Estrogen decrease in tight junctional resistance involves matrix-metalloproteinase-7-mediated remodeling of occludin.

ABSTRACT: Estrogen modulates tight junctional resistance through estrogen receptor-alpha-mediated remodeling of occludin. The objective of the study was to understand the mechanisms involved. Experiments using human normal vaginal-cervical epithelial cells showed that human normal vaginal-cervical epithelial cells secrete constitutively matrix-metalloproteinase-7 (MMP-7) into the luminal solution and that MMP-7 is necessary and sufficient to produce estrogen decrease of tight junctional resistance and remodeling of occludin. Treatment with estrogen stimulated activation of the pro-MMP-7 intracellularly and augmented secretion of the activated MMP-7 form. Steady-state levels of MMP-7 mRNA and protein were not affected by estrogen. Estrogen modulated phosphorylation of the MMP-7, but the changes were

SUBMITTER: Gorodeski GI 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2398688 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature