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Published on: August 28, 2019
Estrogenic effect of three substituted deoxybenzoins
Sabarinath Chandrasekharan1, Balaji Bhaskar, Ramanathan Muthiah
1Department of Biotechnology, PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore 641004, India. csab@bio.psgtech.ac.in
Three deoxybenzoin derivatives showed estrogenic effects, promoting proliferation in ERα-positive cells and apoptosis in ERβ-positive cells. These compounds act as ligands for both estrogen receptor subtypes.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Molecular Pharmacology
- Medicinal Chemistry
Background:
- Deoxybenzoins are potential isoflavanone precursors/metabolites with possible xenoestrogenic activity.
- Estrogen receptors (ERα and ERβ) play critical roles in various physiological processes.
- Understanding ER subtype selectivity is crucial for developing targeted therapies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the estrogenic effects of three 2'-substituted deoxybenzoin derivatives.
- To determine the ER subtype selectivity of these compounds.
- To elucidate the mechanism of action via the classical genomic pathway.
Main Methods:
- Cell proliferation and apoptosis assays using ERα(+) and ERβ(+) transfected cell lines (MCF7, PC3, Hep2).
- Gene expression analysis of estrogen-sensitive genes (TFF1, CTSD).
- In vitro transcription activation assays and molecular docking with ERα and ERβ.
Main Results:
- All three deoxybenzoin derivatives (CMPD3, CMPD6, CMPD9) modulated cell proliferation and apoptosis in an ER subtype-dependent manner.
- Compounds increased proliferation in ERα(+) cells and induced apoptosis in ERβ(+) cells.
- Upregulation of TFF1 and CTSD expression confirmed estrogenic activity; docking revealed similar binding affinity for both ER subtypes.
Conclusions:
- The evaluated deoxybenzoin derivatives exhibit selective estrogenic activity, acting as ligands for both ERα and ERβ.
- These compounds demonstrate potential for modulating estrogen receptor signaling pathways.
- Further research may explore their therapeutic applications based on ER subtype selectivity.
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