| Literature DB >> 23085002 |
Weijun Li1, Luping Tang, Yan Xiong, Xindie Zhou, Lidong Wu.
Abstract
The sex hormone precursor dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), which can be converted into estradiol by the enzyme aromatase, has a protective role against osteoarthritis (OA). To determine whether the protective effects of DHEA are dependent on its conversion to estradiol, the aromatase inhibitor letrozole and/or the estrogen receptor inhibitor fulvestrant were administered in the presence of DHEA in both interleukin 1β (IL-1β)-induced rabbit chondrocytes and a rabbit anterior cruciate ligament transaction (ACLT) model of OA. Expression levels of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) were used to monitor these effects. Expression of MMP-3 and MMP-13 increased in both DHEA-treated chondrocytes and cartilage in the presence of letrozole and/or fulvestrant, while the expression of TIMP-1 and collagen type II (Col-II) decreased. Our findings suggest that the effects of DHEA may be mediated by its conversion to estradiol.Entities:
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Year: 2012 PMID： 23085002 DOI： 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2012.10.001
Source DB: PubMed Journal: J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol ISSN： 0960-0760 Impact factor: 4.292