Antiestrogen action: differential nuclear retention and extractability of the estrogen receptor

Since there is a much longer uterine nuclear retention of the U-11, 100A (antiestrogen) receptor complex (UARC) than of the estradiol receptor complex (ERC) at 4-12 hrs after injection, experiments were designed to determine if there is a difference between the relative nuclear affinities for the two RCs as determined by extraction with various ionic strength mediums. Although the UARC was retained longer in the nuclear fraction in vivo, the UARC was completely extractable with 0.3M KCl or 50mM spermine, whereas the ERC demonstrates a salt-resistant form. This suggests that the ERC is more tightly bound to nuclear components through this salt-resistant form of the receptor. In addition, various intercalating agents were used to distinguish the different nuclear chromatin DNA sites where the UARC and ERC may be binding. With actinomycin D (50 uM) more ERC than UARC was retained in the nuclear fraction. However, with ethidium bromide (100uM) less ERC than UARC was retained. Also, the ERC selectively released by ethidium bromide is precisely that fraction not released by salt. These results indicate that the UARC and ERC bind to different chromatin loci.