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Sci. STKE, 12 September 2000
Vol. 2000, Issue 49, p. tw7
[DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.492000tw7]

EDITORS' CHOICE

Physiology Split Response to Steroids

In mammals, a single gene encodes the receptor for the steroid reproductive hormone progesterone, but the protein exists in two forms, progesterone receptor-A (PR-A) and PR-B, that result from alternative starting points for transcription and translation. Mulac-Jericevic et al. describe mice in which a mutation selectively prevents expression of PR-A. Acting alone, PR-B regulated only a subset of known progesterone-responsive genes in the uterus. Progesterone normally antagonizes estrogen-induced proliferation in the uterine epithelium, yet interactions with PR-B promoted proliferation. The separation of distinct physiological functions for PR-A and PR-B raises the possibility that selective modulators of the PR isoforms could provide more specific therapeutic effects.

Mulac-Jericevic, B., Mullinax, R.A., DeMayo, F.J., Lydon, J.P., and Conneely, O.M. (2000) Subgroup of reproductive functions of progesterone mediated by progesterone receptor-B isoform. Science 289: 1751-1754. [Abstract] [Full Text]

Citation: Split Response to Steroids. Sci. STKE 2000, tw7 (2000).

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