Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 12, 2026
12:59
Isolation and Th17 Differentiation of Naïve CD4 T Lymphocytes
Published on: September 26, 2013
Estradiol differentially regulates calreticulin: a potential link with abnormal T cell function in systemic lupus
1Department of Biology, Pittsburg State University, Pittsburg, Kansas 66762, USA.
Lupus
|March 29, 2013
Summary
Estradiol regulates calreticulin in T cells, crucial for normal function. This regulation is disrupted in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), potentially causing abnormal T cell signaling in SLE patients.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Endocrinology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) disproportionately affects women, suggesting a role for sex hormones.
- Abnormal T cell signaling is a hallmark of SLE pathogenesis.
- Calreticulin, a calcium-buffering protein, is implicated in T cell function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of estradiol in regulating calreticulin expression in human T cells.
- To explore potential molecular mechanisms underlying T cell dysfunction in SLE.
Main Methods:
- T cells were isolated from healthy females and SLE patients.
- Calreticulin expression was quantified using real-time polymerase chain amplification.
- Protein association between calreticulin and estrogen receptor-α was assessed via co-precipitation and Western blotting.
Main Results:
- Estradiol demonstrated a regulatory effect on calreticulin expression in normal T cells, differing between resting and activated states.
- Calreticulin expression patterns were altered in T cells from SLE patients compared to controls.
- Estrogen receptor-α and calreticulin were found to associate within T cell compartments.
Conclusions:
- Estradiol plays a significant role in modulating calreticulin expression in human T cells.
- Dysregulation of this estradiol-calreticulin interaction in SLE T cells may contribute to aberrant T cell signaling and disease pathology.
Related Concept Videos
01:24T Cell Types and Functions
When T cells with CD4 markers are activated, they give rise to two types of effector cells: helper T cells and regulatory T cells. Meanwhile, T cells with CD8 markers differentiate into effector cytotoxic T cells. The differentiation of CD4 T cells into helper T cell subsets, such as Th1, Th2, and Th17 cells, is dependent on the antigen type, antigen-presenting cell, and regulatory cytokines.
Th1 cells stimulate dendritic cells to express necessary co-stimulatory molecules on their surfaces for...
Th1 cells stimulate dendritic cells to express necessary co-stimulatory molecules on their surfaces for...
01:17Role of ER in the Secretory Pathway
Eukaryotic cells have a special pathway that enables communication between various intracellular membrane-bound compartments and also with the extracellular environment. This pathway is termed as the secretory pathway.
Components of the secretory pathway
About a third of proteins synthesized in the cell are sorted via the secretory route. They shuffle between different compartments in membrane-bound vesicles until they reach their final destination. The main intracellular compartments involved...
Components of the secretory pathway
About a third of proteins synthesized in the cell are sorted via the secretory route. They shuffle between different compartments in membrane-bound vesicles until they reach their final destination. The main intracellular compartments involved...
01:31Regulation of the Unfolded Protein Response
Inositol-requiring kinase one or IRE1 is the most conserved eukaryotic unfolded protein response (UPR) receptor. It is a type I transmembrane protein kinase receptor with a distinctive site-specific RNase activity. As the binding mechanics of the misfolded proteins with the N-terminal domain of IRE-1 are unclear, three binding models — direct, indirect, and allosteric -- are proposed for receptor activation. Nevertheless, it is known that once a misfolded protein associates with IRE1, it...
01:15Receptor Downregulation in MVBs
Multivesicular bodies (MVBs) are mature endosomes that sort ubiquitinated proteins and then fuse with lysosomes to degrade the sorted proteins. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) and its receptor (EGFR) form a complex that can be internalized through endocytosis, sorted into an MVB, and later degraded.
The EGFR can initiate signaling pathways that lead to cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation. Overexpression of EGFR stimulates cells to proliferate. Excessive EGFR activation may...
The EGFR can initiate signaling pathways that lead to cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation. Overexpression of EGFR stimulates cells to proliferate. Excessive EGFR activation may...