Abstract
The significantly higher incidence of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in women than in men has been attributed to loss of estrogen and a variety of related mechanisms at the molecular, cellular, and hormonal levels, which subsequently elucidate neuroprotective roles of estrogen against AD-related pathology. Recent studies have proposed that beneficial effects of estrogen on AD are directly linked to its ability to reduce amyloid-β peptides and tau aggregates, two hallmark lesions of AD. Despite high expectations, large clinical trials with postmenopausal women indicated that the beneficial effects of estrogen therapies were insignificant and, in fact, elicited adverse effects. Here, we review the current status of AD prevention and treatment using estrogens focusing on recent understandings of their biochemical links to AD pathophysiology. This review also discusses development of selective ligands that specifically target either estrogen receptor α (ERα) or ERβ isoforms, which are potentially promising strategies for safe and efficient treatment of AD.
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Acknowledgments
This work was supported by programs of the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Science, ICT & Future Planning (2012–0009484, 2013025964 to M.J.L., 2012R1A6A3A01039788 to J.H.L.). This work is also supported by a grant of the Korea-UK Collaborative Alzheimer's Disease Research Project) funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (A111227 to M.J.L.).
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Glossary
- AC
-
Adenylyl cyclase
- ACE
-
Angiotensin-converting enzyme
- AD
-
Alzheimer's disease
- Aβ
-
Amyloid-β peptide
- ApoE4
-
Apolipoprotein E4
- APP
-
Amyloid-β precursor protein
- CBP
-
CREB-binding protein
- CDK5
-
Cyclin-dependent kinase 5
- ChIP
-
Chromatin immunoprecipitation
- DBD
-
DNA-binding domain
- DPN
-
Diarylpropionitrile
- E1
-
Estrone
- E2
-
17β-Estradiol
- E3
-
Estriol
- EBAG9
-
Estrogen receptor binding site associated antigen 9
- EDN1
-
Endothelin-converting enzyme 1
- ER
-
Estrogen receptor
- ERE
-
Estrogen-responsive element
- GPCR
-
G-protein-coupled receptor
- GPR30
-
G-protein-coupled receptor 30
- GSK3β
-
Glycogen synthase kinase 3β
- HB-EGF
-
Heparin-binding epithermal growth factor
- HSP
-
Heat shock protein
- IDE
-
Insulin-degrading enzyme
- JNK
-
c-Jun N-terminal protein kinase
- LBD
-
Ligand-binding domain
- MAPK
-
Mitogen-activated protein kinase
- MMP
-
Matrix metalloproteinase
- NFT
-
Neurofibrillary tangle
- NO
-
Nitric oxide
- PHF
-
Paired helical filament
- PI3K
-
Phosphoinositol 3-kinase
- PKA
-
Protein kinase A
- PPT
-
Propylpyrazole triol
- PRD
-
Proline-rich domain
- ROS
-
Reactive oxygen species
- SAGE
-
Serial analysis of gene expression
- Seladin-1
-
Selective AD indicator-1
- SERM
-
Selective estrogen receptor modulator
- SRC
-
Steroid receptor coactivator
- TFF1
-
Trefoil factor 1
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Lee, J.H., Jiang, Y., Han, D.H. et al. Targeting Estrogen Receptors for the Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease. Mol Neurobiol 49, 39–49 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12035-013-8484-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12035-013-8484-9