Testosterone attenuates expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 by conversion to estradiol by aromatase in endothelial cells: implications in atherosclerosis.

ABSTRACT: We previously reported that testosterone attenuated atherogenesis in LDLR(-/-) male mice, and that this effect of testosterone was most likely caused by its conversion to estradiol. Estradiol inhibits vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) expression, and expression of VCAM-1 is one of the early events in atherogenesis. We assessed the cellular mechanism(s) involved by which testosterone attenuates atherogenesis. We evaluated whether testosterone inhibited TNFalpha-induced VCAM-1 expression via its conversion to estradiol by the enzyme aromatase in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). Aromatase mRNA was dedected by reverse transcription-PCR in these cells. Testosterone (30 nM-1 microM) attenuated VCAM-1 mRNA expression in a concentration-dependent manner. The non aromatizabl

SUBMITTER: Mukherjee TK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC122647 | biostudies-literature | 2002 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature