dose-dependent manner.
Conclusions:
Although daidzein is a phytoestrogen, it can create androgenic effects when cells are cotransfected with AR cofactors. When screening for phytoandrogens, the modulating effects of AR cofactors with AR should be considered in the assay system.
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